Hello dear friends,
Today, let’s explore the advice Paul shares with us on how to avoid wasting time in controversies:
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and conflicts about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
— Titus 3:9
In this verse, Paul warns Timothy to avoid these four things, saying that they are unprofitable and worthless.
Avoid Foolish Controversies
In the beginning of this letter to Titus, we see Paul give him clear instructions and the reason why he left him in Crete:
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
— Titus 1:5
The two main responsibilities that Paul gave to Titus were to set in order what remains and appoint elders in the cities as he directed.
Unfortunately, just like in every other church, some had infiltrated the church and were teaching doctrines that were not sound.
The word for “controversy” that Paul uses here simply means: “a seeking, search, a questioning, inquiry, debate.” This word is not inherently negative. Paul is not necessarily telling Titus to avoid discussions with those who seek to understand certain doctrines, nor is he telling him to avoid all questions.
Paul specifically qualifies the kinds of debates and inquiries that Titus should avoid. The qualifier that Paul uses is “foolish.” It is this qualifier that brings about the negative connotation.
Paul tells Titus that there are those who will come with inquiries and debates, those who will want to have discussions that are simply foolish, discussions that tickle the itch of those who wish to have arguments just for the sake of having arguments. These are not for edification or building up one another but rather cause divisions and feed the ego of those who participate.
These are the kinds of controversies that Paul warns Titus not to indulge in. To Timothy, Paul said this:
For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain.
— Titus 1:10-11
Just as Titus is being charged to avoid such controversies, we too have to be careful and discerning to know that there are some inquiries that some will start only to nudge us to indulge in foolish controversies which are not meant to build up but rather to tear down.
Avoid Genealogies
The next thing that Paul instructs Titus to avoid is genealogies. These were teachings by the Judaizers that emphasized the supremacy of the Jewish lineages. The Jews believed that they were chosen by God and thus were in a better place than the Gentiles with regards to salvation and spirituality. Adam Clarke says: “they were solicitous to show that they had descended from godly ancestors.”
While we don’t have Judaizers in our day, we do have those who claim a certain superiority in the faith simply because they come from a certain lineage, such as that of a pastoral family, or even some pride that’s gathered from some theological training that one has attained.
Another representation of such banter would be from those from certain religious sects who come to argue about the core principles of our Christian faith. We need to be able to discern that the intention of such advancements is not to seek understanding but rather to confuse and to lead astray.
Paul’s solution to all of this is to avoid any such discussions that detour us from the core pillars of our faith.
Avoid Strife
Here, strife involves angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict.
This is not the only time Paul would advise his readers to avoid strife. To the Romans, he says that they should walk properly and not in jealousy and strife. He points out that living in strife or contention is an improper way of living. And so he urges them to walk properly:
Let us walk properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
— Romans 13:13
Furthermore, Paul dealt with this point of avoiding strife and dealing with the divisions that are caused by strife as the core theme in his epistle to the Corinthians. We see this as he makes this statement at the beginning of the letter:
For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
— 1 Corinthians 1:11
Paul tells them that as they engage in strife and contentions, they are actually being fleshly. He also makes the point that strife leads to divisions within the body of Christ. The way Paul makes this statement shows that the Corinthians were in a place where they sincerely thought that they were doing the right thing in picking sides within the church as it was being divided over jealousy and strife:
For you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?
— 1 Corinthians 3:3-4
This is to say that it’s important to be discerning in how we navigate such situations and, more importantly, avoid strife and contentions altogether. Finally, these words of King Solomon are important to keep in mind:
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger quiets a dispute.
— Proverbs 15:18
Avoid Conflicts about the Law
The final thing that Paul tells Titus to avoid is conflicts about the Law. This came from the Judaizers who would often stir up arguments about the Law of Moses. They would push back on the doctrine of justification by faith alone, by adding works as a prerequisite to salvation.
Paul’s instruction to Titus on this matter is that whenever there are those who want to cause conflicts concerning core Christian doctrine, to avoid them. This is because such conflicts only seek to cast doubts and lead astray those who are believers.
Having gone through all these instructions to avoid such dangers, it should be noted that the solution to avoiding all of this is found in the previous verse, where Paul tells Titus to focus on the furtherance of the gospel:
This is a trustworthy saying. And concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be intent on leading in good works. These things are good and profitable for men.
— Titus 3:8
One commentator puts it this way:
Proclaiming the truth, not arguing error, is the biblical way to evangelize. — John MacArthur
Let’s remember:
- Many will come wanting to stir us up in order to engage in controversies, genealogies, strife, and conflicts.
- We should be aware that those things, while appealing to the flesh, are unprofitable and worthless.
- There’s a difference between arguing for the sake of arguing, and proclaiming the gospel. We should be careful not to confuse and conflate the two.
As I exhorted you when going to Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may command certain ones not to teach a different doctrine, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the stewardship from God which is by faith.
— 1 Timothy 1:3-4
I pray this word reminds us to focus on exchanges that further the gospel and edify the body of Christ instead of causing divisions and contention among believers.
May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you,
Paul
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