Forget Foolish Fighting -- July 1, 2009

9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
Titus 3:9-11

After Paul writes Titus the doctrine of grace he is to teach in the churches of God, he tells the young leader to let no one despise him. (Titus 2:15) He transitions there to teach about submission to authority. He teaches that since we once were rebels we can no longer speak too harshly about leaders. He ends with the admonition not to get caught up in foolish conflicts about things that are unimportant. Titus is instructed to reject (stay away from) those who want to argue and can’t keep the peace of sound doctrine because they are warped (unwilling to change) so it is futile to continue with them. We have no need to condemn such a person they are self-condemned.

It is unpopular in our U. S. culture to bring correction or to expect people to meet standards set by any authority. Authority is careful how they ask for compliance because everyone is rebellious and ready to fight for their rights. Husbands are afraid to ask for compliance from their wives, parents are afraid to ask for compliance from their children, even schools are no longer a tower of strength and the lines of competence are blurred by refusal to be evaluated by any system.

Scripture's answer to this refusal of sound teaching is to leave that person on their own resources. Their removal will bring peace to the group and it will force them to recognize their way is not THE way. As a pastor I have been forced to reject individuals who would not change. What they wanted was to fight with authority. It has never been a happy chore. It is done without joy; only with the realization they are beyond my ability to minister. Many have separated themselves when they realized that we weren’t going to change our beliefs for them, but some have had to be invited to leave. Although this is unpopular with some person or clique in the church, I believe our church is a healthier place because we are willing to practice scriptural mandates, even when they make us personally uncomfortable.

I believe this would be true in people’s personal lives too. If we would learn to recognize that some people just want a conflict and remove them from the inner circle of our lives we would have more peace. We can’t choose who we must interact with at work but we can limit that contact to what is necessary by not getting into controversial areas with them. We can’t choose everyone who goes to our church but we can have deep relationships with those who are going in the same direction we are as we pursue Christ’s character for ourselves. We get into trouble when we try to coerce each other to all be the same. We need to stick to what is written. Then we will all get along better.

Avoiding Foolishness,

Pastor Jason