Titus 3:1-11--Be Ready for Every Good Work

Titus 3:1-11
English Standard Version

Be Ready for Every Good Work
3 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

---

The "them" here refers back to the people we were just talking about in chapter 2 (remember that there were no chapter and verse numbers in the original letter).  Paul finished chapter 2 telling Titus to exhort the congregation as a whole to be obedient to all these things that were being given to them by Paul through Titus.  Now Paul is telling Titus to instruct the congregation to be submissive to the governing authorities that have been put over them--even though those governing authorities are often working in opposition to the gospel and are acting without honor.  However, this also refers to any kind of authority we are put under and is not as specific an instruction as what we may see in maybe Romans 13 where Paul talks about being subject to governors who have the authority to punish crime and execute the death penalty.  This could be a child-parent relationship or an employee-employer relationship, or a citizen-government relationship.  The way in which we respond to those who have been put in authority over us has much to do with how responsive people will be to our message when we share the gospel with them.  In fact, we are instructed here to seek the welfare of those around us, even those outside the Church and even those who are in authority over us.  We should seek to make our cultures and communities better to make the lives of our governing authorities easier, not harder.  Even if they do not submit to the gospel themselves, they should realize through observation that things are better for them when they Christians who they trust in their government who are seeking for people to be changed from the inside out so they no longer desire to be rebellious and evil.

That leads to the next point Paul makes to remind us of all the kinds of things that are part of our old nature that we need to do away with--speaking evil of others, quarrelling, speaking harshly and in a way that is rude and self-seeking (instead we are to be gentle, courteous and humble--thinking of other more highly than we think of ourselves, for this is what 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love looks like).  We were once foolish, disobedient, and slaves to our sinful lusts and passions.  We spent our time and energy fanaticizing about how to get even or do harm to others, we were ruled by vengeance, jealousy, envy, and strife.  We did not know how to love each other.  But now, because of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we have been transformed.  He saved us, washed us, gave us new life, and renewed us to right standing with both God and men.  We have been justified so that we are declared "not guilty" and "righteous" in His sight, and we have been given the gift of eternal life that only comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.  This is not the end of the story though.

God wants us to devote ourselves to good works, not to earn brownie points or do things to prove that we merited salvation or do anything in order to keep our salvation, but because we are His humble servants who desire to please Him in all things.  We love His Law and desire to obey it.  This is not just good for us, but it is good for all the people around us too as the blessings that come to us spill over onto those in our families and communities.  However, we should avoid "foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless."  They get in the way of the gospel and do not lead to our benefit, the benefit of the Church or the benefit of our communities.  These are the kinds of things the natural man (our flesh) would focus on, but we will not focus on these things when we are controlled by the Spirit.

The kind of person who is in the congregation who still engages in this disruptive, divisive behavior should be warned, and if they do not repent, they are to be put out (excommunicated).  They will only harm the world's perception of the Church and Christians everywhere and Christians would do well to not associate with anyone who claims the name of Christ and claims to be controlled by the Spirit, but is still behaving in this way that brings dishonor to Christ and His Church--stay far away from such people to make it clear to the world that they are not of us.  Do not let that person's sin corrupt the Church and let God judge them and deal with Him on His terms and in His time with the hopes that they might be driven to repentance and might eventually come under his submission to His authority and become obedient to all He has commanded them to be and do.  Then, and only then, should such a man be welcomed back into the Church (see 2 Corinthians where Paul corrects that congregation for not welcoming back the one he told them to excommunicate in 1 Corinthians once he had repented).