Titus 3:9-15 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. But avoid foolish questions, etc. The text brings under our attention three things. I. THE AVOIDANCE OF THE WORTHLESS IN SOCIAL LIFE. "Avoid foolish questions and genealogies." The "questions" and "genealogies" are referred to in 1 Timothy 1:4. The apostle characterizes them as foolish because they were of an utterly impractical nature, and consumed time and powers which were needed for other and better things. "Genealogies as found in the Books of the Pentateuch, and to which wild allegorical interpretations had been assigned. Such purely fanciful meanings had been already developed by Philo, whose religious writings were becoming at this time known and popular in many of the Jewish schools. Such teaching, it allowed in the Christian Churches, Paul saw, would effectually put a stop to the growth of Gentile Christendom. It would inculcate an undue and exaggerated and, for the ordinary Gentile convert, an impossible reverence for Jewish forms and ceremonies." Old was the habit and strong was the tendency of the Hebrews to concern themselves about their ancestry or genealogy. A truly contemptible state of mind, this! What matters it whether we were born of kings or of paupers? "And contentions, and strivings about the Law." The ceremonial law is here meant, evidently - the law concerning meats and drinks and holy days. "For they are unprofitable and vain." How rife in Christendom have been in past ages, and still are, these miserable discussions, which are generated for the most part by the most ignorant and narrow-minded of the human race - mere "unfeathered bipeds" that Christianity has not converted into true manhood. The grand end of every member of the social realm should be "charity, that of a pure heart and of a good conscience." The only true Christianity in social life is altruism. II. THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE PERNICIOUS FROM SOCIAL LIFE. The former class - the irritating disputants about genealogies and ceremonies - are described as "unprofitable and vain." They are a worthless class, doing no good whatever, but otherwise. The class we have here, however, is represented as pernicious, and to be rejected. "A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject." The word "heretic" (αἱρετικός) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. All heretics may be divided into three classes. 1. The theoretical unbeliever. They do not believe what others believe to be true and orthodox. Though bigots denounce this as the worst of sins, true wisdom justifies it. It says that uniformity of opinion is an impossibility - an impossibility arising from a variety in the faculties, education, and external circumstances of men. And not only an impossibility, but an inexpediency. Did all men think alike, all minds would sink into a dead monotony. "Every man should be fully persuaded in his own mind." That, therefore, which the Church most fiercely denounces it should encourage and develop. There is more good in honest doubt than in half the creeds. 2. The professional believer. A heretic more execrable know I not than he who every Sunday in the great congregation declares his faith in creeds, and every day, not only ignores them, but denies them in his life. These heretics make our laws, rule our commerce, fill our temples, create wars, and swindle the millions. 3. The practical disbeliever. These are insincere. They do not act according to their innate convictions, their intuitive beliefs. They believe - and they cannot help it - that the greatest Being should have the most reverence, the best Being the most love, the kindest Being the most gratitude; and yet, forsooth, they live lives of irreverence, unlovingness, and ingratitude. These are the worst kind of heretics. And how are they to be treated? They are to be excommunicated. "After the first and second admonition reject." They should be morally ostracized. "Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." They are insincere men, and not to be accepted or continued in the circle of brotherhood. Whilst you have no authority to persecute them or crush them by force, you are bound to treat them as insincere men. Their own conscience condemns; they are self-condemned. III. THE SUPREMACY OF PURPOSE IN SOCIAL LIFE. In all the changes in social companionship and scene of residence to which the apostle here points, he urges the aiming at one thing, viz. to "maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." What the "good works" are I have intimated in my remarks on the preceding verses. They are works that have a right motive, a right standard, and a right influence. The grand end in the life of all rational and moral beings should he the maintenance of good works. The apostle intimates that this should be the aim: 1. In all the events of life. He was now dispatching to Titus from his society two dear friends and fellow-workers, Artemas and Tychicus, inviting him to come at once to Nicopolis, where he had, in the use of his discretionary power, determined to remain through the winter. Moreover, he had requested Titus to bring with him Zenas the lawyer and Apollos. Apollos was a man, rot only of distinguished learning and influence, but Paul's intimate friend and fellow-laborer. In all this Paul keeps the one end in view, viz. that they should maintain good works. "Good works," the culmination of all good ideas, good impressions, good emotions, and good resolves. "Show me your faith by your works." In a good character man can alone find his heaven and from good works alone can man produce a good character. 2. In the presiding spirit of life. "All that are with me salute thee," etc. Brotherly love was to animate, direct, and rule all their social movements and activities. - D.T. Parallel Verses KJV: But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. |
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