Titus 3:9
Avoid Unprofitable
Arguments

This verse comes out of the letter from the apostle Paul to Titus, who was tasked with appointing elders in every town on the Island of Crete (Titus 1:6). Paul had preached the gospel and started churches on Crete, and Titus had to complete that task and appoint leadership in each church.

Starting a church is probably one of the hardest things to do. When the foundation is solid (Christ and His teaching), it will attract opposition from Satan and his demons. They will try to entice people to start quarreling over minor items in order to destroy unity on the more important things. That is what this verse is warning against. Let’s look at the Greek.

Avoid is ‘periistemi’, from ‘peri’ (around) and ‘histemi’ (to stand). The verb is in the middle voice and means to position oneself such as to avoid contact completely, something that every single bible translation agrees on. Keep yourself far from, or shun, or avoid those things are all good translations. So what are those things?

Foolish disputes, ‘moros’ (yes, that is where we get moron from)  ‘zetesis’ (questions, debates, investigations) are mentioned first. To debate important questions is very important and a foundational element of our society. In business, politics, families, and church-life, we have to debate over different ideas and thoughts. But debates can cause disharmony and therefore, not everything is a topic worth debating. Pick your battles wisely and only debate those things that are important. Jesus regularly butted heads with the religious establishment, usually related to things that their traditions valued at the expense of what God valued.

Genealogies, ‘genealogia’, are just that. Records of past generations. Does it really matter for your walk with God to know who was someone’s great-great-great-great grandfather?

Contentions, ‘eris’, are quarrels, strivings. This word is mentioned 9 times in the bible and each time by Paul in one of his letters. Apparently, when starting churches, this is something that comes up a lot. Debating important things is good, but when the debate turns into verbal fighting, at least one person is on the wrong track. It would be wise for both parties to take a deep breath, let go of any self-esteem issues and the desire to be right, and just dive together into God’s Word to see what His perspective on the matter is. It is remarkable how many quarrels can be stopped in their tracks by just asking: “what would God think of this”? When both parties can humbly ask this question, and seek God’s input, resolution of the quarrel is just around the corner.

Strivings about the law is ‘mache’ (battle, fight) about the ‘nomikos’, which comes from the root ‘nomos’. This is the law, but which law is meant depends on the context. One of Paul’s largest struggles was to convince Jews that Gentile believers did not have to obey all the stipulations of the OT law. The Jerusalem counsel decreed that Gentile believers were free from the OT rituals. But believers are never free from the moral aspects of God’s law. Love, mercy, justice, humility, and purity are still very much required.

The reason Titus (and we) should stay far away from all these things is because they are not profitable and they have no use. They do not contribute to God's glory nor to our holiness. When churches split over the types of songs that are being sung, or whether the wine at the Lord’s Supper should be non-alcoholic, you know that this imperative is not being obeyed. Jesus did not avoid all confrontations; some battles are absolutely worth fighting. But many are not, and we would be wise to just avoid them.

Godspeed!