You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Summary: How we see God’s Word has a big impact on what we see in His Word. It is very helpful to keep in mind that we are not Titus. Paul and Titus had a very close relationship, so Titus would have had a much better understanding of Paul’s intent behind his words than we can ever hope to have.
Do you remember who Paul is writing to? Knowing who this letter is written to is something we need to keep in mind. It makes all the difference in a passage like this one.
Paul knows Titus well. He knows who he is and what he believes. Paul has a great deal of confidence in Titus. When he tells Titus to warn a divisive person, he knows Titus understands what he means. He and Titus have worked together for many years. In fact, at the beginning of Paul’s letter to Titus, he refers to him as his “true son in our common faith.” (Titus 1:4)
Titus has a great deal of personal experience with Paul. That is something that no living person today can claim. Nor can we ever hope to have it.
When Paul says that certain people are “warped and sinful” and “self-condemned,” he refers to people that both he and Titus know. Titus understands. We can only guess, under the guidance of Scripture and the Holy Spirit, what he meant.
One of the dangers of not being Titus is that everyone else is a candidate for being “such people” as Paul is warning about. Who am I to decide who is being divisive or not? Perhaps I am the one who appears divisive to other people.
Thank God for God. He gets to be the one who judges between us. In the meanwhile, I have to be faithful to my understanding of Scripture. If someone appears to be divisive, I cannot go wrong by following Paul’s advice and avoiding such people. But I am not Paul, either. It is not my place to feel smug because someone else is self-condemned.
No, I am not Titus, and neither are you. Our knowledge of God’s will has not come to us through direct revelation from Jesus Christ himself like it did with Paul. Instead, our knowledge of God’s will comes through writings two thousand years old. Since I do not speak Greek or any other ancient language, I have to trust modern translations. The Holy Spirit speaks to me, but quietly, not in a way that is judgmental about other people.
Over decades of involvement with many churches, many people have encouraged me on my journey to know God better. I have also seen many people promoting their ideas about God rather than submitting to God’s Word. Through it all, I am assured by God’s Word through Paul in his letter to the church at Rome:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Even in the disappointments, God can work for the good of those who love him. That is a comforting thought. It is also a comfort to know that it is not up to me to decide who is “warped and sinful.” I know divisiveness. It is not my place to change people who have closed their minds to God’s Word and His will. That is between them and God. I choose to think that God is still working on them, just like he is working on me.
Application: Remember who we are and who we are not. We are not Titus.
Food for Thought: What are some benefits of avoiding people who you find divisive?
What are some benefits of avoiding people who you find divisive?
Adam made a choice. He chose to turn from obedience to God the moment he turned to obedience to Satan. As a result, all mankind is born with this sin nature. We simply, by nature seek to please ourselves as number one over all others. At some point the Holy Spirit will open our spiritual eyes to the truth. All who turn from their desires to please themselves first, seek forgiveness by faith in the work of Jesus Christ, become believers and begin a new life in obedience to God. Our primary focus is to look to ourselves, as we seek personal spiritual growth in Christ through study and application of Gods Word to OUR lives. The study of Gods word, seeking sound the teaching of others, and application are necessary for our growth and must take initial priority over all other things.
Romans 7:18, John 16:8-12, Romans 12:3
In time we become new person as God speaks to our hearts and we experience His transforming power in our lives. The fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and to top it all off, SELF-CONTROL, will begin to grow and be seen in our lives. These will overcome our old nature to please ourselves, as the welfare of others becomes our priority. We will learn of Christ’s prayer to our Father asking we become unified in His word, just as He is unified with our Father, as a testimony to the world around us. Our unity as brothers and sisters will reflect the unity of the Trinity to a watching world. We will compliment one another as our differences fill-in gaps and produce solidarity. We will come to know the difference between the essentials of our faith like Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, and the non-essentials such as pre/mid/post tribulation, and live together in the unity God desires.
Galatians 5:22–23, John 17:20-21
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We will also learn things God hates, things that are an abomination to Him. A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And ONE WHO SOWS DISCORD AMONG THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. We are urged to remember those who cause division and offenses, contrary to correct doctrine, to avoid them, and not make friends with the hot tempered or easily angered persons.
Proverbs 6:16-19, Romans 16:17, Proverbs 22:24
The benefits to avoiding those who are divisive are we can focus on our personal growth as Christians, our relationship with our Father as we choose to live in obedience to His will for our lives, and will have more time to devote to unity with our brothers and sisters as a witness to the world.
Ron,
Thank you for the thoughtful response to today’s question. It is well balanced and scripturally solid.
Good points Ron. I also agree that one advantage is not wasting our time on something that is not fruitful or productive for the Kingdom of God. If we avoid those who are simply argumentative or divisive for the sake of being divisive, then we will be able to keep our focus on God and His will and not get dragged into something that is unedifying and pointless.
Thank you, Rich.
Your comment echo’s the words Paul used in verse 9: “unprofitable and useless.”
I agree with the 3 wise counsel before me in today’s comments. I also wonder was Titus closer to Paul than Timothy? Sorry I kinda favor the name Timothy for some reason and hope that the person that they both know that is divisive isn’t named Timothy.
Ron I just skimmed your comment at first and had to go back and reread it again. I really like your answer filled with scriptures letting me know what spiritual growth looks like.
Mr. T,
You pose an interesting question! Paul appears to have had very close relations with many brothers and sisters in the faith. Acts 20-13-37 relates a story of how the elders at Ephesus felt about Paul. In verses 37-38 it says, “They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.” That sounds to me like they were pretty close to him.
One of the aspects of being a brother or sister in Christ that I have noticed is an expanded capacity for love. I think Paul demonstrates this in his relationships with Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and others. Tomorrow we will discuss another brother of his, Tychicus.
One verse that stuck with me yesterday was Psalms 127 : 4. It made me smile knowing that how important our youth are in this battle. Then this morning how Paul took this verse to heart.
Mr. T,
Excellent reference verse! I have provided a link for easy access.