Day #226: Titus 3:9-15

If sound teaching and good deeds were beneficial, obviously foolish discussions were useless and a waste of time. Paul warned Titus and Timothy to not get involved in the false teachers’ debates and arguments, to not even bother to answer their pretentious positions. This did not mean that the church leaders should refuse to study, discuss, and examine different interpretations of difficult Bible passages.

Paul was warning against petty quarrels, not honest discussion that leads to wisdom. As foolish arguments develop, they should rebuke the false teaching and turn the discussion back to a helpful and profitable direction. Meanwhile, the faithful minister should continue to emphasize those truths that God wants taught.

Paul gave a similar warning at the end of Romans 16:17-20 and follows Jesus’ pattern in Matthew 18:15-17. Besides avoiding the false teachers’ debates, Titus needed to take specific action toward the false teachers themselves, as with anyone who is causing divisions among the believers. Even more than their doctrine, their church-wrecking behavior had to be stopped. While false teachers outside the church were to be avoided, a person inside the church must be warned not to cause division or threaten the unity of the church. Paul allowed for two warnings before having nothing more to do with the person because they have turned away from the truth, are sinning, and condemn themselves. A person’s refusal to stop teaching false doctrine and to stop causing division in the church (even after being lovingly admonished) evidenced severe stubbornness.

A local church cannot modify its doctrine for every new idea or accommodate every person’s viewpoint. It may be better to risk having a member leave for another church that emphasizes his or her theological “hot button” than to try to be a church that caters to every conceivable theological taste. A church cannot get to the important work of evangelism and service to others if the theological base is shaky or if the church is embroiled in theological controversy.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Continuing from yesterday:

#5. Real Christianity provides loving support.

In other words, the church provides a support network when you’re going through a tough time. In the first church they loved each other. They took care of each other. They cared for each other, because they were all being killed by the Roman Empire. Tomorrow you may be being fed to the lions because it’s illegal to be a Christian. So they banded together and they really took care of each other. They loved and they supported each other.

There’s a Bible word for that support network. It’s called fellowship. Fellowship means we care and support each other. It means we are as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ.

The Bible says this in Acts 2:42 “They took part in the fellowship, sharing in the fellowship meals and in praying together.” CED translation says “They were like family to each other.” Circle “family.” Over and over again the church is called a family. It’s not a business, it’s not an organization, it’s not a social club. The church is a family. In fact, the Bible tells us that you are to treat older men in the church as spiritual fathers. You are to treat the older women in our church as spiritual mothers. You are to treat other women in the church as sisters. And you are to treat other men in our church family as brothers – because we’re family. Everybody sitting on the row with you right now, you may not know them but they’re your brother and sister.

In fact for thousands of years in the church, the church members called each other “brother” and “sister.” They’d say “Brother so and so” and “Sister so and so.’ Sister Mary and Brother John. They used the term brother and sister because God says, you guys aren’t just members of an organization. You’re part of the family of God. You are to treat the other people in your church as family.

And what do you do with family? You defend them even if they’re weird. Why? You stick up for them. Everybody’s got goofy people – uncles and aunts. But they’re part of your family. So you take care of them and you defend them. They had fellowship. It says “All the believers continued together in close fellowship.” The Message paraphrase says “They lived in wonderful harmony.”

#6. Real Christianity, not phony, fake, pseudo Christianity, enjoys joyful worship.

Worship is a celebration. It’s a festival not a funeral. It’s the party for the kingdom of God. When worship is joyful, people want to be there because people are looking for joy.

Do you think church ought to be fun? I do. There’s so much bad news in the world, the last thing you need to do is come to church and hear more bad news. You don’t need to come to church for bad news. All you have to do is turn on the TV. There’s plenty of bad news in the world. I could stand up here every week and tell you everything that’s wrong in the world. So what? What we need is the gospel. “Gospel” means “good news,” not bad news. Good news. When I hear good news it makes me joyful. And worship is to be joyful. We come here to celebrate not to commiserate.

I’ve been in some of these churches that are cold – the first Church of the Frigid Air. Where people are ice skating up and down the aisles as ushers. I look up at the front to make sure there’s no casket there.


There are two reasons why unbelievers don’t become Christians. One, they’ve never met a Christian. And two, they have. Because some Christians are so cranky and so negative and so legalistic and so judgmental and no fun! The point is, they’re not fun. I want to be around joyful people. I don’t want to be around cranky, critical, negative people.

Let’s look at real Christianity. It says in verse 46 “They continued to worship together in the temple courts… [notice that’s plural] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.”

#7. Real Christianity makes generous sacrifices.

Real Christians and real Christianity makes generous sacrifices. The Christians of the Roman Empire era were the most generous people in the empire. In fact, they were famous for their generosity. They took care of each other. They took care of the poor. They helped each other out. They literally shared everything.

Here’s what the Bible says about the first church “All the believers [That’s not just pastors. All the believers – that’s all of you] shared everything [Not just some things. It means lawnmowers. It means RVs. It means whatever.] with each other. [because they’re family.] They would sell their land and the things they owned and then give the money to anybody who needed it.” That’s pretty radical. You see how far the twenty-first century church is off from the first century church?

I’ve actually read books that talked about the first Christians that lived in community. They said the first Christians practiced communism. Wrong! Absolutely wrong. Let me explain this to you.

Capitalism says in a nutshell “What’s mine is mine, and I’m going to keep it. I’m going to keep it and I’m going to protect it. What’s mine is mine and it’s all mine.” That’s capitalism.

Communism says “What’s yours is mine and I have a right to take it. As the state I could take it away from you and I could redistribute it to everybody else.” It’s forced charity. We’re going to tax it and we’re going to redistribute it. That’s communism. That’s socialism. (sound familiar?)

Capitalism – what’s mine is mine and I’m going to keep it. Communism – what’s yours is mine and it belongs to the state, and we’re going to redistribute it the way we want to.

Christianity says “What’s mine is really God’s, but I’m sure willing to share it with you.”

See the difference? It’s voluntary. It’s not taxed. It’s not forced. It’s done, not about a law or legalism. It’s done out of love. Christianity is neither capitalism nor communism. It is saying what’s mine really belongs to God. I really don’t own anything. I’m here for eighty years; God’s given me a little bit. I’m going to use it right now and then it gets passed on to somebody else. So if you need it, let me help you out with it. Totally voluntary. Generous and sacrificial.

Notice they shared everything. Not just money! Everything. Notice it says in Acts 2:46 “They shared their meals [I like that one!] with great joy and generosity.” Circle “joy” and circle “generosity.” Then draw a line between the two, because generosity always produces joy. The more generous you are the more joyful you are. The more joy you have the more it makes you want to be generous. Generous churches are joyful.


#8. Real Christianity creates exponential growth.

Rapid, multiplying, fast, exponential growth. When you do these other seven things the eighth is automatic.

Notice it says, “People liked what they saw. So every day their number grew as God added those who were being saved.” When it said people liked what they saw, who’s it talking about there? Unbelievers. Unbelievers looked at Christians and went, those guys are weird but I like what they’re doing. They love each other. They’re happy. They’re seeing miracles and all these things are happening in their lives.

We have seen growth at COV for sure, but not this kind of growth. This is the kind of growth I am praying for and working for. I am waiting and working and trusting that God will bring that kind of growth here to COV. WHY? I don't want one person going into eternity without knowing Christ. How about you. Will you help build a church here at COV where we practice real Christianity?

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.