Titus 3:8

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men, but avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned... Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

God's grace saves us apart from our works—but it saves us for a life zealous to do good.

A Repeated Concept: Good Works

One of the privileges I have as a pastor-teacher is not only to teach the Bible, but to teach people how to study it. One thing you teach is to take note of repeated ideas and phrases in Scripture—things that come up over and over. When you're trying to get a point across, you repeat it. The authors of Scripture are no different. When they have something to emphasize, even inspired by the Spirit of God, they repeat it.

In Titus 2 and 3, a repeated concept comes up at 2:7, 2:14, 3:1, and in our passage today at 3:8 and 3:14. Paul keeps returning to the concept of good works at work in our lives as followers of Jesus. At the close of chapter 2 he says the grace of God has appeared to all people, bringing salvation and teaching us to live righteously and to be a people zealous for good works. Then in chapter 3 he carries the same idea: God has saved us as a special people to be ready for every good work.

Saved by Grace, Saved for Good Works

When you look at the whole scope of this passage, it becomes clear that God's grace saves us apart from our good works, but He saves us for good works. This is hit on throughout the New Testament, seen clearly in Ephesians 2: "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Yet Paul immediately adds, "For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works."

Put all this together and you see that God's grace is in us like a fire that heats up the boiler of our life, like a steam engine. That grace at work in us engages us to move toward good works.

We usually think of good works as the contrast to bad works—charity, service. But notice the good works Paul identifies in this passage: obedience to authorities, wholesome speech that builds people up, peacemaking, gentleness, and humility. When you begin to see these in a person's life, it is an external indication of something transformed internally. We are not by nature humble, gentle peacemakers. So when this appears, something has drastically changed.

Born Again to a New Desire

How does that work? The Bible describes the conversion experience under the term born again—the words Jesus used in John 3 with a very religious man. Jesus told him, unless you are born again, you will not enter the kingdom of God. This conversion happens by the Spirit of God. It is the fulfillment of what Ezekiel prophesied 2,500 years ago: that God would do a new work by a new covenant, removing the stony heart and giving us a new heart of flesh and the indwelling power of His Spirit.

When the presence of God is in us, He begins to transform us by His grace. One of the first things a born-again person experiences is a new desire to do things in alignment with the character and command of God. Those are the good works at work in a person. In Titus 2:14, Paul says Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people zealous for good works.

Equipped by the Word for Every Good Work

If Jesus died to redeem us unto good works, then we need to be people who are ready for them. How? When you piece Scripture together, one thing that prepares us is the work of God's Word in our lives. In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

That is why the very next words are, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ... preach the word; be ready in season and out of season." The Christian is redeemed from every lawless deed, set apart by grace, made zealous for good works, and equipped to complete them as the Word of God works in his life.

Be Careful to Maintain Good Works

With that, we come to verse 8: "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works." Point one of the outline says it as well as I could: be careful to maintain good works.

If you're a follower of Jesus, this is what we should be committed to—not to gain a better standing with God. By grace you are already saved; you didn't earn your position by good works. Having been given a perfect standing through Christ's sacrifice, now we should be careful to maintain good works. Paul says it again in verse 14: "Let our people learn to maintain good works."

Why Maintain Good Works?

Two logical questions flow from this. First, what are the good works? That side is clear—humility, gentleness, peacemaking, anything in accordance with the character and command of God. Second, why maintain them if I already have a right standing with God?

First, good works are a right response to God's grace. When I consider that He saved me while I was still dead in trespasses and sins, His enemy—"while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"—comprehending that magnitude should inspire me to walk in good works.

Second, they are honoring and glorifying to God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Third, they are a good witness in this world—the same verse makes this plain.

Fourth, they produce a good outcome for us. We don't do works just to get a reward, which is why I put this last, but the New Testament makes clear we will reap a reward in eternity. Scripture teaches the sowing-and-reaping principle. This isn't quite karma, an Eastern philosophy, but there is a real concept: you will reap what you sow. Being passionate about good works has a beneficial outcome both now and in eternity.

Seek What Is Profitable for Yourself and Others

The text adds at the end of verse 8: "These things are good and profitable to men." So good works are beneficial not only to us but to those in the world. Point two: seek those things that are profitable for yourself and others.

By nature, every one of us seeks what is profitable for ourselves. God essentially created us that way—self-preservation is one of the first laws of human nature. You're the first person you think of when you wake up and the first person you look for in a family picture. But Christ-likeness develops as we seek what is profitable not only for ourselves but for others—when we love our neighbor as ourself.

Philippians 2:3 says, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Read the rest of that chapter and you'll find Paul describing the mind of Christ, who put our needs above His own in the incarnation. Many in our culture say you must learn to love yourself before you can love others. My pushback is that I've never met a person who wasn't already very good at loving himself. It's God's work in us that turns us toward the profit of others.

Avoid What Is Unprofitable and Useless

Paul moves immediately to the contrast in verse 9: "Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless." Seek what is profitable; reject what is useless.

All of us have limited bandwidth. Research has shown multitasking is largely a fallacy—none of us multitask as well as we think. Every lady here knows you can't get strong communication with a husband watching a football game. We have limited time, too. Ask people how they're doing and ninety percent say, "I'm busy." Since our time and bandwidth are limited, we must focus on what matters and be decisive about what we don't engage with.

So, what is unprofitable? First, foolish disputes. The Greek word is moros, from which we get moron. Paul says avoid moronic controversies. We're all good at latching onto stupid disputes—just look at the crazy videos online. I had a conversation this week with a highly intelligent person, someone I greatly respected (past tense), who is convinced we live on a flat earth. There's a part of me that thinks, all right, I'll give you that—but I'm not interested in the useless conversation, because I'm avoiding foolish disputes.

Genealogies, Contentions, and Strivings

Second, genealogies. In the early church, people put a lot of stock in their lineage. Paul himself, in Philippians 3, recounts being a Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. We may think we don't do this anymore, but some are very proud of their spiritual stock—"I was saved at a Billy Graham crusade," "I was at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa when it was in the tent," "I was baptized by Chuck Smith," "I was married by Romaine." Those names may mean nothing to you, but for some they're a big deal. The point is that the present vitality of our faith matters more than our past experience. Where are you at today?

Third, contentions—debates and arguments. It is fine, even good, to have strong convictions. But rarely does fruit come from contentious, argumentative debate. People who become argumentative are not the kind of people you end up wanting to be around. I've had countless conversations where I said, "I agree with you," and the person replied, "No, but you need to understand," and I think, I already agree with you. Proverbs 16:24 says, "Pleasant words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." Colossians 4:6 in the New Living Translation says, "Let your conversation be gracious and attractive." If many people are avoiding conversations with you, it's not them.

Fourth, strivings about the law. That word literally means armed conflict. I've yet to have a Bible discussion descend into physical harm, but plenty of people have come to meet with me armed to the teeth with reasons for their position. It's good to have a strong apologetic, but it's all in the way you speak it. Since our time and bandwidth are limited, anything unprofitable and useless isn't worth it; we focus by avoiding such things.

Reject Those Who Are Self-Seeking and Divisive

Paul also tells us to avoid the people who routinely return to these things. Verse 10: "Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned." Point four: reject those that are self-seeking and divisive.

The word divisive is the Greek heretikos, from which we get heretic. Your idea of "heretic" is probably more shaped by medieval Christianity than by this passage. Here it is not merely a person who holds divergent doctrine, but someone who has decided he is right and everyone else is wrong. Such people are given to division because they want to align others to their position.

If you have a more gracious, merciful temperament—God bless you; I'm not one—you may say we should give them another chance. Paul does: "after the first and second admonition." But habitually divisive people usually have a deeper character problem. Christ can transform a divisive person, but a pastor cannot allow such a person to remain in fellowship unless they are transformed, because they will cause division. Paul says such a person has become warped—their character corrupted.

I heard a man say last week that lying warps the fabric of your soul, noting research that deceptive people create new neural pathways making future deception more likely. I believe that's true of divisiveness too—people who are routinely divisive form a new nature within their brain. Warren Wiersbe, one of the most encouraging commentators you'll ever find, wrote that such people are "beyond remedy," and added that "our local churches would have fewer divisions if pastors and officers would observe this important principle."

Closing Greetings and Travels

Paul closes the letter in verse 12: "When I send Artemis to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." Paul is journeying through Greece, visiting churches he had relationship with, having left Titus on Crete. Nicopolis is on the west coast of Greece, on the Adriatic Sea near the heel of Italy's boot—a nice place to spend winter. He's a bit of a snowbird here.

He's sending Artemis or Tychicus to relieve Titus on Crete; when one arrives, Titus is to come quickly. Verse 13: "Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing." Zenas and Apollos probably carried this very letter, and they have more to do. So Paul says, provision them—make sure they lack nothing.

Let Your Fruitfulness Meet Urgent Needs

Verse 14: "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful." I love that Paul calls the church "our people." Point five: let your fruitfulness abound to the needs of others.

Christ's love at work in His church is manifest through the practical fruit of meeting needs. One danger for a church is becoming an insular crowd that holds the same view on every little point and pushes out anyone who differs, until it becomes not a church of the living God but a dead debating society. The result is losing the good works God called us to do.

William Barclay wrote, "It has been said that there is a danger that people might think themselves religious because they discuss religious questions. It is much easier to discuss theological questions than to be kind and considerate and helpful at home, or efficient, conscientious and honest at work... The discussion which does not end in action is very largely wasted time." We don't have much time, so we must be focused on the work God called us to—work in response to His grace, honoring to Him, a good witness, beneficial to us now and in eternity, and profitable to all we engage.

Two Closing Exhortations

Two practical exhortations flow from this text. First, a simple way to meet needs: this month, through our Spanish ministry, we'll give back-to-school backpacks to kids in our community who are in need. Last year we gave about 200, and I want to do the same this year, coming up on July 22nd. The information is on the back of your sermon guide if you'd like to give or serve.

Second, at a pastors' conference this week one pastor shared that he encourages his church to pray Matthew 9:38. Verse 36 says, "When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd." Then, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

Every Sunday I drive north on the 15, passing homes full of people who need Jesus—weary, like sheep with no shepherd. I find myself moved with compassion, not knowing how to reach them. So I ask you to do something with me this week and beyond: pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth laborers. A warning—in the very next chapter, Jesus gathered His disciples and sent them out. But still pray, and you may find a new passion for good works growing in you to reach this community, where so many need the grace of Christ.

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You for the challenge of the Scriptures. Some of these things we may have heard before, but it's good to be reminded again. I praise You that we have been saved by Your grace, not of our works, but saved for good works. I pray we would see a growing passion in our hearts for good works, that by the working of Your Word we would be ready for them, and that we'd step out to maintain them. Would You pour out Your Spirit to enable us?

Lord, You are the Lord of the harvest. Within ten miles of this building there are nearly a half million people, so many of them weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. Send forth laborers into that harvest, that they would share the good news of Your grace and compassion. We thank You for Your grace; do work in our lives by that same grace, we pray. For we ask it in Jesus' name. And all those who agreed, say amen.