KASUMIGAOKA
2017/09/24
SERMON: “Avoid Empty Controversies”
「無駄な論争を避けなさい」
TEXT: Titus 2:15–3:15
I. INTRODUCTION “Seek Peace”
Shortly before His arrest and crucifixion Jesus comforted His anxious disciples, saying, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you” (John 14:27). Jesus gave to His church not only “peace of mind,” but also a way to establish a peaceful way of life within His church. “In the world you have tribulation,” He said, but “these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace” (John 16:33). Christians who are united to one another, and to Christ, by faith may have peace. The apostle Paul’s letter to Titus shows how that peace of Christ should be achieved. Peace within the body of Christ—the church—is possible, but it is not easy to maintain. The peace and harmony of a church is easily disturbed by dissenting voices and even rebellion. Paul warned Titus in 1:10, “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision [Jewish background], who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families.” The church must be diligent to deal with controversies in the proper way. The apostle wrote to the Ephesian church, “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3). Today I want to consider what we can learn from the instructions given to Titus about dealing with controversies and seeking peace in Christ’s church.
There are five things that Paul urges Titus to do in order to seek the peace and growth of the churches in Crete.
II. HOW TO DEAL WITH CONTROVERSIES IN THE CHURCH
First, Paul says Titus should remind church members that Christ has appointed leaders, called elders or overseers, for the good of the church. The legitimate authority of elders is based upon the word of God and must not be disregarded. When elders “speak and exhort and reprove with all authority” (Titus 2:15), they should be listened to. There is legitimate authority which comes from God Himself, both in the secular world and in the church. All authority belongs to Christ. But Jesus also said to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). Even if we disagree with our government leaders, we must admit that they have authority given to them by God, and we should obey them. Their authority, however, is limited. The word of God must be our ultimate guide concerning how we must live.
The church also has leaders with authority given by Christ. Paul tells Titus in 3:1, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.” We may not always agree 100% with our church leaders, but we should respect their office and follow their guidance. Of course, the authority of elders is limited by the Scriptures, too. If you believe that the elders are making a mistake–that they are disobeying God’s word, then you must show them what God’s word says. That is not controversy; it is coming together to learn from God’s word. This is the first thing we must do to seek peace in Christ’s church: remind one another to obey the word of God. Respect and listen to your elders because they lead you according to the Scriptures. I think the instructions in 3:2 are given to show church members how they should treat their leaders. Even if you disagree with your elders, you should not slander them or be contentious, rather, you should be reasonable and considerate toward all. This is the first thing to remember in order to seek peace in the church. As Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica concerning its elders, “Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another” (1 Thess. 5:13).
The second thing Titus must do is to remember, with humility, his own past. I think the instructions Paul gives in 3:3 are particularly given to Titus and all church leaders. In some churches, the elders or pastor may be quite critical of the spiritual immaturity of their members. Elders must be careful that they do not expect their members to have the same level of maturity that they themselves may have attained. And elders must be careful that they do not fall into the spiritual trap of self-righteous pride. The apostle Paul frequently recalls his own past history as a zealous enemy of Christ and His church. He calls himself “the very least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8); and says of himself, “I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9). And in 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” It is necessary for each elder to remember what kind of person he was, so that he is able to serve the young Christians in his church with humility and grace. I think that is why Paul tells Titus in 3:3, “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”
Thirdly, an elder should be able to say, as Paul says in vv. 4-5, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy!” The riches of God’s grace are best understood by one who knows his own personal need of that grace. When an elder identifies himself as a mere sinner, saved by God’s grace alone, he will have a close spiritual “bond” with all other Christians. He knows that the same God who planned and brought to reality his own eternal salvation is able to do the same gracious work in the lives of the other Christians in his church. Titus must proclaim to others in the church the gospel that changed his own life and can also change theirs. Paul said, “the gospel is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). And those whom God saves, Paul says to Titus, He transforms, “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (3:5-6). Because of God’s salvation, people are really changed! All Christians can therefore look forward to a new life, “which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph. 4:24). Stubborn, hard-hearted people, proud and arrogant people, bitter and argumentative people will be changed by “the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit!” So we look to God to change the hearts of those with whom we cannot agree. We ask God to give each believer a proper understanding of His word. We trust God to give our congregations “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” We cannot bring peace and unity by persuasive arguments alone. But God can do it! We preach the gospel of God’s grace because we believe that He will do it.
The fourth thing Paul tells us is how Titus and all church leaders must be careful to avoid the foolishness of controversies. It is often wiser to avoid arguments than to jump into debates and try to win them. Many controversies are a foolish waste of precious time and energy. We do not know exactly what the people in the churches of Crete were arguing about in the first century. Paul describes them as “foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law” (v. 9). Probably the church in every generation and every place has faced its own empty and foolish controversies. After the controversy has ended, the church may look back and wonder, “Why did we waste so much time on such a silly controversy?” But controversy is one of the devil’s favorite methods of weakening and dividing Christ’s church. So we should certainly expect Satan to continue to use such a productive form of temptation! Wise leaders will recognize the foolishness of many controversies and simply refuse to become involved in them.
But not everyone will be careful to avoid controversies. In fact, there are some people who seem to enjoy causing controversies in their church! Some simply like to debate. Others like to draw attention to themselves by raising novel and controversial ideas. Paul warned the elders of the church in Ephesus about such men, saying, “and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Faithful church elders must deal with such divisive people with patience, love, and firmness. In vv. 10-11 Paul tells Titus, “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” When such people—men or women—refuse to listen to the biblical counsel and admonitions of the elders, they must finally “be silenced.” That is because they are disturbing the peace and the health of the entire church. Ultimately, they may have to be rejected from the church because of their refusal to renounce their sinful and divisive activity. If that happens, it must be handled with love and gentleness, so that the church will suffer the least possible disruption.
Finally, Paul closes his letter to Titus with several personal requests and a closing greeting to the saints in Crete. But even these closing requests show an important means of handling controversies in Christ’s church. What Paul does in these closing verses is demonstrate how Christians should care for one another. It is hard to stir up the fires of controversy when Christians are actively serving one another and praying for one another. Arguments seem to become most serious when people are not busily working to build up the kingdom of God! Paul urges Titus to avoid controversies, but instead, “make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis” (v. 12); to “diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos” so that “nothing is lacking for them” (v. 13); and finally, to “let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful” (v. 14). Few things are as “unfruitful” as the time and energy that is wasted on foolish controversies. Let our church be full of Christians busily working to help and encourage one another, taking the gospel and planting churches in new places, and helping “sister churches” by meeting their “pressing needs”! If we will do that, we will be “fruitful,” and much less likely to be disturbed by controversy.
III. CONCLUSION
Most Christians, I think, either have experienced, or will experience, a period in their lives when controversy threatened the health, and even the existence, of their church. The church will not fail, because it belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, but sometimes individual congregations do fail. No church should ever underestimate the danger of foolish controversies. We need to listen carefully to the instructions given to Titus and do our best to follow them ourselves. First, we must listen to the legitimate authority of the elders whom God has given to shepherd us. Second, we must remember that we are all sinners saved by the grace of God alone, and not by any merit in ourselves. Third, we must remember that God is still at work changing lives through the redemption that is in Christ and the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit. Fourth, we must deal with people who are “factious” with gentleness, patience, and firmness. And fifthly, we must see that we are actively involved in fruitful works of mercy and encouragement, laboring to build up one another in Christian love. This is the way we should deal with the threat of foolish controversy, and “be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 43).
Our church is facing several issues now that might be controversial and threaten the peace of our flock. There is the election of congregational officers next week, for example. There is the question about repairs to the church building. And there is even the matter of preparing to call the next pastor to serve Kasumigaoka RPC. These are important matters that our church must face. As we face them, let’s remember the instructions given to Titus for maintaining the peace of the churches in Crete. If we follow these instructions, we will be able to safely face each of these challenges, without dividing into different factions. And we will be stronger and more fruitful, as a result!