But avoid foolish controversies. (Titus 3:9)
Oh, what wonderful and wise counsel we have before us today. Avoid foolish controversies. Why? The passage goes on to tell us, “because these are unprofitable and useless.” I call this – Majoring in the Minors, and sadly, the church is full of those who do just that.
To be sure, there are some major things that we hold on to with all our might, things that matter most as it relates to our salvation. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and was raised supernaturally from the grave on the third day. He ascended into heaven and even now, sits at the right hand of God the Father, making intercession for us. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him . . . by trusting in Christ alone for eternal life. This is keeping the main thing the main thing, and to these truths we must hold fast.
Yet, there are so many minor things that we make major and when we do, we find ourselves sowing in so barren a field. Think about all the controversies that Christians attend to where the Scriptures are silent. Some have made their life study as to the return of Christ, even making predictions as to the day He would return. However, even Jesus said only the Father knows when the Son will return (Matthew 24:36). It is foolish to focus on when Jesus returns. Rather, we are to live our lives in a posture of being prepared for His return at any moment.
Think of all the foolish controversies that have hurt the witness of the church when it comes to human ceremonies and religious traditions. How foolish to sow in so barren a field. But the adversary, the devil, loves to see the saints of God muddling around on the mud-flats of man-made rites and rituals, arguing over matters that matter not, instead of advancing the cause of the kingdom of Christ. In the end, the final result can be summed up as “high heat” and “low light” and no one involved is the wiser.
So how do we keep from sowing in so barren a field? We remember that our time here is brief and we must invest what little we have in the work Jesus has set before us. When Jesus said to the man He healed of demon possession, “Go and tell how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39), He was telling him to keep the main thing the main thing. His call was clear – to spend his life telling others about Jesus, which would keep him from foolish controversies. You see, when we are advancing the kingdom of Christ, we are at the same time, avoiding foolish controversies, and sowing in a field that will return 30, 60, 100-fold. May that be the confession of our lives.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 