Family histories?

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Titus 3:6–9 God poured out the Spirit on us freely. Then those who trust in God will be careful to commit themselves to doing good. These things are excellent and beneficial for everyone. But keep away from foolish disagreements. Don’t argue about family histories. Don’t make trouble. Don’t fight about what the law teaches. Don’t argue about things like that. It doesn’t do any good. It doesn’t help anyone.

What it is speaking to me

Paul was writing to Titus, a young preacher overseeing the fledgling church on the island of Crete. It was a rough-and-tumble church plant on a rough-and-tumble island. Our silver-haired readers may have heard someone referred to as a "Cretan" before—and it wasn’t meant as a compliment. The Cretan philosopher Epimenides (6th century BC) reportedly said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons," a statement that Paul himself quoted in Titus 1:12. Paul was trying to train Titus to teach the church how to behave differently from the world around them.

We can easily understand “foolish disagreements.” Arguing about family histories might seem strange to us today, but essentially, people were debating the pedigree of their ancestors. Some even used that as a way to claim special status in the church—or worse, a unique revelation of the gospel or the law. For us today, it’s not about family histories or pedigrees; it’s about denominational or political histories and pedigrees people cling to—and it’s no less foolish. It doesn’t do any good. It doesn’t help anyone. Not that you or I do this, of course. I’m talking about... those other people.

What is it saying to you?

What’s the fight you really don’t need to pick?Who or what are you engaging with on social media? Is it truly spreading the gospel? Is it doing a good work? Or is it just a foolish disagreement—the Facebook version of family histories?

What are we going to do about it?

Instead of picking a fight that doesn’t help anyone, we will share something—online or in person—that will help someone. Something that elevates and encourages those around us. Something that shines the light of the gospel.