Do Good and Avoid Dissension

EXCITE

The HMS Bounty was a British Royal Navy ship commanded by Captain William Bligh. In 1787, it was sent on an expedition to the South Pacific to collect breadfruit plants from Tahiti and transport them to the Caribbean, where they were intended to provide a cheap food source for enslaved workers on plantations.

However, mutiny occurred in 1789, during the ship's return journey. Captain Bligh, known for his strict and authoritarian leadership style, clashed with many of the crew, especially Fletcher Christian, the ship's acting lieutenant. Bligh's harsh treatment, particularly his punishments for minor infractions, created an atmosphere of tension and resentment on board.

The tipping point came when Christian, along with a group of mutineers, decided to seize control of the ship. On April 28, 1789, Christian led the mutiny, forcing Captain Bligh and his loyalists into a small open boat, casting them adrift in the Pacific Ocean. Bligh and his crew, with limited supplies, managed an extraordinary 47-day voyage to safety, navigating over 3,600 miles to the Dutch East Indies, where they were eventually rescued.

Meanwhile, the mutineers, having taken control of the Bounty, sailed to the remote Pitcairn Islands to avoid capture. Over time, the mutineers' numbers dwindled due to violence, disease, and the harsh conditions. A few years later, the British Navy, after much searching, located the mutineers on Pitcairn Island. Some were captured and brought back to Britain for trial, while others had already died.

The HMS Bounty mutiny remains a dramatic tale of rebellion, survival, and the consequences of poor leadership.

Paul’s instruction to Titus in chapter 3:8-11 underscores the dangers of division while highlighting the need to stay focused on good works and gospel fidelity.

EXPLORE

Require Gospel Faithfulness (v.8)

Key Point:

Paul teaches that salvation through God's mercy leads to a transformed life, where believers actively demonstrate their faith through good works that benefit both the church and society.

Interpretation:

In v.1, Paul reminds Titus that what he’s told him is “trustworthy.” Therefore, Titus has to “insist” on them so that the church may “be careful to devote themselves to good works.” The first question that comes to mind is, “What ‘these things’ is Paul talking about?” It’s the gospel truths he has just encouraged Titus with:

We once were lost in our sin…foolish, disobedient, enslaved to various passions and pleasures,

But God, in His grace, rescued us from that life. This was His work, not ours. He was the merciful one.

Now that we belong to the family of God, now that we have the care and love of God, we should be ready for every good work, which includes both civic duties and love for our neighbor.

In short, the gospel is how we become Jesus’ followers AND how we become more like Him, so that we will be devoted to good works. This is foundational for the Christian life, so we have to pay close attention to it. We must require gospel faithfulness.

The gospel will necessarily bring change into our lives if we believe in Jesus…if we follow Him...if our lives are devoted to Him. And these good deeds, well they’re vital expressions of our faith. Notice I didn’t say they are vital to earning our faith. They’re expressions. As we saw last week, first the root comes: belief. Then, the fruit comes: good works. But, you never get apples from an apple seed. The tree must first grow, strongly rooted in the ground. Faith comes, then good deeds. These two ideas combined together, that first faith comes, but that faith always produces good works, is what led Calvin to comment,

"It is therefore faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone.” — John Calvin

When believers bear fruit, it is “excellent and profitable.” When a person is in need, we are motivated to help with that need. When a person hurts, we hurt beside them. When they rejoice, we praise God with them. We help them shoulder the burdens of life in a sinful world. We build houses for those in need in Guatemala, and buy a hamburger for the beggar on the street corner. We bring the hungry in for food from the food pantry, and we look for ways to serve the schools in our community to shine the light in a dark place and support teachers who are overwhelmed. In short, good deeds impact the world around us!

Illustration: 

A farmer planted two trees planted in the same orchard. The first tree, which he named “Grace,” produced no fruit for years. Instead, it expending all its energy on developing a strong root system, seeking rich nutrients and life-giving water from the depths of the soil. The second tree, called “Works,” simply sought to bear fruit. But, no matter how hard the second tree tried, there was simply nothing to show for it.

After several years, Grace finally started to bear fruit, and when she did, it was the best fruit the farmer had tasted. Frustrated, Works pleaded with the farmer. All my life I’ve tried to supply you with fruit, and nothing. My sister did nothing for years, and now she gives you the best fruit of the entire orchard. Why?!

The farmer, in humbling wisdom, told the tree — you tried to do everything on your own, and because of it, your roots are shallow and you bear no real fruit. First, you must grow healthy, then your fruit will come.

Application: 

For us, faith is like the deep roots that nourish the tree. Good works are the natural fruit that grows from a life connected to Christ. Just like an apple tree doesn’t produce apples to prove it’s an apple tree, a Christian doesn’t do good works to earn salvation. Instead, good works naturally flow from a heart that is rooted in faith.

Resist Pointless Discussions (v.9)

Key Point:

Paul warns Titus to avoid fruitless debates and divisive teachings that distract from the gospel, urging him instead to focus on sound doctrine, unity, and good works.

Interpretation:

If good works are beneficial for all, “foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law” are the exact opposite. Therefore, in v.9, Paul says to “avoid” them because they’re “unprofitable and worthless.”

The church faced division that spawned from useless debates. These things were probably very influenced by Judaism and “the circumcision party” that Paul mentioned back in Titus 1:10 “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.” To prove their spiritual superiority, they wanted to point to things like genealogies and quarrels about the law. But, listen to how Paul counsels the church on these matters.

Philippians 3:5 ESV

circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

Philippians 3:6 ESV

as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Philippians 3:7 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

And, concerning the law, he said…

Galatians 3:17 ESV

This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.

Galatians 3:18 ESV

For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Galatians 3:19 ESV

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made…

Their divisive discussions would’ve been rooted in myths and speculative interpretations and questions as to which rabbi was the right rabbi to follow. I know the answer to that question: follow Rabbi Jesus bar Joseph, Jesus the son of Joseph, Jesus the Christ.

Illustration:

Many are the debates and restless arguments that have divided many on third-tier theological lines. There are some who would spend more time to convert you to a school of theological interpretation than they would to Christ Himself.

In Paul’s day, it was the philosophers gathered in Athens or the elders gathered in town square. Today, it’s often the twitter…or “X” posts. They pride themselves on their knowledge of ancient traditions, genealogies, and religious laws. Every night, they argue about which interpretation is correct and which teacher or preacher has the truest wisdom. Their debates last for hours, but they never reach a conclusion, usually simply stirring up anger and strife instead.

But, our text begs the question: “How have these discussions changed your lives? Have they made you more kind, more patient, more loving?”

The scholars will scoff, either knowingly or subconsciously. “That’s not the point! The point is to prove who is right!”

But I ask, what’s the greater good? To debate all the ways in which a house could be built, or to pick up the tools and get started, just following the footprint and working from the ground up?

Wisdom is found in living the truth, not debating it. And if we truly understand God’s promises, we’ll spend less time arguing about them and more time living them.

Application: 

Instead of engaging in endless disputes, believers should focus on living out the gospel in love, unity, and good works.

Faith isn’t proven by winning debates—it’s evidenced by loving God and loving others.

Rebuke Divisive Persons (v.10-11)

Key Point:

Paul instructs Titus to warn divisive individuals twice before removing them from fellowship, using church discipline to restore unity and protect the community from harmful influences.

Interpretation:

Finally, Paul turns his attention from the divisive arguments to the “person who stirs up division.” They must be warned “once and then twice,” and if they refuse to repent, they prove themselves to be “warped and sinful” and “self-condemned” (v.10-11).

Division is a far-greater danger to the church than we realize. Jesus reminded us of how important our unity was when He told His disciples:

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Understanding this, Paul instructed the church in Ephesus on the importance of unity, saying,

Ephesians 4:3 ESV

…maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

And it’s why the OT counsels us as well:

Psalm 133:1 ESV

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

A person causing division in the church must be confronted and warned. We have to be willing to caution them about the danger of dividing God’s people. It’s so dire that Paul says if they refuse our correction, then “have nothing more to do with him.” Most scholars read this in the context of church discipline. Certainly, that Paul has this in mind, as his instruction lines up with Jesus’ on teaching on confronting error to restore others.

But, I would offer this as well. This person is “warped,” meaning they deviated from what is right and good or proper. And, they are “sinful,” violating God’s law. Because of this, the divisive person is “self-condemned.” Their words and actions and behavior and refusal to repent have labeled them among those worthy of condemnation. In essence, they’ve proven themselves to not be among the people of God…lost. Their greatest need, then, is the gospel. Are they allowed to have a place of influence and decision in the life of the church? No. Are they removed altogether from the church, being barred from sitting under sound doctrine and teaching as the gospel is reiterated regularly? Also, no. We remove their influence while continuing to serve them in an effort to continue to pour the gospel into their life.

Illustration: 

Back to the HMS Bounty and Captain Bligh. The moment Fletcher Christian began to rebel, what if Bligh had confronted him? What if Bligh had corrected him, reasoned with him as to why he led the men the way he did? If Christian was determined to continue to buck authority, how would the story have been changed if he had been removed from the crew…or at least separated until he saw the wisdom of Captain Bligh’s leadership?

Those are questions we’ll never know the answer to. All we know is that the ship ended up in the Pitcairn Islands, many of them succumbing to death for one reason or another. All we know is that the mission was never completed. All we know is that the disunity ended in failure.

Application: 

Like a ship’s crew, the church must work together in unity (Ephesians 4:3). When someone stirs up division, they must be warned and warned again against their treacherous actions (Titus 3:10). If they refuse correction, they can no longer be allowed to disrupt the community. However, the goal is not destruction but restoration. The divisive person should still be guided toward repentance and the gospel, with hope for their return.

EXPERIENCE

When William Carey expressed his desire to go to India and share the gospel, his enthusiasm was met with skepticism and resistance, both from some of his fellow Christians and from the broader public.

In 1792, Carey presented his vision for global missions at a meeting of the Northamptonshire Baptist Association in England. During this meeting, he delivered a now-famous speech, arguing that Christians had a responsibility to evangelize the world. He laid out his case in his work An Inquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens. 

However, his proposal to go to India and engage in missionary work was met with a fair amount of criticism. One of the most well-known reactions came from a fellow pastor, John Ryland, who, after hearing Carey’s passionate plea, reportedly said, “Young man, sit down; when God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine.” This response reflected a prevalent attitude among many Christians at the time—that mission work overseas was unnecessary, or that God would take care of it in His own time, without human intervention.

Despite this discouragement, Carey remained resolute in his calling. He was eventually supported by a small group of fellow Christians, and in 1793, he sailed to India under the auspices of the newly formed Baptist Missionary Society. This marked the beginning of his lifelong mission to spread the gospel, which led to profound and lasting impacts on India and the wider world.

Carey’s determination and success, despite the initial resistance, eventually changed the perspective on Christian missions. His work in India inspired many others to engage in global missions and to see the importance of learning languages, understanding cultures, and translating the Bible into native tongues.

The church is a powerful force when it is dedicated to gospel and ready to do good works. Will we face opposition? Absolutely. It’s one of the many reasons why our continued unity around gospel faithfulness is so important. In order to guard this unity and stay the course, we must insist on gospel faithfulness, resist pointless disputes that would wreck our witness, and handle division whenever it arises. My prayer and yours should then be, “May God find us faithfully dedicated to Him and His mission, and may His glory shine brightly as He uses us!”