Called to be Light

Titus 3:9-11

 Finding the courage to send out my thoughts “From the Back Porch” has not endeared me to some of my family, friends, associates, and neighbors, and I’ve had several ask me to take them off my email list.  What I write “From the Back Porch” are my thoughts based on my understanding of Scripture, and my dependence on the leading of the Holy Spirit.  My goal is not to be controversial, not to be disagreeable, and I do understand that many may have strongly felt beliefs that are not held by this writer.  My hope is that the reader would go to the Scripture and ask God to show His truth, not what someone or some commentary had to say.  I have no desire to be contentious, to cause disagreement and disputes between people of differing views.  My hearts desire is to share the Scriptures with all and maybe challenge some to pick-up their Bibles and search the promises of God.

I also must state that often people have taken the Scripture out of context in which they were written in order to make the point they desire, and that by removing one word you can come up with a new doctrine or teaching.  When a person does that knowingly, they are a deceiver and that is not a good place to find ones self.  So as I began to read this morning, I grew fearful that I also had been unknowingly in opposition to the teaching of Scripture.  I read and reread these verses, my first thoughts was to set-up a time with my Pastor for his council, or to find a commentary and read what they had said on these verses, and finally I stopped and ask the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of all truth to teach me the truth of these verses.  That is the moment I saw the words “quarrels about the law” and that changed everything.

I’ve come to the understanding that the best of commentary is the Bible, as we look on this letter to Titus in chapter 1 verses 10-16 gives understanding to whom Paul is referring; “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.”  These were Jews who were teaching Jesus plus for salvation.  Picking up the message in verses 14-16, “not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.  They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.  They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”  Much like our culture was the culture this young church found it self, and both Jews and Cretans were trying to simulate their traditions, and their life styles into this young church.  Paul tells Titus to, “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”  (Titus 3:9)

Since the establishment of the Church we have been under the attack of the enemy, and have been infiltrated and contaminated, and splinter, and often we leaned to our own understanding and allow the culture to invade the Church.  Somewhere we missed or choose to not believe that when we enter into Christ, we became one with every other person who enter into Christ.  We also are engaged in a struggle and it not with the Christian brother of another denomination, it is with the devil’s schemes, it with the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  It is time we began to treat each other as members of the family of God and acknowledge these words of our Lord.  “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” (Matthew 12:25) 

It is a must to remember we are called to be light to the darkness, and to teach, to encourage, and even to rebuke, in love, our family members in the faith.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice