It’s easy to learn something new every day, but I don’t always like what I learn. Take these verses from Titus and Romans:

“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” – TITUS 3:9‭-‬11 NASB

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:18‭, ‬21 ESV

Have you ever truly read these verses? I’m quite sure I’ve read them before, or at the very least, heard them read, but they sure didn’t register with my brain until today. “Reject a fractious man ….” I looked up the word ‘fractious’ and was a bit dismayed by what I found.

Factious as defined by Dictionary.com is all of this and more. Aliented, belligerent, contentious, dissident, divisive, hostile, insubordinate, insurgent, litigious, malcontent, mutinous, partisan, quarrelson, rebellious. I’ve spent a large part of my life being fractious, and I still catch myself, especially the partisan and rebellious parts. I am partisan, a strong supporter of things I believe in. I am rebellious against anyone trying to force their beliefs on me, and I confess to some belligerence when I need to be forgiving to the person(s) who wrong me.
As R. T. Kendall wrote in Total Forgiveness, “forgiveness is giving up the natural desire to see the person who wronged you ‘get what’s coming to them.‘ ” Oh, such truth! It’s hard to give up our “natural desires,” because our “natural” selves are so deeply mired in sin. I am fortunate that a few of the people who have known me didn’t follow Titus’ words and reject me for being fractious. In today’s world, I think we’d all be pretty isolated if we were rejected for that. Look at how many people actually make a living by being fractious! Newscasters, social media talkshow hosts, so-called comedians, and politicians, just to name a few. The louder we get, the more fractious we become, the more people listen. As we become more controversial, our audience continues to grow.

It’s important to remember how these things, these attitudes, affect our walk with Christ. This morning, I watched a replay of a television show that was aired 22 years ago. A very famous woman, one with a great influence, came on a controversial new show to give her support. An audience member who identified as a Christian called this famous woman out, asking how she could support this show while calling herself a Christian. This famous, influential woman, answered “my definition of Christian is different from yours.” How can that be? There is, and can only be one definition of ‘Christian’. A follower of Jesus Christ, who accepts that Jesus is the Son of GOD, and that Jesus came as the ultimate, and final, sacrifice for our sins. Believing that Jesus died on the cross for us, was buried, and rose up out of that grave on the third day. He was resurrected for us. Knowing that He will return to earth one day and take His followers to spend eternity with Him. You have to know that Jesus was not a “good man” and He was not a prophet. He was, is, and will always be the Son of the Most High God.

More Christians need to be Chrst-followers and be considered fractious in the eyes of the world, standing up for the True Gospel. We need to be living peaceably, as much as is possible. If I am seen as fractious by the world because of my testimony, I accept that as an acknowlegement that I am doing what God wants of me. If, however, the Christian community sees me as being fractious and unforgiving, then I need to get on my knees and ask God for guidance.