Only One Thing Needed for Eternity

“But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions, and strivings about the Law, for they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:9)

Here is a mandate from Paul as he lays out some foundational truths for church leaders in his letter to Titus. As Paul continues, we see why he made such a request. Foolish questions, genealogies have no value in Christian life and lead to division and strife among the brethren. Genealogy was a big thing to the Jews back then. It was more than just family pride, it was tied to the tribe one belonged to, to the blessings over that tribe and personal responsibility to the tribe and the whole community. Titus was preaching on the island of Crete. Crete was one of the last places Paul visited on his way to Rome. Paul knew the makeup of the church on the island and advised Titus who continued his work there.

In God’s family, there is no hierarchy, no position of superiority in the Lord nor superiority of anointing. We all come to Jesus as a sinner not worthy of the precious gift the Lord offers us. We all become worthy only on receiving sonship through the shed Blood of the Lamb when we believe on Jesus, repent of our sinful lives and surrender it to Jesus. “And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God draws near. Repent, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1: 14-15) While some people may place more honor on the pastor, evangelist or prophet this should not be. When they operate in their gift, they are merely being obedient to the Lord, to their calling and their anointing as should we be, even if our calling is to clean toilets or mop floors in the house of the Lord. One cannot operate without the other. They are interdependent and should all be present in the church. They are gifts to the church (the brethren.) “Be hospitable to one another, without grudging; each one as he received a gift, ministering it to yourselves as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory, and the might forever and ever. Amen.” (1Peter 4:9-11) Where this translation says, “ministering it to yourselves,” other translations read, “...even so minister the same one to another.” Forty-four other translations I looked into also have the words to include ministering to one another with the gift you have been given.

Paul wrote the same sentiment to Timothy who he left in Ephesus to minister to the church there. “Even as I begged you to remain at Ephesus, when I was going to Macedonia, that you might charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogies (which provide doubts rather than the nurture of God in faith). But the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, from which some, having swerved, have turned aside to foolish talking, desiring to be teachers of the law, neither understanding what they say nor that which they affirm. (1Timothy 1:3-7) Foolish talking, fables and endless genealogies lead to doubts instead of edifying and confirming the Gospel. Genealogy is a big thing in the Jewish community. And even among the non-Jew, we take pride in our family and its roots.

The truth of the matter is that all that is of this world. Our natural birth, our family and the root of our family all has to do with this world. When we come to the end of it all, our pride over anything of the world will matter nothing. It’s what John called pride of life. It belongs to the world because it has nothing to do with eternity. “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1John 2:15-16) The only thing that will make a difference at the end of our lives is whether we were born again of God. This determines our eternity, not our family, not social status, money, accomplishments nor fame, not anything of this world.

Although we should not be concerned about things in this world, we live in this world, and the Lord has given us a commandment to be the salt and the light in this world. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:13-14) While we are not involved in this world, we are to impact this world and not the other way around. There should be no pride in what we do because it all, the knowledge, understanding, strength and power come from the Lord to tear down strongholds and bring light to the dark places of this world.

Are we effective? Only the Lord can judge. We don’t know what impact our spiritual battle in prayer has. It may happen in a time and place we’re not aware of or even not in our lifetime. But if our soul is in contact with the Spirit of God, we know what we are fighting in prayer. The result is up to the Lord.

To end this lesson, let’s review. All conflicts of the past traditions, beliefs, rituals, heredity and tales are foolish and have nothing to do with eternity. So they are worthless. This applies even to the legacy of Christianity. It doesn’t matter if your grandparents were great missionaries or if your parents were great renown evangelists. Eternity is based on only one thing. Did you believe on Jesus? Did you repent and surrender your life to Jesus? All things that pertain to the world will pass away. We are in the world, but we are not to be impacted by it, but to impact it by being the salt and the light.

Let us pray:

Father God I love You. You have annulled all things that are thought to be worthy of praise in this world and will bring it all to nought. Yes, although the world is in the hands of the enemy, You have placed me here to bring flavor to it by being salt. I am to shine the light of Your grace in those dark places. Help me Lord to do that. I always think I know what I’m suppose to do but when the opportunities come, but I am so involved in the world cares that I miss those opportunities. Forgive me Lord. Make me zealous for You. Give to me a focused mind on Your Will and Your purposes. Give me boldness and courage to declare Your grace and Your Love for all. I give You all praise and glory Lord for only You are worthy. Be exalted in my life. Be exalted wherever I go. Be exalted on this earth and in the heavens. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.