We all like to think of ourselves as “good” people, whether we belong to Jesus or not. But as Jesus says, only God is truly good (Luke 18:19). All of humanity - if we’re really honest with ourselves - are on some level: foolish, disobedient, deceived and driven by our passions and pleasures. Even if you manage to keep this evil in check most of the time, it’s still there, waiting to emerge when you’re at your weakest. Like most of us, the Cretans who Paul is writing about, have been used to grabbing for what they want - after all, “God helps those who help themselves”, right? Yet, the real story of Jesus is about what God has done for you, rather than what you need to do for yourself. Thanks to Jesus, we are justified by grace and not by our righteousness. Trying to earn our way by being more religious will likely result in the foolish controversies, arguments about the law, and divisiveness which Paul mentions - these things are unprofitable and useless he says. In contrast, what is excellent and profitable to everyone is to practice living according to that future for which we hope and trust in God with certainty, that future state of being when we are made perfect and truly good at Christ’s return.