Titus 1:10-16
Winter came this week. Thankfully, it’s supposed to go back to the 30s and 40s this week. And with the way things are going, I wouldn’t mind taking a trip back to the 30s and 40s again––that is the 1930s and the 1940s. It seems as if the culture was in some ways nicer.
I know it certainly wasn’t perfect. But I keep referring to the times in which we live in my sermons, and I keep promising myself that the next sermon is going to be different. But I guess I can’t help myself. I think God has something on his mind he wants to share with His people. And when you think about it, sermons are intended to reach people where they are.
And where are we right now? Diana and I were watching the news the other night and I said, “let’s change it to something different so we don’t have to go to bed depressed.” And so we did––something more casual and light. And like I said before, I listen to enough news while I’m driving my medical shuttle during the week, and I have borrowed some audiobooks from the library and some music CDs from second-hand stores to pop in and listen to when I’ve had enough.
Again, I don’t want to be uninformed or misinformed, but it’s hard to take. And it looks like we have some crazy times ahead. Between Youtube and social media and blog posts, a lot of pastors are agreeing on this. It may become tough for Christians. Especially those who are on the conservative side of things like many of us American Baptists. Last week, I asked, “What are we to do in these times?” And I quoted Pastor Jack Hibbs out of California who said, “we’re going to do what we’ve been doing for 2,000 years.”
So what does that mean? What is the church to do in these times? Well, I’ve said for the past few weeks that if I had known God was going to lead me this way, I would have turned it into a series. And God led me to finally turning it into a short series for at least the next three weeks. That means Dad has a little more vacation time if he wants it.
So for the next three weeks, we’re going to take a look at something that was written 2,000 years ago by a man named Paul to a man named Titus. So we are going to study The Book of Titus for the next three weeks. It not only talks about what Paul suggested Titus do in his day and time, but what we as Christians should be doing for all time, including and especially in the times we now live.
Scripture: So if you have your Bibles, please turn with me to Titus 1, and we’ll read verses 10-16.
As you’re turning there, let me tell you a little bit about Titus. Now, we don’t really know a lot about him. It is believed that this was written about 63 A.D., and Titus was being put in charge of the new churches in Crete. So Paul was giving instruction on what specific things Titus should focus on teaching these new Christians.
So what did Paul tell Titus to focus on? Chuck Swindoll said, “Paul exhorted Titus to “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), a clear direction that this should be the young pastor’s primary role.”
In this day and age, as we get The World’s doctrine pummelled at us through secular media and educational institutions, those ideologies have started to creep into The Church. How are we to live in these times? How are we to face the challenges of 2021? Once again, as Jack Hibbs said, “The same way we always have for the past 2,000 years.”
Let’s take a look at our scripture this morning. Titus 1:10-16.
10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Now that’s how the first chapter of Titus ends. Kind of on a hard note. And Paul didn’t intend it that way. Chapters and verses were not added to the Bible until the 1500s, and sometimes they were broken up rather oddly. This is one of those times. So next week, we’ll look at what Paul had to say to continue his thought.
But what is it he’s saying here?
Not the type of thing you’d expect for a sermon topic––at least not as much anymore. Essentially, what Paul is doing here is laying the foundation or framework for the type of culture Titus was about to enter; and how that culture might affect the churches. Basically, what Paul is saying is to not let the wicked culture infiltrate the church, and if you must, rebuke––or correct those who are wrong to sway them towards the truth.
Before I get too much further, the definition of ‘rebuke’ doesn’t just mean to correct, but to do so a bit harshly––to reprimand or to scold someone. I wouldn’t recommend that, personally, but since it’s an instruction of Paul, I suppose there is a time and a place for it. Let wisdom tell you whether or not it’s the right time or place. Better yet, let The Holy Spirit do that.
I know that it’s even more tempting now with social media because you’re not seeing someone face to face. It’s easier to say something critical in written form rather than speaking eye to eye.
But in some ways, Paul was kind of like our former president. He wasn’t one to care whether or not he made friends, he just did the right thing. I’m not sure if he ever heard of the term ‘friendship evangelism.’ We live in a different society, and so we tend to win people over with love rather than rebuke. But Paul’s advice to Titus to be harsh here was meant for Titus to be a shepherd to the people of his flock. Sometimes a shepherd is to be gentle, and at other times, if you remember the story of David, he had to be on his guard against the wolves that tried to take the sheep. And that’s the instruction that Paul is giving here: if you can bring back the wayward sheep who went out to follow the wolves, do so. But don’t win over the wolves, chase them away.
Verse 10 starts with, “For there are many rebellious people.” The Greek word for rebellious is the negative form of submit, so some Bibles translate that as insubordinate, which means ‘unruly, wayward or defiant.’ Now some are sheep gone astray, and some have gone astray to follow the wolves.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
Paul is warning Titus to be aware of wolves. These in particular are wolves in sheep’s clothing because he goes on to say that they are, “those of the circumcision group.” In other words, they are religious people who are, “full of meaningless talk and deception.” This particular group that Paul is talking about was fixated on the Old Testament law, so they were probably Christians who were converted Jews, and were arguing over doctrine rather than accepting it. They thought they knew it all and had it all figured out. They weren’t humble enough to listen.
William Barclay said that this particular group of people, “Tried to persuade them that the simple story of Jesus and the Cross was not sufficient, but that, to be really wise, they needed all the subtle stories and the long genealogies and the elaborate allegories of the Rabbis. Further, they tried to teach them that grace was not enough, but that, to be really good, they needed to take upon themselves all the rules and regulations about foods and washings which were so characteristic of Judaism.”
Today’s equivalent would be when we get a knock on the door from a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness. They’re going to try to very sweetly sway us from the true Gospel to their own. They have a different Gospel than we do, even though they call themselves Christian. They have twisted scripture, Mormons have three books that are not only additions to scripture but contradict it. And where it contradicts, the ‘new’ books take authority over the Bible. Both the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons add works to grace––because in their religions, grace isn’t good enough––just like the early Jewish Christians in Crete.
There’s a mix of truth and deceit in Christian cults. There’s an old saying that every great lie has a little bit of truth. After all, how does one believe a lie without it being believable? So there’s truth mixed in. Satan is the father of lies, so he knows how to lie quite well.
Victor Hugo said, “Men hate those to whom they have to lie.” He didn’t say, men hate those who lie; he said, men, hate those to whom they have to lie. Even though Satan isn’t a man, Satan lies because Satan hates us. He hates us because he hates God and we’re made in the image of God, greatly loved by God so much that he would send his only begotten son to die for us.
One of Satan’s greatest accomplishments is lying about religion. He wants us to go astray by following a different Christianity––a new, bold 32-flavor Christianity. More to experience. It reminds me of Pinocchio and Pleasure Island. Remember that scene? Here’s another one from the old fairy tales: Satan is like the Pied Piper. Satan’s lies are so convincing that many people follow wherever the Pied Piper leads.
But here’s an even more clever trick Satan uses. He doesn’t just have people follow him, he creates more Pied Pipers. He creates false teachers. But a lot of false teachers don’t even know they’re false. That’s Satan’s real deception, and it’s sad. Now, I believe Joseph Smith who started Mormonism knew that he was deceiving many people for his own personal gain––and Paul warned Titus that the people of Crete were teaching things for their own dishonest gain, but there are a lot of false teachers out there who have been deceived themselves, and they unknowingly spread that deception wherever they go. Like the Jewish Christians of Crete, they think they’ve got it right.
And there are a lot of people falling for the smooth talk and convincing words of these false teachers. I think another great deception of false religion is the sincerity of those who follow it and teach it, and that sincerity becomes attractive to others.
What does Paul say to Titus about this? What is he to do about it? He says, “12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.”
There’s a certain amount of wisdom that needs to go into applying that for us today. There needs to be a leading of The Holy Spirit within you to rebuke someone. But there’s nothing wrong with saying what you believe and why. Not to simply contradict or argue or prove who’s right. But as Paul said, so they will be sound in the faith.
Enduring Word Bible Commentary put it this way: Paul didn’t say to Titus, “Cretans are liars and cheats and gluttons, with one of the worst reputations of any group in the Roman Empire. You should look for an easier group to work with.” Instead he said, “I know how bad they are. Go out and change them with the power of Jesus and for His glory.”
Concerning the wolves, you need to be careful, right? You need to be careful of them, but if they don’t know that they are false prophets, and are practicing a form of Christianity that isn’t true, it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be reached out to. Some may humbly repent.
I don’t expect anyone to repent the first time they’re corrected. They’ll probably argue and disagree with you. I’m sure they’ll get defensive for what they believe and why. Later on, in chapter 3, Paul tells us not to fall for their arguing. I have to admit, I’ve fallen for arguing––even arguing about the faith and other things I stand for. But there comes a time when you just have to give up. Not give up your opinion or what you know is right, just give up fighting. Some people just love to fight or love to try to prove themselves right. It’s okay to let them have the last word, it doesn’t mean that they’ve won, it just means that you’re done.
In Chapter 3––which we’ll look at more in-depth in a couple of weeks, Paul says, “9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”
In Chapter 1 Paul says to rebuke a person, and in Chapter 3 he just says to warn them. In our English language, I think warning a person may be wiser than a rebuke––I think there’s a difference in the English between the two and warning can be more gentle and kind and respectful than a rebuke.
But, notice Paul doesn’t say to rebuke and keep getting into arguments with the same people. It just makes you an aggressive person, right? It can ruin your witness because it’s like, “Oh, here comes whatshisname.” And then they’ll want to run away from you because of your abrasive personality. I’ve known people like that myself.
Paul says to warn them only twice. If they don’t listen, then they’re set in their ways and you’re wasting your time and energy. Just avoid them.
Why? He says why in verses 15 and 16:
Point 3: “15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”
Ouch! Harsh words, but true, right?
Again, there are people who do not know that they are being deceived. Those are the people God wants us to reach out to. There are people, like in verse 15, whose motives are pure. Maybe they’ve fallen for a false gospel and are seeking the truth. I think a lot of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are that way. Maybe there are some Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses who are humble and willing to be corrected if the truth is pointed out. At the end of verse 13 and into verse 14, Paul says for us to correct them, “so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.”
In many instances, the leaders don’t have pure motives and are not able to return to sound faith. Because they’re leaders and on a platform and think they’re smarter than everyone else and have found a ‘new way’ and have been teaching for some time and have gotten quite a respectful following. They’ll be the ones Paul warned us about. Many of them will end up being the wolves.
As Paul said in verse 16, “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”
I still pray for some leaders––some that I don’t even know personally––whom I have seen and heard who preach odd doctrine. There are others who are not in leadership that have fallen for some very convincing odd doctrines that are not right, and I pray for them, too. Some of them just don’t realize the doctrine they’re being taught isn’t right, or that the leaders preach things that are way off base.
Remember when I said every great lie has some truth? I’ve heard false teachers who preach truth, so a follower who has sound theology hears that sound bite or reads that book, but then there’s another book or another sound bite that smacks of false teaching.
I remember one time––probably about five years ago, and I’m not going to name any names when I was driving my medical shuttle to Rochester about every single day and had an hour or two to wait for the passenger. There was a Barnes and Noble not far from where I dropped them off, so I went in, found a book, sat down, and ended up reading the whole thing in a relatively short timespan––a couple of weeks, maybe.
Now the author is well-known, which is what drew me to him. And the book that I read was not bad. In fact, I was rather impressed by it. I thought, “Finally, someone gets it. Someone understands the kind of thinking we need to reach this generation.” I found out later on though––after admitting I liked this author, that he also wrote another book full of heresy. And he’s been preaching heresies ever since. In fact, there’s a documentary about him called Heretic, a name which he’s come to sort of embrace because it makes him feel stylishly misunderstood, I guess.
There’s another preacher whose name I’ve heard around, and I borrowed one of his curriculums from the church we were going to at the time for a homegroup one year. Again, maybe five years ago. And it seemed fine, but later on, I found out he was not only preaching heresy but boy, shockingly so. And like I said, the church we were going to at the time had his material so the folks at the church who listen to him seem to this day to be completely clueless of his heresies.
Heresy, by the way, is a churchy/Christianese term for false teaching. I know we pastors tend to unintentionally use that kind of language.
So, what I’m saying is, it’s easy to follow a false teacher when the false teacher isn’t always false. That’s how he gets his audience. Preach a few things that will appeal to everyone, then get a little vague with the falseness, then, later on, ease into it to the point where your followers are trusting every word you say and not questioning anything.
But there is no such thing as a “New Christianity.” There is no such thing as “New Doctrine” or “New Beliefs.” There is no such thing as “New Theology” or “New Revelation” or “New Signs and Wonders” or any of that.
If it contradicts with The Bible, it contradicts with The Bible. If it contradicts with The Bible, it contradicts with God because God inspired The Bible and all of its truths. If it contradicts God, it contradicts with Christianity––true Christianity. And if it contradicts with true Christianity, it contradicts with me.
We can and should warn people who are following the Pied Piper, but we should know when to quit, too. That doesn’t mean stop praying for them, it just means stop arguing with them.
And avoid them, especially if they are the ones who want to start the argument. You don’t want to get led into useless arguments, because you’re not going to win even if you have all of the right answers. They just want a competitor who’s a challenge, that’s all.
But if you can have a conversation with them, if they seem to be open to what you say, if their ears are tuning into the Truth and they’re asking questions in return in a sincere and humble manner, then pray for them and keep talking to them. “So that they will be sound in the faith.”
So, this is just the introduction. From here, Paul goes on to explain to Titus how he must teach in the crazy, mixed-up, hedonistic Crete. Paul lays the foundation for preaching and teaching and warns Titus of false prophets and people whom they’ve led astray.
Be careful, he says. Be on the lookout and know how to handle them.
So today, I give you the same warning. Be on the lookout. There are false teachers out there. And it’s growing. It’s infiltrating Christian circles. It’s not just the ones who come to your door anymore.
When they rang your doorbell, you might not have let them in. But today, they might already be in your home––on the T.V. or on the bookshelf or on Youtube. Like me, they might have been in a homegroup curriculum.
They might say some truth, but know your doctrine so you can know what’s not true if they begin to say some odd things.
And if you know people who are falling for this, it’s okay to voice your concern. Just don’t get tangled up in a mess of arguing. I know people who love to argue. Even when I’m not trying to argue, they somehow find a way to segue what I’ve said into an argument.
When that happens, I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut and grin and bear it.
Paul wrote something similar to another young pastor named Timothy. He said:
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Notice how Paul said, “the time will come?” Jesus said, talking about the End Times, in both Matthew and Mark, “24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Then Jesus said to be on guard.
I think we are in those times now, where it isn’t the World who is the target for deception, it’s The Church. The Church is being targeted for deception, and it’s coming in a variety of ways from outside and even inside. I think this is the first time that I know of in Western Culture, since The Middle Ages, where so much deception is running rampant in The Church.
Be careful who you listen to. Know sound doctrine so that you can spot it in an instant and won’t be one of the ones who is being deceived.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for your truth that has been revealed to us and preserved for us. Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit that confirms in us the truth of your word. And I pray for The Elect––those Christians being deceived around our country. I pray that you would open their eyes to your truth. And I pray for those spreading a false Christianity, may their eyes be opened, and may they repent.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on First Baptist Church of Watkins Glen
Featured Image by Pexels from Pixabay
