Paul leaves Titus in Crete with a specific mission in mind...two primary objectives for Titus is to establish elders in each church and to refute, rebuke and silence false teachers and deceivers! Why must false teachers be stopped, why must they be silenced? They are ruining whole households...destroying families! Paul gives similar instructions throughout 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. In 1 Tim 5:20 Paul tells young Timothy "Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning." In 2 Tim 4:2, the verse we looked at yesterday Paul tells Timothy to "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." In our reading tomorrow we will see Paul instruct Titus in Titus 2:15, "These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."
In our reading today Paul tells Titus that the false teachers must be silenced...WHY? Why was Paul not an advocate of tolerance and being politically correct? If the TRUTH is the TRUTH will it not become evident in due time? Why should Timothy, Titus and you and I be ready to make a defense, be ready to rebuke, correct when we see error? Why?
Titus 1:10-14 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony 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 commands of those who reject the truth.
The mandate Paul gives to Timothy and Titus is the same mandate that God presents to all God's children...especially to those who are leaders in the local church. Biblical illiteracy is rampant IN the church....yes, in Southern Baptist churches, and in our culture you can't even call it illiteracy...our culture has no biblical reference point at all...they have Oprah! The mandate is that false teachers must be silenced! The problem is that to be able to silence false teachers we have to KNOW what is right...you must know God's Word! If you think about the whole armor of God in Ephesians chapter 6; every piece of armor is defensive except the Word of God! God's precious Word is the only offensive weapon we have and it is the only one we need, but you must KNOW THE WORD TO USE IT!
All to often those in the church like to use the Word to beat their opponents, like using a club...you may recall Paul's clear teaching in Ephesians 4:15, "speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." SPEAK THE TURTH IN LOVE! We are not to be rude or offensive...Jesus teaches us that the gospel is offensive, the message of the gospel is incredibly offensive to human pride, but we are commanded to communicate this message in love and grace! A few verses earlier Paul tells Titus what to look for in an elder.
Titus 1:7-9 Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not rude, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Let's join in the pursuit of the God of the Word and the Word of God so that we may "encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." If we fail to refute those who oppose we are failing our great God and we are failing those we are called to love. If you are a vessel for honor, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Tim 2:21) then you are in the fight, you are fighting the good fight, you are keeping the faith...you are a vessel, an instrument in the hand of our Master, in the hand of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Pursuing HIM together!
love,
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