Titus Session 3

Purpose and direction. We talked about this last week and it continues to be the basis of our study this evening.

We like to know where we are going and how we are supposed to get there.

Consider the commercials for financial planning. There are several companies talking about how they know how to get you to your retirement goals. A plan is laid out and way is set.

They give guidance and help as you move toward the goals you set in place.

Now, consider how important this kind of living is regarding spiritual matters.

In comparison with the illustration given, how much more important is your spiritual walk with God over your ability to plan ahead financially?

We serve the God who created ALL things. he gives us purpose. He gives us direction. And this goes way beyond any purpose or direction we can find in this world.

God desires to guide and direct us… to lead and help us along the way. He desires to do this in ALL AREAS of our lives.

God doesn’t specialize in just one part of our lives… God specializes in it ALL! The key is we must be willing to follow Him in all things!

With this truth in mind, we go back to Titus where we are going to see Paul continue to unpack the purpose and direction for Titus.

Why did Paul leave Titus in Crete? What is his purpose in being there?

To finish the unfinished work - to appoint elders throughout the region.

Now, we have a bit of our own unfinished business to take care of. We nee to answer a question from last week: what is the difference between the words bishop (overseer), elder, pastor?

Elder - the original word used here (as found in Titus 1:5-6) is presbyteros. This is a leader whose authority comes, in principle, from the wisdom associated with age. In the church, a particular kind of leader whose responsibilities include directing churches. This is regional leadership. (Presbyters)

Bishop - the original word used here (as found in 1 Timothy 3:2) is episkopos which means a believer set apart from those in the church for the purpose of watching over, nurturing, and caring for the needs of those in the church. This is local leadership. (Deacons/Board members)

Pastor - the original word used here (as found in Ephesians 4:11) is poimen which means shepherd (literally). A person who herds sheep; can refer by extension to various kinds of leaders, including a church leader who protects church members from danger, feeds their souls, and keeps them within safekeeping of Christ’s dominion and reign. This word literally indicates a person whose occupation is to be responsible for his own or another’s flock of sheep. Leaders are often metaphorically referred to as shepherds of those they are responsible for. (Pastor)

Titus was instructed by Paul who was inspired of the Spirit to appoint elders (presbyters) throughout the region - to oversee the work of the church.

How was Titus to do this? was age the only qualifier?

Paul gave Titus clear instruction on what to look for. He gave Titus direction. He gave Titus the pathway on which he was to walk and operate in this task.

So we know what Titus was supposed to do: appoint elders, and how he was supposed to do it. Next, Paul tells him why… why were the elders needed? What purpose would they serve in their ministry?

The next passage of Scripture answers that question and will be the focus of our study this evening.

Silence the Deceivers

We pick it up in Titus 1:10-13

Titus 1:10–13 NIV

For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 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. One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith

Paul lays out the first point very clearly: those who are rebellious, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group MUST BE SILENCED.

Why? Because they were teaching things that were not true. They were deceiving people, leading people away from the true gospel message.

Households were being disrupted by their teaching. It wasn’t effecting a small number of folks… it was effecting communities and homes.

I’m not an individual that likes confrontation, but Paul is calling Titus, through the use of elders, to confront the deception, the rebellion, and the meaningless talk head on. And while from this position we might think, “Yeah, that sounds right. We shouldn’t allow that to take place,” we often make concessions for those engaged in such activity.

Who did Paul single out in this charge - who did he say to especially watch out for? The “circumcision group.” the Jews. Why is this significant? Because these were those who should have known better. But instead of following the gospel truth, they got caught up in tradition and “the way it had always been done.”

They were rebellious toward the new work completed by Christ Jesus. By pushing for circumcision, they devalued the work Jesus did on the cross.

They deceived others by pulling them from grace and back into the law.

What they pushed on others was meaningless… had no eternal value - it only tried to satisfy what the blood of Jesus had already satisfied.

Their talk was very disruptive to what God was doing through the true gospel message.

And that last line is where I want us to focus a bit. Too often we allow for this kind of talk to take place unchallenged and it is nothing more than deceptive meaningless talk meant to disrupt what God is doing.

And here is the other problem, if a person is confronted and they choose not to receive the correction, people will often run to their aide instead of encourage them to take the correction to heart.

Much of this has to do with the way we view God and the way we view the offices we defined a moment ago.

Many people today do not recognize the office of Deacon, Pastor, and Presbyter like they used to. If a person’s feelings get hurt, they tend to operate off that hurt instead of take to heart the correction given.

In these last days, deceivers, rebellious attitudes, and meaningless talk is not to be tolerated - especially from those who ought to know better - ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE WHO MAKE UP THE BODY OF CHRIST.

And Paul points the motivation behind this kind of talk - dishonest gain.

This can be financial gain, but it can also be for emotional gain or to gain justification in an argument. I would challenge us in this: If our “talk” is all about proving our point regarding a personal agenda then we had better check our motives. AND… if we choose not to silence such talk from others for fear of hurting their feelings… we better check our motives! For such talk can disrupt households and stir up falsehoods within the community.

Be Sound in the Faith

The second point Paul makes clear is found in the final verses of chapter one. Titus 1:13-16 reads,

Titus 1:13–16 NIV

This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 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. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Rebuke them sharply (clearly). Point out the deception. Point out the rebellion. Point out the meaningless talk. Put such talk in its place. Call it out for what it is.

Paul gives warning or caution regarding two specific forms of talk to call out.

Jewish myths. Traditions or motions that no longer apply because of the work of Christ. A person is not saved by works. These falsehoods were leading people away from Jesus and back into the religious motions of the law.

Human commands of those who reject the truth. This would encompass false talk from outside the Jewish customs.

What might this look like in our day?

A BIG one today is the mixing of politics and patriotism with faith.

Someone willing to spread talk for their disagreement with the church.

Legendary Men’s Conference ads have been received with mixed emotions around the area. It is amazing to see how negatively some in the heartland view God’s church.

Laws that would discourage or prohibit believers from operating in the faith.

Statements like “church is non-essential” or faith is to be lived out in private only.

We could hammer out a list a mile long, but the point Paul is making is BE SOUND IN THE FAITH and encourage others to be the same.

The goal is to guide people back to the faith. The goal is to bring them back to a heart that is pure. The rebuke is not given to drive them away… it is given in hopes to be a light to misguided ways and beliefs.

And lastly in this passage, we see a reflection of the heart laid out.

Paul says you will know the deceivers, the rebellious, the meaningless talkers by what? By their actions. Verse 16 says it is by their actions that they deny knowing God.

If a person is pure in heart, all things will be pure. Their speech, their attitude, their willingness to serve and to live according to the true gospel message.

If a person is corrupt, nothing is pure. Their actions will reveal the truth. Their minds and consciences are polluted with false beliefs and teachings.

Closing

Why were the elders needed? To silence the falsehoods and to be examples of the faith.

Both are points of action. Both require someone who is present, who is alert, who is grounded in the Word, and who is willing to move as instructed by the Lord.

Both require a person who is dedicated to not entertaining false teaching or meaningless talk. Both require someone who will lovingly stand for the things of Christ.

I pray tonight we would make the choice to stand for His truth, to stand against the talk of the enemy.

I would charge us to do this: If talk comes our way evaluate the talk against the instruction given by Paul.

Is it coming from a heart that is pure or a heart that is corrupted? Is the motive of God or of personal agenda? Let’s choose to promote talk that leads to life. Let’s choose to lovingly shut down conversation that would lead anyone in a direction away from the things of God.

Let’s choose to silence the false teaching and to be sound in the faith.