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October 30, 2022
The Purpose Of Truth, Pt. 2
Titus 1:10-16

Title: The Purpose Of Truth

Satan had false teachers ready to go for the early Church as today. There were many ready to comply. Paul described them as insubordinate, empty talkers, and even deceivers. Paul had to–the–point instructions for Titus: silence them by sharply rebuking them. Someone was to hold the line for truth in the Cretan church. The call went to Titus. ¶ We take truth for granted sometimes but we shouldn’t. It takes constant guarding from all of the forces of error to hold on to the truth and to add to it as we should. The consequences of not holding onto truth are steep. Error destroys families, marriages, communities and even cultures. So let us learn from Titus so that we set in place what remains and build as wise builders as we continue to live out our Christian faith.

12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

• Review
• Rebuke them sharply (good) = severely and also abruptly (Thayer). This false teaching was to be interrupted! Don’t let it go on Titus! Go to work.
• At least some of the false teachers were believers! In fact the focus is on those believers who should have not been teaching but should have been sat down.
• We get this from the phrase at the end of 13, “may be sound in the faith.”
• They were to be silenced for their own good as much as for the listeners of their teaching.
• All Christian correction is to maintain right relationships or facilitate restoration of right thinking and right living that goes with it.

14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

• #1 The teachers, instead of being sound in the faith, were devoting themselves to Jewish myths.
  • Gk: mythos = fictions, fables, inventions of religion
  • They were making things up out of thin air.
• #2 The teachers were devoting themselves to “commands of people”
  • They were ascribing religious value that were never mandated by God but instead by people.
  • They were ascribing religious value to what is important to them.
• As they subscribe themselves and others, to their myths and commands they were what … verse 14b “who turn away from the truth”
  • They once had it and they chose to turn away.
  • Truth builds and builds for the believer.
  • Come to faith >> mature Christian >> solid in the faith
  • What may derail it? myths and commands of people.
  • Ignorance of the Word.

ILLUSTRATION

A Zimbabwean pastor has reportedly convinced his congregants his holy pens can make students pass their exams - and the more you pay for one, the better grades you’ll get. ¶ Prophet Sham Hungwe of House of Grace International Church is selling the pens, which cost from $1 up to $20. ¶ According to News24Zim, the prophet told his congregation that those sitting [for] exams only needed faith and one of the special pens to pass. ¶ “They are anointed and I declare passes when your children sit for exams. They are said to work for anyone who is sitting for any test,” he said. ¶ According to Nigerian Watch, one parishioner testified: "My son is not very bright and I think this will help him. With the knowledge he has acquired and this pen from the man of God, I think it is going to work."¹

APPLICATION

• Strange teaching is everywhere because false teachers are everywhere.
  • This is what the early church faced; this is what we still face.
  • Christians too are known to make their own commands. Their own standards of righteousness.
  • I’ll set my own bar—that you very much, my own rules of the faith.
  • Turn to Colossians 2:20-23 is a wonderful text for these subjects: " If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."
  • Here Christian, follow my “myths and the commands”
• We must know the Bible.

What are our self-made religious commands?

• A helpful verse: 1 Corinthians 4:6a, “I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written.”
  Proper discipleship is the key. COMMENT
  • David Cooper said, “When the plain sense of Scripture makes good sense, seek no other sense.” One should not search for the Gnostic minded “deeper meanings” to the plain teachings of the word of God. (Wiersbe 2:790)
  • Take note here: one of the worst questions asked in Bible study: “What does that mean to you?”
  • Original author to the original audience.
  • Many applications.
• Church leaders must control who speaks in the … churches.
  • Religious and academic freedoms do not give anyone and everyone the right to address the gathered people of God! (Utley)
  • Our commitment to truth must be guarded as precious.
  • In our society there is a fear of giving offense. This is a cancer in the Church.
  • Church leaders have a "biblical mandate to rebuke” the Church regarding cultural slippage and outright worldliness in the Church. [62] (Griffin in Constable)
  • When we fail to confront church problems with the interpretation of the word of God we show an indifference towards God’s instruction and to our brothers and sisters. [62] (Griffin in Constable)

TRANSITION

We see that Titus was instructed to appoint elders in the churches to combat the false teachers of his day, let’s now look at how Paul compared genuine Christian understanding to the false understandings that were so prevalent in the Cretan church.

15 To the pure, all things are pure

• This verse is misused much.
• Stealing is pure? NO! Love God with all we are; love our neighbor as ourselves.
• In view: Real truth compared to Jewish custom (v.14).
• The thrust of the passage is that many of the OT requirements were done away with. They were fulfilled in Christ perfectly. The New Covenant had come but people were struggling to let the Old Covenant sunset.
• A main point that is throughout the NT: physical objects no matter.
• There were deep rooted customs practiced in the churches at Crete that Titus was instructed to help root out were these post resurrection commandments that involved abstaining from certain foods, other forms of asceticism, and almost certainly circumcision. (cf. Constable)
• We still see this in the modern church too.
• We see branches of it too: It’s easier to say, “You shouldn’t eat Doritos®” and you shouldn’t mow your yard on Sunday and feel religious than to say, “How is my thought life and what are the sinful attitudes of my heart towards others?”.

Disputable Matters Passages:
· Romans 14
· 1 Corinthians 8
· 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
· Colossians 2:16-23

15b but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

• Two types of people
  • Defiled and unbelieving
  • These unwittingly end up joining forces.
• The earthly religious Jews
  • The Jewish leaders had expanded every part of the law of God.
  • They saw evil everywhere >> remember e.g., “unwashed hands”?
  • The Jews added reportedly added 5000+ commands, expansions and comments to the 613 Mosaic commands.
  • For instance: “The Bible commands ‘Observe the Sabbath day’ (Deut. 6:12). The Mishnah specifies 39 categories of forbidden labor which are prohibited by this commandment,” with dozens of subcategories of other kinds of labor under those.²
  • Paul taught constantly about this problem in the churches. He wrote to the church at Rome in Romans 10:1-4, Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
  • To the unbelieving, nothing is pure. They see evil everywhere.
• But also the defiled = stained or dyed or sullied (LSJ)
  • OT = contacted a dead body = defiled for a time.
  • Christians can be defiled.
  • Example from Hebrews 12:14-15a, See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.

Look at the end of verse 15: nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

• God uses minds our consciences to speak to us. We must protect them!
• We can’t be holy if we think properly.
• The Bible has much to say on the conscience:
  • 1 Corinthians 8:7, However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
  • Romans 13:5, Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
  • 1 Corinthians 8:12, Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:25, Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
• We must keep our minds and consciences in line with what God has said for them to work as intended.

What is the outcome of those who see evil everywhere? Verse 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.

• “They profess to know God.” Paul says buffalo feathers.
• Here again, we see Paul explain that, knowing God results in living out His commands.
• “but deny him by their works”
• Works tell the REAL story of what a person believes. Not only for the unbeliever but also for the believer.
• Constable said, “Whenever a person’s talk and walk conflict, it is … his walk, rather than his talk, that reveals what he really is (1 John 1:6).”
• James and Paul agree: We truly only believe what we act on.

What are they instead? Verse 16b They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

• Detestable = disgusting, abominable (LSJ)
• Disobedient = also: uncompliant (LSJ), this is a rebel; unpersuadable (Strong), this is a person who will not change his mind. COMMENT
• “unfit for any good work”; unfit = not standing the test of metals and coin (LSJ; et al.); ill.: fools gold.
  • These cannot fulfill their roles in the Church! COMMENT
• Some of the strongest language in the Bible is directed towards Christians who do not have works that back up their professions.

2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

• “But as for you” Titus is the contrast.
• Sometimes you may be the only one in the group to speak truth. Speak it!
• “teach what accords with sound doctrine”
• So many variables in life; however, all truth lines up with sound doctrine; they “accord” with it.
  • Sound = to be well, to be in good health (OBU)
• Every question is answered by the Bible, every nuance.
• “‘Thus saith the Lord!’ is the end of every argument." (Wiersbe 2:791)

APPLICATION

• Our spiritual life depends on the word of God.
• It’s a full-time job to keep watch over our doctrine. Protect it by knowing the word of God.
• Proverbs 4:13, Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

Note:

¹ Sherriff, Lucy. “Zimbabwean Pastor Sells ‘Holy Pens’ That Make Students Pass Their Exams.” The Huffington Post UK, October 26, 2015, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/26/pastor-sells-holy-pens-that-make-students-pass-their-exams_n_8387930.html.

² See “Mishnah.” Jewish Virtual Library, https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/mishnah. Cf. “Mishnah.” Jewish History, https://www.jewishhistory.org/the-mishnah/.

Bibliography and Works Cited

• NOTE: Please click here to access the web-page for all of the works cited—save those above in “Note(s)” (if any) and those below under the “Other Works Cited” (if any). Most of the works cited on the web-page correspond to the verses they are outlined with. In the case of background information and other general reference citations, one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with.
• Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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