Titus 1:10-16
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, 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, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, 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, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
False teachers of all kinds have reared their subversive heads from the beginning, just as the serpent in Eden began the deception in mankind. Many still speak empty words devoid of life which bind people to works as if God’s grace could be earned or deserved; these deceivers even start religions as they stray from the truth of God’s words. Titus is told to stop these teachings of those out for their own gain, false prophets and legalists who know neither the grace of Christ nor the Son of God Himself. We must also be aware and wage the good fight of faith, not in the flesh, against the deceivers without and within, teaching the sound truth of the scriptures and revealing the fairytales of destruction. Strong rebuke may be called for as seen here that sound faith may result. The heart of the matter is the heart of each one; purity comes from God’s Holy Spirit working in His chosen people, while those who are not His sheep see everything as defiled as they themselves are inside. When the thinking and moral conscience are unclean, the eyes only see what they are in everything and everyone around them. These say they are Christians or spiritual, but the lives reflect the debase hearts and thoughts opposed to God and His Christ. By denying the power (2 Timothy 3:5), they deny Him in word and deed, and are seen by the lifestyle and actions behind deceptive words. We are to convince, rebuke, and exhort (2 Timothy 4:2) by God’s authority as valiant for the truth and desiring repentance to faith where sovereignty calls.
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