Titus is a book on Christian leadership that provides a plan for developing a healthy church that’s not quick and easy but effective. Warren Wiersbe had this to say about the book of Titus, “Titus is a treasure of a book with much to say about living a godly life in a difficult world.” Who among us doesn’t need a little help in this area?
In Titus 1:10-16, Paul is writing to Titus, a young leader, a warning about false teachers. If anything will trip us up in our lives, false teachers are certainly among them. These false teachers were individuals or groups spreading falsehoods within the Christian community. While the book of Titus doesn’t provide extensive details about these false teachers, it does offer some insights into their characteristics and actions. It’s important to remember that the same challenges that Titus and the Cretan church faced nearly 2,000 years ago we face today. Our challenges may not exist in the exact forms they took in Crete, yet they persist.
Paul challenges us in Titus 1:10 that we must identify false teachers. He notes their means that they “are insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers.” These false teachers were “insubordinate” to church authority. They spoke nonsense but deceived those who would listen to them. It’s important to be mindful that if we in the church are “empty talkers” and not doers of love, peace, mercy, and justice, we merely take our place alongside the false teachers of Crete.
Addressing false teachers within the church is paramount, as it safeguards the integrity of faith, maintains doctrinal purity, and preserves the unity of the Christian community. Failure to confront false teachings can lead to confusion, division, and spiritual harm among believers. For sure, any teaching that adds to or distracts from the love and message of the gospel is ultimately disruptive and destructive.
Paul further challenges us in Titus 1:11–13 that we must realize the impact of false teachers and silence them. The Greek word used for “silenced” here implies a process of reasoning. In other words, silencing them is not to be by force or violence but by teaching and correcting with the truth. No doubt, if we aren’t careful, we become more interested in winning the argument than in winning the person. These false teachers are “upsetting whole families.” You don’t have to look very far to discover that even though the false teachers may not wear the same clothing or teach the same things as those in Crete, they are ever present in the church of every age and place.
Paul makes it clear that they are to be “rebuked sharply.” What is the purpose of such a rebuke? “Rebuke them sharply” so that “they may be sound in the faith.” Paul desired for these false teachers to repent and enter into a proper understanding of the gospel and live ever-increasing godly lives. Paul hoped the false teachers would be corrected.
Lastly, Paul challenges us in Titus 1:13b-16 that we must correct false teachers while seeking to live correctly. The predicament of these false teachers is that “to the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.” In fact, “both their minds and their conscience are defiled.” Consider that bad doctrine and bad behavior often go together. Their hypocrisy is that “they profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” “They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
The real test of purity is the heart. The person whose mind and conscience are defiled can neither think clearly about spiritual things nor distinguish between good and evil. If thinking and conscience are wrong, actions are seldom right. But, if a person has the mind of Christ (Phil 2:5) and a heart filled with godly love, Christlike living will follow. Such living is made possible in Christ through the Spirit. Our “work” demonstrates the genuineness of our faith.
Simply put, where practice contradicts profession, there is deception and falsehood. God enables those in a right relationship with Him to do good works for His glory and the benefit of others. False teachers have disqualified themselves from the work of the Lord. This passage makes it clear that the most effective antidote to a false teacher is a true teacher.
We correct others with right words as well as right living. Living what we preach is the ultimate testament to the authenticity of our beliefs, as our actions speak louder than words. Ultimately, we can identify and correct false teachers and live holy lives by knowing the truth. Just as a skilled appraiser can identify counterfeit paintings by studying genuine masterpieces, we can recognize falsehoods by intimately knowing the authentic gospel truth.
We find these words of Christ in the Gospel of John, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus uses this metaphor of sheep and He being the Good Shepherd to signify that those who follow His teachings, the presumption being that His followers are reading and applying Scripture, and those having a close relationship with Him can discern His guidance and wisdom amidst the noise and chaos of the world. Remember, “If you abide in God’s word, you are truly Christ’s disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Knowing the gospel truth has liberating power for each of us, others, and even false teachers who will respond to the truth in repentance. Like Titus, we must understand that it’s essential to heed Paul’s warning, be vigilant and resolute when confronting false teachers, safeguarding the integrity of the knowledge and teaching of the gospel truth. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!