| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Carl" |
| Date: |
08 Dec 2007 02:36:26 AM |
| Object: |
Beware of False Teachers |
A great Biblical lesson from Gil Rugh.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
Beware of False Teachers
by Gil Rugh
Introduction
Paul has reminded Titus why he was left in Crete. One of his
responsibilities was to appoint elders in every city. These were men who had
to meet the biblical qualifications that are set down in verses 6-9.
Paul continues this theme by demonstrating the importance of having godly
men leading the churches of Crete. The presence of false teachers was
causing real problems among believers and was a danger to the health of the
churches that had been established there.
Verse 1:10
"For" connects this closely to what he has just said about elders,
especially his comments in verse 9. He proceeds to describe the false
teachers who need to be refuted.
"Many" indicates that this is a widespread problem and not just an isolated
case. There are many who are opposing the truth.
"Rebellious men" - It is important to note that these men are those who are
unwilling to submit to authority. This word was used of rebellious children
in verse 6.
These men are not submissive to the authority of God's Word or to the
leadership that He has established for His Church.
"Empty talkers" - They may be fluent and pleasing in their speech, but it is
empty and accomplishes nothing (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3,4).
"Deceivers" - They are involved in misleading others.
"Especially those of the circumcision" - While this description fits all
false teachers, it is particularly applicable in Crete to those of Jewish
background.
Paul's ministry was plagued by Judaizers. These were Jews who professed
faith in Christ, but attempted to wed the truth of Christianity with the Law
and other Jewish ideas.
This is the same group that Paul mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:3-11. The Book of
Galatians was written to combat their error as well as other portions of
Paul's letters (cf. Col. 3:16-23).
We should note that characteristically these false teachers will claim to be
believers. Also, they take the truth and mix it with error, which makes it
confusing to the unlearned and untaught.
Verse 1:11
Paul says these false teachers must be "silenced." The way they can be
silenced was mentioned in verse 9:
"Exhort in sound doctrine"
"Refute those who contradict"
This is why the elder must be one who is "holding fast the faithful word"
(v. 9).
"Because they are upsetting whole families" - This is the reason they must
be silenced and not allowed to continue. There is no freedom given in the
Word of God for men to teach whatever they want. The church is to be the
"pillar and support of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15).
Whole households are being overthrown or destroyed by this false teaching.
This is similar to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:6. There, women are
influenced by false teachers with disastrous results. Satan began in the
Garden with the woman and that is often the way he works today.
"For the sake of sordid gain" - The basic motivation of these false teachers
is money. They are anxious to get rich at the expense of destroying others.
Elders cannot have this characteristic (cf. Titus 1:7).
Verse 1:12
The people of Crete had one of the worst reputations of any people in the
ancient world. Even Epimenides (c. 600 B.C.) - one that they respected as a
prophet - had described them as a wretched people.
"Always liars" - To speak like a Cretan meant to lie or deceive.
"Evil beasts" - refers to the fact that they were rude, cruel, and brutal.
"Lazy gluttons" - "slow bellies" is the King James translation - which is
accurate, but not quite as intelligible.
This was the evaluation of one of their own respected religious leaders.
Verse 1:13
Paul says this evaluation is true! It was not an exaggeration. Because of
this, these false teachers must be dealt with firmly.
"Reprove them" - This is the same word used in verse 9 and translates
"refute." They are to be rebuked or corrected.
"Severely" - This word means "sharply, harshly." There must be a firm and
decisive response to the false teaching that is going on in Crete. This
becomes personal because it is the false teachers themselves who are to be
reproved severely.
"That they may be sound in the faith" - This stern response has a beneficial
purpose. He desires them to be healthy in the faith.
Verse 1:14
Being healthy in the faith means you avoid and don't pay attention to the
false teaching. This is much-needed admonition today when many believers are
allowing themselves to be influenced by teaching that is contrary to the
Word of God. Colossians 2:16-23 and 1 Timothy 1:3-11 should be compared to
this verse.
Verse 1:15
This verse is sometimes removed from its context and made to support various
kinds of improper conduct.
Paul is talking in the context of Judaizers who would make the observance of
laws regarding food and drink a necessary part of submission to God.
The point is that these externals do not make a person pure or impure (cf.
Mark 7:14,15; 18-23; Rom. 14:14,20; 1 Tim. 4:1-4). The problem is not
external - one of defilement through food - but internal.
It is not the impure thing which makes men impure, as the Jews erroneously
held, but it is impure men who make every pure thing impure, a truth
foreshadowed in Haggai 2:13.
Pure men are those who have been cleansed from their guilt by the blood of
Christ.
Verse 1:16
This verse ought to be studied by all those who keep saying, "Judge not lest
you be judged."
These false teachers claimed to know God, and yet their deeds showed them to
be liars. These Jews (v. 10) prided themselves on being those who had a
special relationship with God.
Salvation is by grace through faith. Our works testify as to whether our
salvation is real or not (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph, 2:8-10).
"Worthless" (adokimos) - failing to meet the test and so worthless or unfit.
The unbeliever is unfit for any good work (cf. Rom. 3:12).
The believer, in contrast, is one who is "adequate, equipped for every good
work" (2 Tim. 3:17). Only those works that flow from a cleansed heart and
out of a dependence upon God are acceptable to Him.
Conclusion
This section serves as a strong warning concerning the danger of false
teachers. They must be silenced, and it falls to the elders to lead the way
in maintaining the purity of the body.
We are all responsible to avoid false teaching and pay no attention to it.
This also means not subjecting yourself to false teaching on the TV.
The deeds of these men show them as disapproved by God for service to Him.
What does your life say about you? Are your deeds acceptable to Him? Are you
indeed a pure person, cleansed by faith in the finished work of Christ? Only
then can your life be pleasing to Him.
.
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| User: "rogue" |
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| Title: Re: Beware of False Teachers |
08 Dec 2007 08:13:07 AM |
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On Dec 8, 12:36 pm, "Carl" <sai...@nettally.com> wrote:
A great Biblical lesson from Gil Rugh.
May God bless,
Carl
my website --http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog --http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
Beware of False Teachers
by Gil Rugh
JERRY
You mean false teachers like people who claim you have to believe in
the Trinity to be saved when there is no biblical support for such a
claim?
That kind of false teacher, Carl?
.
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