Titus: Displaying the Gospel of God's Grace预览

Today we will focus on what Titus 1:10-16 meant to the original audience. Why did Paul write these words to Titus? Remember, the church was in her infancy—probably only thirty years or so after the death and resurrection of Jesus. And Paul’s inner mama bear was going to defend these young churches against any and all harm.

Paul seems to have two main concerns—the character of the teacher and the content of the teaching. As we read through the passage, we see that Paul considers these false teachers liars and lazy gluttons who are ruining communities and seeking to make money dishonestly. He is also concerned with their teaching, that it is deceptive and empty talk. Paul gave some clues in these verses that indicate the type of false teaching he was most concerned about. In verse 10 he tells us these teachers are “from the circumcision party,’ which means they were Jews who had converted to Christianity.

Most likely, the false teaching in Crete centered around what we can call a “Jesus + Something” theology. This happens whenever someone adds something to the requirement of salvation. The true gospel message proclaims that Jesus, and Jesus alone, saves us. It is only through His perfect life, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection that someone can be saved. This salvation is only obtained through faith, simply believing that you need a Savior and you can’t save yourself, but that Jesus did everything necessary to save you. When “you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9)!

Jesus + Something theology says, “Yeah, that’s all true, but in order to be saved you also need to do things such as good deeds for others, obtaining a certain amount of knowledge, believing all the “right” doctrines, giving enough money, and so forth.” Paul knew that Jesus + Something teaching ruins churches, entire households, and individual believers.

Think about your own life, have you heard someone teach a Jesus + Something theology, and if so, what were they adding to the gospel? Think about the damage a Jesus + Something theology could do to an unbeliever, a believer, a church, or a household. This really emphasizes why it’s so important to have church leaders with good character, doesn’t it? Or, as Paul puts it, leaders who are able to “encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

Paul was concerned not only with what was being taught but also with the character of the person teaching. In agreeing with the harsh quote from Epimenides (Paul’s description of the Cretans is likely a quote from this ancient poet), Paul was saying these false teachers were dishonest, greedy, and slothful. The problem was not only preaching a dishonest gospel but preaching the gospel dishonestly.

We might feel discouraged thinking about all the times and places a false teacher has taught a false gospel or taught the real gospel dishonestly. But take heart, sound churches with sound doctrine and sound leaders have been present in every age for the past two thousand years, and will continue until Jesus returns. This a testimony to the truth that God is zealous to guard His church!