Healthy Teaching

Titus 1:10-16 “Healthy Teaching”

It was another normal Wednesday evening. We were holding our prayer meeting at Edinburgh Bible Church in Guyana, South America. The doors and windows were open as usual to let the breeze in. We could hear the passing vehicles on the road, and the occasional cow trotting by on its way home. Then we heard it again: “Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you, so let’s just praise the Lord. Right arm!”

The 7th Day Adventist Church across the road was also holding its mid-week service. The song was not necessarily weird. I had grown up signing it. The strange part was that this was not a Wednesday night kids program. These were full-grown adults. And they were doing all the motions. Right arm – left arm – right foot – left foot – shake your head – turn around – sit down. It definitely distracted the congregation from my dad’s message that evening.

The 7th Day Adventists had come to our area. They held crusades and began a church. If you are unfamiliar with them, they believe that Christians should meet together to worship on Saturday- the Jewish Sabbath- not on Sunday. This particular branch of 7th Day Adventists also taught observance of some parts of the Jewish law. They would go from house to house telling people they should not eat certain kinds of fish and not to drink dark soft drinks. I’m sure the verse is in Leviticus somewhere: Thou shall not drink Pepsi. Obviously, people in the community were confused and some of them were led astray. My father had to address their errors in the some messages because the people in the church were wondering about these strange teachings.

As we will find in our text today, Titus was charged with rebuking false teachers. These people taught myths and the commandments of people instead of sound doctrine. False teaching is clearly against the truth of God, but it can also completely destroy people and devastate entire households. Guarding sound doctrine is vital for the health of the church. Today we will find some of the characteristics and consequences of false teaching.

Read Titus 1:10-16

This passage was a struggle to outline simply. I didn’t want to lose you on point 7 sub point 9, so here are the 3 main points.

1. What’s wrong?
2. What’s the result?
3. What’s the response?

Last week we looked at the qualifications for a pastor in verse 5-9. These verses today 10-16, are a contrast to the model of sound teaching and sound living expected of a pastor. These false teachers are completely opposite of what a pastor-teacher is supposed to be. Sound doctrine and sound living are to be bound together in a pastor’s life. In verse 6-10, we find what happens when sound doctrine and living unravel in the life of the church.
The last qualification for a pastor in verse 9 is that he should be able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine. Verse 10 begins with “for,” explaining the necessity of rebuking the false teachers.

1. What’s wrong with these guys?
Those who oppose sound doctrine—we’ll call them false teachers—are described in very unflattering terms. Verse 10:
-Insubordinate- they disobey the teaching of the apostles.
-Empty talkers- wind bags; their speech is useless
-Deceivers- they lead people astray by their teaching

Besides that, what’s wrong with them?

A. Teaching
They are of the circumcision party (vs 10). These were Jews in the church that taught that in order to be saved you had to follow the Jewish law. This included circumcision of males in accordance with the Old Testament.

They are teaching for money (vs 11- filthy lucre; shameful gain). You will teach what people want to hear when you are teaching for money.

They are devoted to Jewish myths (vs 14). These myths may have been related to the Old Testament or perhaps other Jewish writings. These myths could have been associated with immoral practices as well. The false teachers were also devoted to the commands of people (vs 14). They were not teaching the commands of God, so they lacked the authority and power of God.

Their teaching sounds like a hodge-podge of the Old Testament misapplied with a heaping cup of tradition, a handful of myth, and a big scoop of- that other person said so. Whatever these people could do to rake in the big bucks. This kind of teaching does exist in our society today. Don’t think that we are immune from it as a church. It is out there. Beware.

B. Lifestyle
Along with unsound doctrine came an unsound lifestyle. They claimed to know God, but lived like the devil. Or like the Cretans: always lying, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Don’t be surprised when people who believe or teach false doctrine make a complete and utter mess of their lives.

Their teaching was corrupt, their lifestyle was corrupt, and their hearts were corrupt.

C. Hearts
Their false teaching had corrupted their hearts. Verse 15: they are defiled—not pure—in their minds. Verse 16: they are detestable.

We must remember that these are people who devote themselves to Jewish myths and commandments. They placed a high priority on being ritually pure or clean. It was all a guise. It was all external. Even though they strived for purity, Paul calls them defiled. He calls them detestable- the Old Testament concept of being an abomination to the Lord. As they were trying to escape impurity and defilement, Paul says- it’s all right inside. Their teaching and actions showed the true state of their hearts.

What’s wrong? Everything. Their teaching, lifestyle, and their hearts.

2. What’s the result?

A. Upset entire households
The first result of false teaching is found in verse 11. They subvert whole houses. The ESV has “upsetting whole families.” When I was a boy, I was learning to ride my bike, and I accidently rode off the sidewalk onto our neighbor’s lawn. He opened his door and yelled some naughty words at me. You’ll have to understand, people in York, PA, are highly protective of their grass. Some people even edged their grass with scissors. Our neighbor was upset- but this is not the upset meant here. The idea is to overturn or destroy. Think of capsizing a boat. These false teachers were not just annoying people. They were decimating entire households by their false teaching.

B. Unfit for good works
The second result of the false teaching was the complete inability to do any good works. Good works are vital for the Christian. Christ saved us so we would be zealous for good works: 2:14. The church’s testimony before a watching world is maintained in part by the good works of its members. The end of result of false teaching is that these people were a complete failure when it came to living for Christ and showing him off to the surrounding culture.

Dear friends, if your heart is not right with God, it will show in your works. If you believe falsehood, you will be unfit for any good work.

What’s wrong, what’s the result, and now what’s the response?

A. Silence them
This text is clear about the deadly nature of false teaching. The response matches the seriousness of the perversion. Verse 11 says silence them. The KJV has “mouths that must be stopped.” The idea is: gag them. The question is then, should we use duct tape or a rag. They be stopped because they are destroying families.

B. Rebuke them
These people are living like the crazy culture around them. The response: rebuke them sharply. This is the same word used in verse 9. See also 2:15. The idea is to point out the error and correct them. And do it sharply. A good, old fashioned, schooling. Don’t only stop them but instruct them in sound doctrine.
Application

1. The danger of false teaching
Do not underestimate the danger of false teaching in your life. Never underestimate its deadliness for the church. It will destroy you, your family, and the church. It will malign the testimony of Christ in the community. 2 Timothy 2:16-18 says this:

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

Upset- the same word used in our passage. Their false teaching is like gangrene. If you don’t cut if off it will destroy your flesh and eventually kill you. The effects of false teaching may not be obvious at first, but they will be deadly in the end.

2. The need for sound faith
Pastors not only warn about false teaching, but they also instruct in sound doctrine. The best antidote to false teaching is sound teaching. We need to be solid not only on the gospel of Jesus Christ but also on the implications of the gospel: sound living. The church is nourished on sound teaching as it feeds on the Scriptures. From the pulpit, in the SS room, in the living room in the morning, around the table in the evening. Only careful teaching on the gospel and godliness will lead to lives that radiate good works.

3. The time for sharp rebuke
I’ll be honest, I have been wrestling with this idea of rebuke. Rebuke them sharply. This instruction is given 3 times in this letter in the context of pastoral ministry.

As I mentioned before, this rebuke is pointing out wrong and offering correction. In our passage, it is done sharply. Who wants to experience some sharp rebuke today? We’ve got a sign up in the back. 2 questions: when? And what’s at stake?

The passage is clear when rebuke should be given. Verse 9: those who contradict sound doctrine. Not those who are not sure of what they believe; not those who don’t know all the points of sound doctrine, but those who contradict it. Especially those who teach others false doctrine.

In verse 13, the rebuke is given to those who live like the godless culture around them. They deny God by their works. They are detestable and disobedient.

Sharp rebuke is reserved for those who explicitly contradict the gospel by their teaching and their actions. It is just one way we preserve healthy teaching and healthy living in the church.

I Thessalonians 4:14 is a key verse to help us know when to rebuke. The ESV says: “We urge you brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” Always be patient. Encourage the fainthearted. Help the weak. A good deal of ministry is just that. But: admonish the idle or unruly. When fellow Christians are clearly out of line, a strong word of correction is need to bring them back in line with biblical teaching. Much wisdom is need to know if you are ministering to the weak or to the unruly. And for that we pray.

What’s at stake?
Sharp rebuke doesn’t fit well in our society today. I’m not sure if it ever has. Our culture places a high value on being nice. It places a high value on being tolerant. The world will think we are unkind and intolerant when we rebuke others. In our churches today, if someone doesn’t like the sharp rebuke given by the church leaders, they can get in their car and drive to another church. Sharp rebuke is costly. It will cost the pastor, it will cost the church. It is emotionally painful. It will cost you friends. It is easier to ignore doctrinal error and ungodly actions. Lord willing, it will turn people back to the truth, but not always.

What is at stake? Is it really worth it?

False teaching and corrupt lives will destroy households. Churches crumble in its wake. It will destroy you. It will take out your family. I want you and your family to be firm in the faith and growing in godliness. Heaven help the person who tries to deceive you and capsize your faith for money. The shepherd’s staff that guides and rescues sheep, also defends against wolves in sheep’s clothing. One sheep may have to face pain so the 99 can be spared. It is worth it to rebuke because of the cost of not is far more. It’s worth it, because without the gospel we have no hope. Without the truth, we have nothing.

I would like to close today where this passage ends. There are people who profess to know God but deny him by their works. I do hope that does not describe any of you here. It is relatively easy to come to church on Sunday morning and look like a Christian, then by your actions deny Christ during the week. If you profess to know God but deny him by your works, I call you today to repent of your sins and trust Christ to save you from your sins. Ask him to cleanse your heart. Ask him to get rid of your defilement. Come to Christ and he will rescue you.