◄ What Does Titus 1:16 Mean? ►

Titus was a man that was sound in his doctrine and had been authorised by Paul to appoint church elders in every city on the island of Crete. These men were to be equally grounded in sound doctrine and firmly committed to safeguarding biblical truth in their local assemblies.

Paul was also concerned that the appointed elders were equipped to identify false, unscrupulous, or ignorant teachers, and to be prepared to challenge any unbiblical doctrine which might distort, alter, or add to the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ.

To be certain that Titus appointed responsible men who were qualified to have oversight of the churches in Crete, Paul not only outlined the necessary qualifications and qualities for a church elder, but he also detailed the main characteristics of false teachers and gave guidance on how to expose and remove them from leading the flock of God astray. These false teachers: "Profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny the Lord Jesus, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed."

Then as now there were many gnostic teachers and religious cults that deny the deity of Christ and His equality with the Father, but the Bible makes it plain that the one who denies the Son denies the Father: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but whoever denies the Son does not have the Father," and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God is not from God, but is exhibiting the spirit of antichrist.

There were many in Paul's day that professed to know God but their deeds denied Him, and there are an increasing number of people today that have a form of godliness while denying the Lord Jesus as the one true God, the only Saviour of mankind and the sole Mediator between God and man.

Paul knew that the best way to identify and deal with false teachings and heretical doctrines is to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word of God day by day, and to make sure that biblically sound, responsible men are appointed as church elders so that they are equipped to identify false, unscrupulous, or ignorant teachers and be prepared to challenge any unbiblical doctrines which might distort, alter, or add to the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ.

Heavenly Father, I pray for our local churches and for the elders that oversee the flock of God. May they be grounded in sound doctrine and firmly committed to safeguarding biblical truth in their local assemblies, in love. Help me also to be vigilant in searching the Scriptures daily, and keep us all from straying from the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ so that Jesus may be glorified in our lives and in our local assemblies. In Jesus' name, AMEN.