[Titus was commissioned by
Paul to stay in Crete and Set Things In Order.
He was charged with ordaining Pastors,
Elders, or Bishops (all designating the same
office) for the various Churches in the various
cities.
The qualifications for a Pastor are given
helping Titus and the Church of our Lord to
discern who would make a good pastor.
Then Paul warns about deceivers finding
their way into the Church.]
[My brothers and sisters,
deceivers and false doctrine are a fact of
Christianity.
The many Christian sects, denominations,
and religious systems are the result of
deceivers and unsound doctrine.
The Bible is replete with warnings about
deceivers and false teachers.
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned His
disciples about false teachers.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said,]
[Matthew 7:15-20
15
Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles? 17
Even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit.
18 A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire.
20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.]
[If the Bible gives so many
warnings about false teachers and deceivers,
then why have so many found their way into the
Church of our Lord?
How is it that they have so deceived the
people of our Lord?
Paul, in writing to Titus gives him and
us some insight into the heart and mind of
deceivers and the deceived.]
Notice In
Our Text,
A.
Their
Want (15) [-
Unto the
pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that
are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure;
but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
– The problem with deceivers is that they are
likely deceived themselves.
They sincerely believe that their unsound
doctrine and unfounded beliefs are right.
There are some deceivers who just know
that they are lying and striving to take
advantage of people, but most deceivers really
believe that they are right.]
[Illustration - Take an ordained woman
pastor as an example, she probably believes that
she is doing God’s work, and what makes a woman
any less capable than a man.
She likely prays and searches the
scriptures more than many male pastors, she is
likely very eloquent and able to gather a large
following.
So, what makes her wrong in respect to
her work in God’s kingdom?
Only the revelation of God or the Word of
God.]
[Titus
points out three things that are foundational to
a deceiver and deception.]
Notice what Pauls says about,
1.
The
Pure
(vs15,
Prov 21.2; 30.12; Isa 64.6; Psalm 119.9; Eph
5.25-27; 1 Pet 2.1-2; Prov 4.23) [- Unto the pure all things [are] pure: . . . – In reading this brief
statement we must understand that
purity matters.
Purity is foundational in our fight
against deception and false doctrine.
So, just what does it mean to be pure?]
[Pure - καθαρὰ (Gk) -
Clean, pure, clear, in a natural sense unsoiled,
unalloyed.
Related with
aírō
(142), to take up or away. . . .(III)
Clean or pure in a spiritual sense from the
pollution and guilt of sin (Matt.
5:8, sincere, upright, void of evil; John 13:10,
11, metaphorically in the Levitical sense; 15:3,
cleansed,
pruned, see
kathaírō
[2508], to cleanse, from
katá
[2596], down and
aírō
[142], to take, take down; 1 Tim. 1:5; 3:9;
2 Tim. 1:3; 2:22; Titus 1:15; James 1:27; 1 Pet.
1:22; Sept.: Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 24:4; 51:10).[1] ]
[One of the biggest
problems in measuring purity is understanding
the measure of purity.
What is the
standard that makes one either pure or impure?
If it is left up to each individual then
no one is ever impure for we can almost always
find someone who is worse off than we are.
But, we are not the measure of purity.
The measure of
purity is God and God alone.]
[Proverbs 21:2
2 Every way of
a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. ]
[Proverbs 30:12
12
There is a generation that are
pure in their own eyes, and
yet
is not washed from their filthiness. ]
[In a real sense no one is
truly pure.
The Bible says,]
[Isaiah
64:6
6 But we are
all as an unclean
thing,
and all our righteousnesses
are
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf;
and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us
away. ]
[Since we are all sinners
we are all impure,
but through Christ, and repentance we can become
pure through the forgiveness of God.
Hence, all of us need to be purified.
How do we purify our hearts and lives?]
[Psalm
119:9
9 Wherewithal
shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking
heed
thereto according to thy word.]
[Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it;
26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word,
27 That
he might present it to himself a glorious
church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish.]
[When we are willing
to hear and heed God we become pure.
Hence, when our text says to the pure all
things are pure, it is referring to those who
have heard and responded to the Word of God.
You cannot be pure in the first place
until you hear and heed God and receive the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Purity starts with our salvation.
Once, you learn to hear and heed God you
are likely to continue to heed God and hence
your purity will continue.]
[The Pure love and obey the Word of God.]
[Peter
wrote,]
[1
Peter 2:1-2
1
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all
guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil
speakings, 2
As newborn babes, desire the
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:]
[Only
God can lead us into true purity. God does
that through His purifying Word.
Love the Word and you will walk in purity
and in the way of God.]
2.
The
Putrid
(Jer
17.9)
[- . . . but unto them that are defiled and
unbelieving [is] nothing pure; . . . – There
are many deceivers and deceived that have
developed their own standard or measure of
purity.
Their purity is a defiled and unbelieving
purity.]
[Defiled
–
μεμιασμένοις (Gk) –
To stain with color as the staining of glass, to
tinge, pollute, defile.
Trans.: (I) In the Levitical sense (John
18:28; Sept: Lev. 5:3; 22:5, 8). (II) In
a moral sense (Jude 1:8). Pass.,
to be polluted, corrupt (Titus 1:15;
Heb. 12:15).[2]]
[Unbelieving
– When a
person stops believing God or the Word of God
then they have no real way of determining right
and wrong.
Everything becomes a matter of opinion.
They do what feels right to them.
These people start following their own
hearts and minds.
The problem with following your heart
is,]
[Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart
is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it?]
[Sinful
people who follow their sinful heart will go in
sinful ways.
Their purity is an impure purity because
they are pure in their own eyes.
When God is no longer your standard for
purity, then your test for purity is a corrupt
test.]
[They are
pure in their own eyes (Prov 30.12) and to
them that is all that matters.
However, their purity is no purity at
all.
Purity is always, only measured by God.]
[Because these refuse to
hear and heed God then they can never achieve
purity, hence to them nothing is pure.
There is no such thing as holiness, for
to them holiness does not really exist.]
[One will
find these asking things like,]
·
[What
makes sex outside of marriage wrong?
How can something that feels so right be
so wrong?]
·
[What
makes drugs and alcohol wrong?
They are natural things and they feel so
good.]
·
[What
makes one religion right and another wrong?
After all one holy book is no different than
another holy book.]
[These
cannot be pure, because there is no measure of
purity for them.]
3.
The
Psyche
(vs 15,
Prov 4.23) [-
. . . but even their mind and conscience is
defiled – This deals with the way one thinks
or ones mindset.
There is a carnal mindset and a spiritual
mindset or biblical mindset.
We often talk about common sense, is it
possible that there are different types of
common sense?
Not only is it possible, but it is
inevitable.]
[The Word defiled here is
the same word used previously in this verse.
Notice that the deceivers mind and
conscience is defiled.
The way a deceiver thinks is defiled.
The way a born again Christian thinks is
different from the way the lost in our world
thinks, and is different from how deceivers
think.
We have different ways of thinking.]
[The Pure, or the born
again Christian, if he is pure, will have a
biblical mindset.
He will measure himself by the Word of
God because his purity is founded in the will of
God.
Without the Word of God one cannot be pure.
So, the pure loves and cleaves to the
Word of God.]
[The deceiver will love and
cleave to a different kind of truth or a
different test of purity, just as the lost in
our world do.
Their mindset or way of thinking is
different.
Their thinking in mixed, alloyed,
syncretized, or as our text states it
“defiled.”]
[Our Youth and Young Christians will
struggle with the battle for their minds.
They will hear the worldly and the
deceivers saying things that are contrary to the
Word of God, yet appealing to the desires of the
flesh.
Then when a young Christian sees them
holding a Bible, claiming to be a Christian, and
appealing to their worldly desires, they start
asking,
“Who is really right?” ]
[My Christian fiend, are
you convinced that the Word of God is always
right?
Will you believe the Word of God and be
pure in the sight of God?
God and God’s Word is always right!
Believe God!
Believe God’s Word!]
[This is why the Bible
warns,]
[Proverbs 4:23
23 Keep thy
heart with all diligence; for out of it
are
the issues of life. ]
[This is
why the battle for the Bible in its inerrancy
and preservation is so very important.
Every thing that claims to be a Bible in
our local book store is not the Word of God.
You must, if you will prevail in purity
and godliness, hold the Word of God, and cleave
to the Word of God.]
[The way a deceiver thinks
is defiled and impure.
The way a deceiver thinks guides the way
a deceiver teaches.
Their minds and conscience are defiled.
They are not pure.]
[The Want of a deceiver is purity, and purity in
the sight of God based on the Word of God.]
B.
Their
Words (16; James 2.19; Rev 12.10) [–
They
profess that they know God; . . . – We now
come upon this profound and often confusing
statement.
They say that they know God.
How can it be that a deceiver says they
believe in Jesus?
Isn’t that all that is necessary to be a
Christian.]
[Let us never forget what
James wrote,]
[James
2:19
19 Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest
well: the devils also believe, and tremble.]
[Does the devil believe
that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary?
Does the devil believe that Jesus died on
Calvary’s Cross?
Does the devil believe that Jesus physically rose from the grave?
Yes, yes, and
YES!
The devils knows and believes all of
these things.
How do I know this?
Because the devil was present at each of
these events and must stand before the Lord
Jesus Christ to accuse us of our sins.]
[Revelation 12:10
10 And I heard
a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night.]
[Yet, no devil or demon
will find their way into heaven.
So, a deceiver will,]
·
[Carry a Bible]
·
[Quote Scripture]
·
[Say the name of
Jesus]
·
[Will stand in a
Christian pulpit and preach]
[A deceiver is a deceiver
because he does all of the Christian pastoral
things, but he teaches unsound doctrine, he
teaches lies.
They profess that they know God, but they
lie and deceive.]
[Don’t be deceived my
Christian friend, deceivers look a lot like me,
your pastor.
So how do you discover a deceiver?]
C.
Their
Works (vs 16; Matt 7.15-20, 1; John 7.24) [-
. . .but
in works they deny [him], being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
– Notice these words in our text, . .
.but in
works they deny [him].
They say they know God but what they do
says they don’t know Him.
In other words their actions speak louder
than their words.
In essence our text says that you will
know them by their works or fruits.
Do you remember what our Lord Jesus
Christ said in Matthew?]
[Matthew
7:15-20
15
Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles? 17
Even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit.
18 A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire.
20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
]
[You are
going to have to be a fruit inspector. What will a deceiver say as
soon as you start inspecting their works?
They will say,]
[Matthew
7:1
1 Judge not,
that ye be not judged.]
[If one
takes this verse out of context it can be wrest
to mean, never judge another person.
But our Lord, in context meant, don’t
judge by unrighteous judgment.
For Jesus also said,]
[John
7:24
24 Judge not
according to the appearance,
but judge righteous judgment.]
[The
only way that we can judge righteous judgment is
the compare actions to the revealed will of God
or the Word of God.
We must judge the actions of others if we
will discover a deceiver when he or she is in
our midst.]
Consider
what we will discover about a deceiver.
1.
They are
Resolved (vs 16;
Prov
6.16-19; Psalm 14.1; Rev 21.27) [- . . .
being abominable
. . . –
What is an abomination?
Notice in our text these deceivers will
be abominable.]
[Abominable -
βδελυκτοὶ
(Gk) - to abominate.
Abominable, detestable (Titus 1:16; Sept.: Prov.
17:15). That which is an abomination to God.
Does not occur in Class.Gr.[3]
]
[They purposefully seek out those things that are detestable to God, and
do them.
They justify the sins that God has
singled out as abominable.]
[Other
than the dietary laws of the Old Testament.
The Bible reveals that,]
·
[Sexual
immorality and adultery is an abomination (Lev
18)]
·
[Homosexuality is an abomination (Lev 18.22;
20.13; 1 Kings 14.24)]
·
[Worshipping False Gods is an abomination (Deut
12.30-31; 13.13-14;17.1-6; 27.15)]
·
[Human
Sacrifice is an abomination (Deut 12.31; 2 Kings
16.3)]
·
[Second
best sacrifices or offerings are an abomination
(Deut 17.1)]
·
[Witchcraft, Necromancy, consulting spirits is
an abomination (Deut 18.9-13; 2 Kings 23.24)]
·
[Cross
dressing is an abomination (Deut 22.5)]
·
[Cheating and Stealing is an abomination (Deut
25.13-16)]
[Proverbs gives us a list of abominable things
that encompasses nearly all of the things I have
mentioned.]
[Proverbs 6:16-19
16 These six
things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven
are an abomination unto him: 17
A proud look, a lying tongue, and
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An
heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet
that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A
false witness
that
speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren.]
[Where
do their abominations begin or find their root?]
[Psalm
14:1
1 The fool
hath said in his heart,
There is
no God. They are corrupt, they
have done abominable works,
there is none that doeth good. ]
[When a
person rejects God, the will of God, and the
Word of God they are on their way to abominable
disobedient works.
But our
text says they say they know God.
So how can they say they know God and
reject God?
They say they know God, but their god is
a god of their own making.
You just do not hear what they are really
saying.]
[What
does God say about the abominable?]
[Revelation 21:27
27 And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh
a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's
book of life.]
2.
They are
Rebellious (vs 16; 1 Sam 15.22-23) [-
. . . being abominable,
and disobedient, . .
– They
are purposefully
Disobedient. To be purposefully
disobedient to God reminds me of the words of
Samuel, who said,]
[1
Samuel 15:22-23
22 And Samuel
said, Hath the LORD
as
great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey
is
better than sacrifice,
and
to hearken than the fat of rams.
23
For rebellion
is as
the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast
rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also
rejected thee from
being
king.]
[To
willingly obey God is an indication that you
belong to God, that you are really His.]
3.
They are
Reprobate
(Job
15.16) [- . . .
being
abominable, and disobedient,
and unto every good work reprobate.
– To be reprobate, in this instance means, that
every good work that God would ask of them is
worthless to them.]
[Reprobate -
ἀδόκιμοι
(Gk) -
from the priv.
a (1), without, and
dókimos (1384), acceptable. Unapproved, unworthy, spurious, worthless. In a
pass. sense meaning disapproved, rejected, cast
away (1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor. 13:5–7; Heb. 6:8 [cf.
2 Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:16]). With an act. usage
meaning undiscerning, not distinguishing, void
of judgment (Rom. 1:28); although in this text
it may be understood in the pass.: a reprobate
abominable mind, a mind to be abhorred by God
and man. Spoken of metals such as silver (Prov.
25:4; Is. 1:22).[4] ]
[My
friends when the Word of God becomes worthless
to you then the things of God will be
meaningless to you.]
[Job
15:16
16 How much
more abominable and filthy
is
man, which drinketh iniquity like water?]
[The
tough part about examining the fruit of a
deceiver is that they will not admit that they
are being abominable, disobedient, or reprobate.
They will argue convincingly and
compassionately that they are being obedient to
the Word of God.
But in reality they wrest the scriptures.
How will you find them out, compare them
and their ministry to the Word of God, and
cleave to the Word of God.]
[Holding, loving, and cleaving to the inerrant,
infallible, perfectly preserved Word of God is
the key to living in purity with God and
discovering the many deceivers in our culture
and in the Church of our Lord.]
[As we
enter into Chapter two of Titus we will discover
just what a pastor ought to teach the people of
the Church and how deceivers work against the
revealed will of God and God’s plan for you and
your life.]
CrossRoads Baptist, Sept 12, 2010
