1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Good morning there, friends and faithful listeners. We're 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: in Titus chapter one. Today. We're going to finish out 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: this chapter and talk about some of the problems that 4 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: we're going on in the Cretan churches and also how 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: these definitely relate to the churches today. We'll get into 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: this fascinating topic in just one moment. All right, faithful listeners, 7 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: I hope you've had a great start to your week. 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: If you ever have any prayer quests, please don't hesitate 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: to reach out. You can find my contact information listed 10 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: in the description of this episode, and I will write 11 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: you down in my little prayer journal and pray for 12 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,639 Speaker 1: you for the week. But I also appreciate just emails 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: about how you found the podcast, where you live, what 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: the weather is like. I always like hearing about you, 15 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, So don't hesitate to reach out. All right, 16 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and read Titus chapter one right after 17 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: a quick message from this sponsor. All right, faithful listeners. 18 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: Hopefully during that advertisement you are able to grab your 19 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: Bible and your cup of coffee or your cup of 20 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: tea to share with me as we discuss Titus chapter one, 21 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: verses ten through sixteen. I'll be reading as I usually 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: do from the we B this morning. For there are 23 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those 24 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. Men who 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for 26 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: dishonest gain's sake. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons. This 28 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: testimony is true for this cause. Reprove them sharply that 29 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention 30 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away 31 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: from the truth. To the pure all things are pure. 32 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. 33 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: But both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They 34 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: profess that they know God, but by their deeds they 35 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. 36 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: If you faith the listeners didn't catch the first portion 37 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: of Titus chapter one, then you should. You should go 38 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: back and listen to that episode or read it for 39 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: yourself preferably. But basically, Paul wrote this letter to Titus, 40 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: who was on the island of Crete because he needed 41 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: to help establish a church there. It sounds like the 42 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: church was already planted in Crete, but they were having 43 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: a lot of problems, and Paul knew about all these 44 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: problems because he had firsthand experience he was in Crete, 45 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: and the situation was so dire that Paul, when he 46 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: left to go on the next part of his missionary journey, 47 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: he entrusted the Church of Crete to Titus, who apparently 48 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: just had the personality to be able to handle something 49 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: like this. So we talked about the first portion of 50 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: Titus on where the Church of Crete didn't have any elders, 51 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: and that was one of Titus's responsibilities was to appoint 52 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: elders to this church, not just any person that wanted 53 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,519 Speaker 1: to become an elder, but a legitimate, qualified elder. And 54 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: we talked about what those qualifications were on Thursday of 55 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: last week. So that was Titus's first responsibility in Crete. 56 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: The second responsibility is what we talk about in verses 57 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: ten through sixteen. Today he says in verse ten, there 58 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 1: are also many unruly men, vain talkers, and deceivers, especially 59 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. So 60 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: there is also an issue with unruly men. Now, depending 61 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: on the version you read, it may say something different, 62 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: such as insubordinate or unsubmissive. That's essentially what Paul is 63 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: saying here that there were disobedient and insubordinate and just 64 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: not submissive men in this church congregation. They kind of 65 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: wanted to do whatever they wanted to do. They didn't 66 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: want to submit to God's will, they didn't want to 67 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: obey God's will. They just wanted to enjoy the benefits 68 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: of Christianity and following God without aca actually following the 69 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: core principles of Christianity. He says that there are unruly 70 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: men and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. Now, 71 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: when Paul talks about the people of the circumcision, we've 72 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: discussed this before on the podcast, but that's talking about 73 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: the Jewish people that went around claiming to be Christians, 74 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: but we're pushing their ideology of circumcision on gentile men. 75 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: They were saying, well, you're not actually saved if you 76 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: don't go and get circumcised, like you have to be 77 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: circumcised in order to be saved, because they'll forget, you know, 78 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: gentiles and Jews. That was one of the things that 79 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: made them very different from each other. The gentiles never 80 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: got circumcised. That was a uniquely Jewish thing. And the 81 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: reason the Jewish people did it was because of the 82 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: Covenant back in the Old Testament, where God had Abraham 83 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: get circumcised, and he circumcised his entire household. And this 84 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: was to show that they were a part of God's 85 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: people for many generations to come, which is why the 86 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: Jewish people to this day, the men still get circumcised. Now, 87 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 1: I'm not going to get into why God commanded circumcision 88 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: in the Old Testament. I have talked about that at length. 89 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: There were reasons for it, like genuinely good, healthy reasons 90 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: for the ancient people to get circumcised. But circumcision was 91 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: certainly not required of a person in order to be saved. 92 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: And yet these Jewish people were going around being like, well, 93 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: Jesus is grace, and what he did for you up 94 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: on that cross is not enough for you. You also 95 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: have to follow all of these legalistic rules, including getting circumcised, 96 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: in order to truly be saved. You know, your only 97 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: quasi saved. If you believe in Jesus, you have to 98 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: do all these other things that we make up as well. 99 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: Paul was totally against this because it was making people 100 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: question their faith in Jesus, and it was also diminishing 101 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: what Jesus had done on the cross, saying, oh, what 102 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: Jesus did for you is not good enough. You have 103 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: to do something on your own. And as we all know, 104 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: works don't save us. What we do does not save us. 105 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: The only way we can be saved is by believing 106 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 1: on Jesus. And we know that faith is not a work, 107 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: because Paul specifically says faith is not a work. So 108 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: we can't boast about any work we've done because we 109 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: haven't done anything even if we are saved. Because faith 110 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: is not a work, there's no works that we can 111 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: do to get ourselves closer to God. And Paul was 112 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: very adamant about this, and yet there were a bunch 113 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: of Jewish people in Paul's day saying that works do 114 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: in fact save you. And another thing they would say 115 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: in Paul's day that was very common also is you 116 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: couldn't eat certain meats in order to be saved, or 117 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: certain foods you had to only eat kosher. So that 118 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: was the two things that these judaizers were spreading in 119 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: Paul's day, and unfortunately a lot of this stuff made 120 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: it to the island of Crete. That is how wide 121 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: spread this bully became. Now, of course, that wasn't the 122 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: only bad ideology being spread around the churches in Paul's day, 123 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: but that was certainly a big part of it, which 124 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: is why he says, especially those of the circumcision, their 125 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: mouths must be stopped. That means Paul is telling Titus 126 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: that these people need to shut up, and that Titus 127 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: needs to shut these people up, and not just Titus himself, 128 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: but also any elder that would be coming into the 129 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: church as well. They needed to have the personality that 130 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: would stop these bad ideologies from spreading further in the church. 131 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: And man, you know, this is something that we do 132 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: not do in today's society. In our churches. We just 133 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: allow very very stupid ideas to get infiltrated into the church. 134 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: We don't stop them at all, because we're too scared 135 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: to hurt people's feelings. We're too scared to say this 136 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: is garbage ideology that should not be getting spread in 137 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: our churches. And I mean, think about the language Paul 138 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: is using here. Their mouths must be stopped. That is 139 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: some really strong language, and it is not what the 140 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: churches today are doing. It is very hard, actually to 141 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: find a church that is godly and biblical. I mean, 142 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: you can find a church on any street corner in 143 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: America pretty much. There are tons and tons of churches 144 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: available to you, but chances are most of them are 145 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: teaching some form of bad ideology to its congregants. So 146 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: it's so hard to find a church that is actually 147 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: reading the Bible and teaching what it has to say. 148 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: It's hard to find a church that isn't affirming to 149 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: every sin. It's hard to find a church that even 150 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: talks about sin in a lot of cases. It's hard 151 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: to find a church that isn't legalistic, like these judaizers 152 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: that Paul mentions here, not to mention all the other 153 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: strange beliefs that are in the world today. It's hard 154 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: to find a church that teaches out of the Bible. 155 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: Growing up, I went to a church, not the cul 156 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: ty church that I grew up in, but the church 157 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: we went to after that. For a while, the pastor 158 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: like barely spoke out of the Bible. He would preach 159 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: messages from books, especially books about war heroes. He was 160 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: really into that because he had been a chaplain in 161 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: some branch of the military for a very long time. 162 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: So he idolized people who fought for our country. And 163 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean, that's not a bad thing, right, but that's 164 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: definitely not what you should be preaching your sermons on. 165 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: You should be preaching your sermons on the Bible. So, 166 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: I mean, even that kind of stuff, it is hard 167 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: to find a church that preaches from what the Bible 168 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: has to say, and the majority of church elders and 169 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: church of leaders are too scared to do what Paul 170 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: says to do here, which is to make these people 171 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: stop spreading bad ideology, to make them stop, to make 172 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: their mouths stop. Paul says, the reason they have to 173 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: be stopped is because these are men who overthrow whole 174 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: houses in verse eleven, teaching things which they ought not 175 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: for dishonest gain's sake. These people are overthrowing houses with 176 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: their garbage, and the only reason they're doing it is 177 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: because of dishonest gain's sake, whether they're doing it to 178 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: feel holy or righteous, whether they're doing it because they 179 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: think it's going to gain something for themselves. Like Brownie 180 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: points with God, or they're doing it because it's just 181 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: the popular ideology and they don't want to go against 182 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: it because they're scared. They might be doing it for money, 183 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: or for fame, or for attention. Whatever reason they're doing it, 184 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: it is not for the right reason, is what Paul says. 185 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,199 Speaker 1: That's why they have to be stopped. They are overthrowing houses, 186 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: they are making people question their faith. Verse twelve says 187 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: one of them, a profit of their own says Cretans 188 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons. This testimony 189 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: is true. I'm sorry that those two verses absolutely crack 190 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: me up every single time I read them. The Cretans 191 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: had a very bad reputation, and that word Cretan to 192 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: this day is still used as an insult for people 193 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: who are lazy. That is how infamous the Cretans became. 194 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: And Paul's like, even the Cretans know how bad they 195 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: are that even one of their own prophets said that 196 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons, and 197 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: Paul's like, this testimony is actually true. The Cretans really 198 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 1: are liars, idle gluttons, and evil beasts. So Titus had 199 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: his work cut out for him, and Paul says for 200 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: this reason, reprove them sharply that they may be sound 201 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: in the faith. I think it's interesting that Paul knew 202 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: Titus could do this job. There's not a lot of 203 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: men out there that are willing to reprove other people 204 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: sharply for the faith. This is a very uncommon thing, 205 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: and in fact, out of all the churches I've ever 206 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: been in, I don't know that I've ever seen it. 207 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: I don't know that I've ever seen a pastor honestly 208 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: reprove somebody without humiliating them. By the way, the church 209 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: that I grew up in, the call ty one that 210 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,199 Speaker 1: one sermons would be preached about people from the pulpit, 211 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: and that was just a form of shame and humiliation 212 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: that I'd never recommend. It was handled so improperly and terribly, 213 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: and a lot of times for some of the silliest things. Actually, 214 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 1: my grandma used to go to the church I grew 215 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: up in as well, just for a little while. She 216 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: didn't go for very long. But my grandma was about 217 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: ninety pounds and skinny as a stick and short too. 218 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: My Grandma's the tiniest little lady. For all the days 219 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: that I knew her, she was always cold. She didn't 220 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: have any heat in her trailer, and it was unbearable 221 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: in the summer. It was like a tin box and 222 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: she was comfortable in it. It was terrible, but that's 223 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: how my grandma was. And so the church was very 224 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,559 Speaker 1: cold to her. So she'd bring these sweaters. And you know, 225 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: she was also a very blunt woman, so she'd tell 226 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: the pastor and the other people, this church is freezing. 227 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: I don't enjoy coming because of how cold it is. Well, 228 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: the pastor of that church just couldn't get past that. 229 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: My grandma said that, and for like six years kept 230 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: bringing it up in sermons. Oh, you know, people they 231 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: leave the church over the stupidest reasons, like it's too 232 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: cold in here. And that wasn't the reason my grandma 233 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: left the church, by the way, But man, like for 234 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: six years, maybe longer, I don't even know, that pastor 235 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: was still hung up over the fact that my grandma 236 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: felt that it was too cold in the church. Not 237 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: saying my grandma was right or wrong to complain about it, 238 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: but still it was a way for the pastor to 239 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: shame somebody that didn't appreciate every single aspect of the church, 240 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: which is why whenever we see church discipline come up 241 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: in passages like this, it's always talking about reproving somebody 242 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: to their face, not stating it passive aggressively from the pulpit, 243 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: but going directly to the person and telling them you 244 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: are wrong. In the Book of Galatians, Paul had to 245 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: do this to Peter because Peter started hanging out with 246 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: all the Judaizers and leading people astray. Because you know, 247 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: Peter was like second in command of Jesus and people 248 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: respected him, and so Peter, who was scared of the Judaizers, 249 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: started just like becoming buddy buddy with them and making 250 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: people lose their faith in Jesus's grace. So Paul was 251 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: obviously very angry about this because he's somebody that didn't 252 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: want any of this garbage being spread to the new churches. 253 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: So he went directly to Peter in front of all 254 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: of Peter's friends, and he was like, Peter, you know, 255 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: before your friends all we got here, you were sitting 256 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: and eating with all of the gentiles and acting like 257 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: a gentile yourself. So what changed? Why are you doing this. 258 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: That was Paul reproving Peter publicly to his face, and 259 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: it was a good thing that he did. He needed 260 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: to do it because Peter was going off the wrong 261 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: track and causing other people to lose their faith. And 262 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: that's what Titus needed to do in this church in Crete. 263 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: And he had his work cut out for him because 264 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: not only were these garbage principles being spread around, but 265 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: the Cretans themselves also had a bad reputation, so there 266 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: was several difficult things happening in this church. Paul says, 267 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: reprove them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, 268 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men 269 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: who turn away from the truth. So there you go. 270 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: Paul says, this stuff is not biblical, what these judaizers 271 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: are doing. They are spreading myths and fables and their 272 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: own commandments, commandments of men, not commandments of God, and 273 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: they're turning people away from the truth. And now in 274 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: verse fifteen, there's a kind of a perplexing verse right here. 275 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: It says to the pure, all things are pure. But 276 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, 277 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: but both their mind and their consciences are defiled. Now, 278 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: when Paul says to the pure, all things are pure, 279 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: he is not saying that sin becomes purer to the 280 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: pure person. He's not talking about immorality. He is talking 281 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: about legalism right here. And the best example I could 282 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 1: give is in the context of food. The judaizer said, 283 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: if you eat unkosher food, that means that you are 284 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: not truly saved. But to the person who is pure, 285 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: who truly believed in Jesus, they understood that that's just 286 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: legalism and that they can eat unkosher foods because those foods, 287 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: regardless of what they eat, are not bringing them any clothes, 288 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: sir to God, Like what you eat is not going 289 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: to gain you any points with God. The pure understand this, 290 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: and they don't need to be boggled down with all 291 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: of that legalism. But to somebody who is not pure, 292 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: everything to them is unpure. They try to take the 293 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 1: freedom of grace away from other people. They say, Oh, well, 294 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: I don't know how you could be saved if you 295 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: don't go to church on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and 296 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: Wednesday night. I don't know how you could be saved. Oh, 297 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: I don't know how you could be saved if you 298 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: listen to music with drums in it. I don't know 299 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 1: how you could be saved if you don't wear a 300 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: skirt a certain length or wear a covering on your head. 301 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,120 Speaker 1: These are all legalistic ideas that are not found in scripture. 302 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: And by the way, I'm giving specific examples from my 303 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 1: own personal life. To the people who are impure and legalistic, 304 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 1: everything in their mind is impure, and they become judgmental, 305 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: not just of each other, but of themselves as well. 306 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 1: They don't live in the grace that Jesus gives them. 307 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: They become concerned about some of the silliest things. If 308 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:13,199 Speaker 1: any of you know somebody who falls into legalism, you 309 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: can tell that they just are miserable, like they don't 310 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: have any fun because everything to them is impure, even 311 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,400 Speaker 1: if it's not going to necessarily cause them to sin. 312 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: That's what legalism does. It takes the joy away from 313 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: living as a Christian. It takes the joy away from 314 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: the grace that Jesus gave us. And once again, Paul's 315 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: not talking about anything immoral here, like clear sins such 316 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: as lust or stealing or mistreating other people. He's not 317 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,919 Speaker 1: talking about those things. He's talking about just living in 318 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: the freedom that Jesus gave us, not worrying about every 319 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: little thing. This actually takes me to a kind of 320 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: bizarre verse from Ecclesiastes, Chapter seven, verses sixteen through seventeen. 321 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon in his older years. 322 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: He says in verse sixteen, don't be overly righteous, neither 323 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: make yourself overly wise? Why should you destroy yourself? Don't 324 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: be too wicked, neither be foolish? Why should you die 325 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: before your time? And a lot of people have some 326 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: problems with those two verses that Solomon wrote because they're like, 327 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 1: what do you mean, I shouldn't make myself overly wise 328 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: or overly righteous? Isn't it good to be righteous and 329 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: to be wise? Well, yes, of course it is. But 330 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: Solomon is talking about an excess here. He's talking about 331 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: crossing over into legalism, where you are so focused on 332 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: not being corrupted by the world or the sin in 333 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: the world, that you just suck the joy out of 334 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 1: your life. Because that's honestly, what legalism does. It takes 335 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: freedom and joy away from people. And Paul says that 336 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: the people who are legalistic are actually defiled and unbelieving, 337 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: and nothing to them is pure. But both if their 338 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: mind and their consciences are defiled, he says, they profess 339 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 1: that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, 340 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. So 341 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: the person who is overly legalistic, once again, they are 342 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: stating that Jesus's grace is not enough. They're showing that 343 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: with their works. They're saying, Nope, Jesus can't possibly save 344 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: with just his blood. It's like taking the spotlight off 345 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: of Jesus and just putting it on ourselves in a way, 346 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: kind of making ourselves like God's. When we say that 347 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: our good works are going to save us, we are 348 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: essentially making ourselves out to be God's. We are becoming idolatrous. 349 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: And what's interesting, that's kind of what Paul alludes to 350 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: right here by using the word abominable. He calls these 351 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: people abominable. That word has ties to idolatry, by the way, 352 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: that's essentially what it means, idolatrous. These people are becoming 353 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: idolatrous because they're believing that their own works can save them. 354 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 1: But that is just not the truth. Our own works 355 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: can't save us. Only the work that Jesus did on 356 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: the cross can save us. Faithful listeners, I've got a 357 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 1: few closing notes I'd like to say right after this 358 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 1: sponsored ad. It's interesting the older I get, the more 359 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: I realize that there is a fine line that you 360 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: have to walk with almost everything. If you cross the 361 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: line too much in either direction, you start going off 362 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,679 Speaker 1: the right path. Maybe that's why God says narrow is 363 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: the way that leads to life, but broad is the 364 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: way that leads to destruction. There really is a thin 365 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: line you have to walk. You don't want to be 366 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: too much like the Cretans who just did whatever they 367 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 1: wanted to do without truly following the principles of Christianity. 368 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: But you also don't want to be like the Judaizers 369 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: who were trying to follow the Old Testament laws so 370 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: strongly that they were denying the grace of Jesus. You 371 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: got to toe that line and say, yes, Jesus did 372 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,239 Speaker 1: give me grace and he did save me, and I 373 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: have freedom and joy because of that. Because Jesus saved me, 374 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: I want to live for him. I want to live 375 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: a moral life, so faithful listeners, I hope you've been 376 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: enjoying the Book of Titus so far. We only have 377 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: two more chapters in Titus, so we're probably going to 378 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 1: fly very quickly through this book. But then again, like 379 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: some of these smaller books, have a lot of deep 380 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: topics in them, so maybe we'll spend more time in 381 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: Titus than I even realize. I don't know, but faithful listeners, 382 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: I hope you have a fantastic and wonderful rest of 383 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: your day. I will see all of you guys tomorrow 384 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: for another episode from Second Chronicles. I'll see you guys 385 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: then six am or whenever you choose to wake up 386 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: and listen. Happy listening, and God bless. I just want 387 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 1: to take a second to thank the team at Life 388 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: Audio for their partnership with me on the Bible Explain podcast. 389 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: In fact, if you go to life audio dot com 390 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 391 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 1: They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.