Titus Series - The Recurring Spirit of Rebellion

                                 

The Recurring Spirit of Rebellion

Titus 1:10-16

“For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you...” 1 Sam. 15:23

It seems the spirit of rebellion is still prevalent in all cultures around the world, as it was in the past ages. From the garden through kingships and countries, from the heathen and barbarians to the religious and pious, God requires our obedience to His Word, to His Son, and the Holy Spirit in submission and reverence to holiness and purity. So let’s read the first portion of the text, “For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.”

  Paul addressed Titus to deal with the rebellious spirit in the church in Crete and put a stop to their trying to usurp authority in the churches and the establishing of their own platforms. For as in many of the other churches established during Paul’s missionary journeys, the enemy of God had implanted rebellion in the form of false teachers and false prophets within the churches. Titus was to contend and silence these people who were propagating teachings of meaningless talk on religious rites, and the deceptive lies countering salvation that tried to supplant who Jesus really was, the fully God/man.  

Those who in contemptuous disobedience of pride and greed had set themselves up in some of the church laity by their pious talking and philosophical insight into the secret things. They were holding separate meetings in the homes of the believers, disrupting the teaching of the Word of God by seducingly adding errant words of deception from myths and teaching additional rules and requirements for salvation and forms of godliness through legalistic methods by men denying the power of God. 

Application - I have been reading many godly teachers of God’s Word speak of the increase of errant teachings on anything from cultural tolerance of immorality, to the need to supplement the Word of God with special teachings and instruction on salvation, holiness and godliness by rules for godly living. This is legalism, much like what Jesus and Paul contended with in the beginning of the church. There is still the spirit of rebellion among the unbelieving world and it has infiltrated the church as well. In today’s world, many churches have divided over rebellious thought and manners, causing denominational riffs, and even splitting denominations. The pastors, elders, and overseers have received a charge from the Lord to contend with and to silence this subversion from the devil. But because of the carnal nature in unregenerate mankind, the allure of the flesh and the eyes all lead to the pride of sinful life. “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 Jn. 2:16 ESV)

The only way to rid the rebellion is through the power of God, and it must be eradicated and silenced as demonstrated in the teaching of the Holy Scripture.

Last, Paul knew how the devil tries to infiltrate the church through false teachings, myths, and innuendos about the practice Jesus taught, and the Word of the Lord from Paul’s teachings on salvation, godliness, holiness, and eschatology. So let’s read the last portion of the text.

“One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” 

Now, Paul understood through the writing of a Cretan. The Cretan was a Cretan-born, former prophet named Epimenides from the 6th or 5th century B.C.. He was held in high honor by the Cretans, even though he had spoken badly on the moral characters of the people, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” Paul knew this to be true, and used their own cultural beliefs to rebuke them. Paul, who had been raised in Cilicia, said in testimony to Gov. Felix, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia (Mersin Province, Turkey), a citizen of no insignificant city.” (Acts 21:36 Amp.) He may have known the immoral character of the Cretan from his past. Paul exhorted Titus to have the Cretans hold to the sound doctrines of Scripture, and to hold steadfast to the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ through whom salvation comes. The commands of Jesus were not up for questioning or debate, but to be obeyed from the heart and mind. Paul had taught the churches that purity of the mind was of utmost importance and to be protected by faith in Jesus Christ. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Col. 3:1-2; Rom. 12:2; 2 Thes. 3:3; Phil. 4:7,9)

Paul valued purity of heart and mind from his understanding of God through the Old Testament law and temple practice, but even more through his personal instruction from Jesus through the Holy Spirit. God plainly spoke against the impurity of the priest and Levites who had defiled their hearts, minds, and conscience with the corruptness of the world through idolatry. And the same problem was infecting the church. Titus needed to rebuke the Cretan false teachers with the sword of the Spirit. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” (Heb.4:12 ;2 Tim. 3:16)

Last, one of the hallmarks of false teachers is their not truly knowing who God is. They may speak with flattery and propound false teachings from their mind and own reasoning, and on what they had twisted from the scripture, but true faith in Jesus would require repentance and obedience to God’s Word and His Son on their part. Paul said, “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed…” (Heb. 4:2)

Application - I’m sure that the Cretans are not the only ones who cornered the market on lying, brutality, gluttony, and rebellion. These are still found in abundance throughout the world. But it was this worldly mindset and immorality that was hallmarked in Crete and has been assimilated into the hearts and minds of believers and churches, especially in the western culture. When one is rebuked in a public forum for this mindset, then the clarion call for tolerance is expounded on almost every form of media. For this the love of a sin-filled world. As a Christian, we must be steadfast in our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and His Word. Even if we are persecuted for our stance. Paul wrote to the Ephesians to expose the deeds of darkness to the light of God’s Word. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” (Eph. 5:11-13 NKJV)

Again, we were warned by Jesus and Paul about the unsound doctrine that would be propagated and believed by many that would lead to the apostasy and the revealing of the son of perdition, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,  not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” (2 Thes.2:1-3)

And with rebellion and lawlessness comes impurity of heart, mind, body, and society. But for the true believer, their salvation is sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They have been availed of the armor of God for protection from the schemes of the devil and his demonic minions. Plus we have the promise of our Savior Jesus Christ that he will never leave us nor forsake us. He is faithful to His promises of protection of the heart, mind, and soul in purity and blamelessness. For He told us that He has overcome the world, the devil, and death and Hell. We are His church, but don’t think that you will not be tested, tempted, and tried by the evil one. For God allows testing and trials to purify his church as Peter explained. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

In closing, I would like to ask everyone to pray for wisdom, understanding, discernment, and instruction from God in standing fast in the Truth of God Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in us. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today. Thank you http://uss-warfare3.web node.com