"FOR this reason I left you in Crete, that you should SET IN ORDER the things that are LACKING, And APPOINT ELDERS in every city as I commanded you."
Titus 1:5 (NKJV)
• Titus himself who was to appoint the elders had gotten to have a strong and steadfast believe in the teaching of the Word of God.
- When he did, he would be able to correct and put on the right path or track, those who's minds are warped and sold to the devil (2 Timothy 2:25,26).
- The responsibility, what a church leader is expected to do:
10 FOR THERE ARE MANY REBELLIOUS PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE IN USELESS TALK AND DECEIVE OTHERS. THIS is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. 11 THEY MUST BE SILENCED, BECAUSE THEY ARE TURNING WHOLE FAMILIES AWAY FROM THE TRUTH BY THEIR FALSE TEACHING. AND THEY DO IT ONLY FOR MONEY" (Titus 1:10,11 NLT).
I. Many rebel, resist and oppose the right Teaching. They would rather engage in useless talking and deceive the people, such should be silenced and not be allowed (2 Timothy 4:3,4).
TALKING or teaching that is not consistent with the Bible, brings contradictory doctrine or teaching to the body of Christ (2 Timothy 2:16,23).
II. As a leader, you have a responsibility to silence them. And that could be done effectively, only If you as a leader did stand firm in the right teaching of the Word of God (Titus 1:10).
III. The deceivers. The teachers who are teaching wrong and erroneous doctrines had led many astray, away from the right path or direction, that is, from the truth (Titus 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-18; 3:5-7).
SUCH people, those who are heretic, do whatever they are doing for dishonest Gain, to get money from the people—their belly is their god (Titus 1:11; Philippians 3:18,19).
IV. Work on the people given you by God, teaching them the True Word of God, to make them firm in the Christian Faith—through the teachings (Titus 1:13,14; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Peter 1:12,13).
a. Rebuke, reprove and correct with love when needed, that they might be strong in the Faith (Titus 1:13).
b. Tell them not to listen to those who have turned their backs against the truth (Titus 1:14; 2 Timothy 2:18).
c. They should stay away from those who claim to know God, but they deny Him in work and character—those who deny God through the way they live their lives (Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5,7).
• Note: In digression, Apostle Paul also mentioned that a negative trait could be peculiar to a people; a group, a tribe, or a race:
12 ONE OF THEM, A PROPHET OF THEIR OWN, SAID, “CRETANS ARE ALWAYS LIARS, EVIL BEASTS, LAZY GLUTTONS.” 13 THIS TESTIMONY IS TRUE. THEREFORE REBUKE THEM SHARPLY, THAT THEY MAY BE SOUND IN THE FAITH" (Titus 1:12,13 NKJV).
- If you are a Believer in Christ Jesus, any negative trait, or a peculiar negative character with your people; tribe, or whatever, should not be accepted by you As the Norm—because you are a Believer, a child of God.
- You work on it, that such a thing would not be found in your life, as a Believer in Christ Jesus.
a. Apostle Paul told Titus in the epistle that the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. And the testimony is true!
b. He said Titus should rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the Faith (Titus 1:12,13). - Whatever negative trait found in your town or city, or tribe, or your country at large, should not be found in your life, or be emulated by you.
- Some who claimed to be Believers in Christ would even be boastful of such negative traits. I have heard someone said love of money is peculiar to his tribe. He was saying it boastfully with pride As If it was a good thing.
SOME would say Anger is peculiar to their family or tribe, or the people in the area or town they came from. - A Believer should not be boastful of wrong Character traits found in their lineages, tribes, towns or cities, or the Nation.
- The Cretans were said to be liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. Now, imagine a Cretan Believer boastfully saying; In my place, lying is part of our system, we lie at will, and we are tough; inclined to violent or disruptive behaviour, we behave like beasts, and we are gluttons and laid-back.
- If nonbelievers boastfully identify with such negative traits, a Believer should not! And If there are traces of such negative traits in your life and Character, as a Believer, you have to deal with them. Break the hold of such traits in your life!
- You should not say, that is the way I am, where I came from, we are like that. In fact, If you did not behave like that in my place, they would say you are a bastard, you are not the son of the soil—the aboriginal.
NO, It is wrong for a child of God, a Believer in Christ Jesus, to say such a thing—be boastful of wrong Character traits in his or her lineage, tribe, town or city, and whatever.
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- If you are having one sickness or the other in your body As you read this piece, I declare your healing now in the Jesus Christ.
- The hold of sicknesses is completely broken and never to rise again in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!