The Elder's Task: Titus 1:10-16

In the previous section Paul exhorted Titus to find godly qualified leaders in order to appoint them as elders to serve the church at Crete.  Paul detailed the kind of man that would be able to be ordained to this office of eldership.  In this portion of Scripture the work that awaited the elders is given.  It is common and customary when a person takes on a new position that they receive a specific job description .  This job description will outline the project(s) that the new hire is responsible for.  Paul tells Titus that the task that is incumbent upon the elders is to go head to head with the false teachers and put an end to their public teaching.

Characteristics of False Teachers


Paul outline several characteristics that described these false teachers:

Insubordinate.  This means that they had a problem with respecting authority and following any kind of direction or leadership.  It is possible that these false teachers may have even rejected Paul's apostolic office.  Ultimately they were insubordinate to the Lord Jesus Christ who appointed these earthly authorities.

Idle (vain) Talkers and Deceivers.  They conceited themselves to be wise, but in reality they were foolish.  They may have been eloquent and charismatic in their personalities, but their teaching was empty and full of deception.


Lovers of Money.  They also had an incredible appetite for money.  Their motivation in deceiving people with false doctrine was in order to acquire more money to curb their monetary appetite.  Money can be a powerful motivator.

Liars, Evil Beasts and Lazy Gluttons.  Paul cited a proverb that was accepted as a description of the Cretans natural tendencies, "Cretans are always liars, and evil beasts, lazy gluttons (Tit. 1:12b).  Paul affirmed that he agreed with this assessment of the Cretans (Tit. 1:13a).

Defiled Mind and Conscience.  The works that manifested from the lives of these false teachers was indicative of the inward corruption that resided within them.  Their mind and conscience had been influenced by the works of Satan.  The only cure for this defilement is a proper understanding of the truth.

Profess to Know God.  They did not just profess to know a god, but the triune God of the Scriptures--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  On the contrary their works proclaim that they do not know the one and only God in a personal relationship as they bear no marks of being the child of God.

Defeating the False Teachers


Paul gave some advice to the young leaders of how to go up against these false teachers:

They Must Be Silenced.  Paul stated, "Whose mouths must be stopped" (Tit. 1:11a).  He is stating that these individuals must be silenced.  They should no longer have a public platform to espouse these false ideologies.  They were not to do this by outward force, but by confutation and conviction showing them their error.  As Spurgeon the great Baptist minister once stated, "Defending the gospel is like defending a lion, all you need to do is let is loose" (Spurgeon).  The Christian soldier enters in combat with their loins girted with the truth, wearing the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness, holding the shield of faith while yielding the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:14-17).

Rebuke Them Sharply.  Anyone at the church of Crete who rejected the faith delivered unto the saints in it's pure form should receive a sharp rebuke.  This rebuke was to be corrective, clear and direct.  Not all rebukes demand this level of intensity.  Rebukes ought to always be given according to the nature of offences, and the circumstances surrounding them.  Some rebukes are to be given publicly and some privately.  Some should be reproved with gentleness and meekness while others require a more direct and assertive approach.

Do Not Give Heed.  Paul wrote, "not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments" (Tit. 1:14).  Titus was instructed to not give an inch while he is contending for the faith.  To not "give heed" means not to adhere or accept any part of the false teaching.  It is the natural temperament of many to compromise on certain areas for the sake of unity.  Christians should never compromise when it comes to truth and error.

Audio Sermon

Bible Study Questions