For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision. Titus 1:10
When we were planning to visit a certain region for a vacation, we were urged to stay at a particular resort. So, we looked for information about that resort on the Internet. The owners had posted a lovely set of pictures and descriptions of the accommodations there, and we became excited at the prospect of spending several days there. But we continued to look for information, and came across a site that provided reviews for various resorts, including the one that we were interested in. Quickly we changed our minds! The ratings for that particular resort were very low, with some of the people who had stayed there telling horror stories of the noise from a nearby auto racetrack, the stench from a nearby pulp mill, and the unruly behaviour from the patrons of a nearby collection of bars and nightclubs. The lovely pictures and descriptions provided by the owners were actually a deception. Just like the words of the vain talkers and deceivers in our text.
Paul is warning Titus in particular of the promoters of the circumcision doctrine. These people taught that observing the law, including circumcision, was essential for being accepted by God. All of religion, no matter what brand of religion, holds to this doctrine. No, they don’t all insist on circumcision, but they all insist on something, some observance of rites or ordinances, some act of duty or commitment, some adherence to a set of rules or code of conduct. This even includes those liberal denominations that preach the casual social gospel of doing the best you can, being a good neighbour and citizen, giving to the good cause, and attending religious services once in awhile. Sadly, it also includes those pseudo evangelical groups that teach sinners that salvation is found in reciting a particular prayer, sighing a pledge card, or in ‘giving your heart to Jesus’. It’s all the doctrine of works, and it flies in the face of the truth of Ephesians 2:8,9. Paul’s warning to Titus, and to us, is that we must never let the message of the Gospel deviate from what God tells us in His Word: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Paul calls these teachers unruly. This simply means they taught things other than the Scriptures. We see plenty of people like that around us today, teaching us that their books and leaders know more than what is contained in the Bible. God’s wrath is guaranteed on all who teach that evil (Revelation 22:18,19). The vain talkers are not much better. These are the graduates of dead and dusty seminaries (Perry Rockwood always called them cemeteries), who merely recite the things they have been taught, with no conviction and no interest beyond plying their trade of religion. These people are just blind leaders of the blind, leading others with them into the ditch (Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39). And the deceivers are those who have twisted the Word of God to suit their devious purposes. None of these false teachers will escape condemnation. And we must be careful to not only avoid them, but to also avoid any part of their error.
With all the false teachers around us today, let us give thanks for those who teach and promote the truth of the pure Word of God. -Jim MacIntosh