Titus 1:10-12

Titus 1:10-12 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”

Colossians 1:24-26 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness — the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.

The church always has many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers. There is always someone who does not want to accept the whole gospel. They emphasis a few scriptures or a portion of the Bible but are unwilling to accept the full counsel of God. Of course, this selective approach skews what the Bible is actually saying. Today, if you turn on the television and listen to most of the media churches, they are emphasizing only a few scriptures that pertain to prosperity, for they are seeking money for themselves, sometimes for support of the ministry, and other times clandestinely seeking to increase their personal wealth. Almost all of the personalities on national television are excessively rich. You can watch TV at any time of the day and find some religious leader talking about planting a seed to reap a harvest. They want you to plant a seed of faith by sending MONEY TO THEIR MINISTRY. I would trust much more in their interpretation of the Word if they were saying plant your seed anywhere in God's work or in someone's poverty stricken life, and God will bless you. Of course God always blesses his children, but not always with wealth. Jesus said there would not be many of wealth and status following him. And of course his Word is ALWAYS true.

Whole countries, whole cultures can be corrupted by a spirit of deception and sin. Paul rightly tells Titus to remember that the Cretans have been corrupted to the point that everyone knows they are liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons. Even today, cultures in different countries possess abhorrent mores. In some cultures, it is all right if you lie or deceive if it is for your benefit. In others, stealing is something done routinely. In some countries, women are treated poorly without respect for their humanity. The list of unacceptable behaviors is a long one, but the prevalence of sin does not justify it. Even in Christian households, the gospel can be skewed to such a point that the children of following generations are practicing wayward theology, such as the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, The Unification Church, The Worldwide Church of God, The Way International, and the like. These cults began in the Christian church. As Paul said, they ruined whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain. They left the orthodoxy of the church to follow an errant gospel for personal gain, either money or recognition.

That is why it is so important to read the Bible for yourself and not just to listen to someone else's interpretations and beliefs. When you do sit under someone's ministry, make sure it is scripturally based and confirmed by more than a few verses. When I teach, I want to expose the whole counsel of God and not just a part of it. The reason I go through each verse in a book of the Bible is that studying the Word line upon line and precept upon precept reveals the consistency and orthodoxy of God's Word and our faith, and yes even the redundancy of what the Bible teaches: simple yet profound truths that set people free from sin and darkness and establish them in the kingdom of God's glorious love and light.