Shabbat Shalom, everyone. We are studying the book of Titus. So, this morning, please turn with me to Titus chapter 1, the study of the book of Titus. We have already began with the introduction to the book of Titus, Titus chapter 1, the first four verses. In this ministry meeting, we will continue with Titus chapter 1, we will read verses 5 to verse 16, to the end of the chapter. And I'd like you, please, to follow me as I'm reading these verses. Titus 1 verses 5 to 16. For this cause, left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city. As I had appointed thee, if any be blameless, a husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly.

For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy looker, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word, as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince, the gainsayers, for there are many unruly, and vain talkers, and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, whose mouth must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy looker's sake, one of themselves, even a prophet of their own said, that the Christians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth, unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, believing is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. And I'm stopping here with this 16 verse. Titus chapter 1 verses 5 to 16 is the message for this ministry meeting. And really, if we will give a title, beloved brothers and sisters, to this message is the apostle Paul saying to Titus, Titus, Titus appoint godly elders and watch for false teachers.

Now, before we're going to go into these verses, let me just mention a few things that I think are very, very important to mention. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, God so graciously provided for us salvation. He had given the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of this world, to become a sacrifice for us who have sinned and have gone astray, Jew and Gentile alike. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And so when the Messiah, Yeshua came and He died on that Roman cross and paid for our sins, God had given us an eternal hope, eternal salvation. As we read in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." But time passed by since the Messiah had died.

The assembly today is over 2,000 years old. And you and I find ourselves today waiting for the day when the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, is going to come, take His people, the heavenly company, home to glory, then come back at the end of the tribulation, restore our people, Israel, back to Himself, and bring a blessing to this world that is yet going to happen in a future day. But until that event is going to happen, you and I are remaining here in this world. Some of us are going to live here for 50, 60, 70, 80, maybe 100 years. And then we are going to go out of this world.

A believer is going to go to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. An unbeliever is going to be separated from God to begin to experience eternal separation from Him. In the meanwhile, God left us here. And when we are here in this world, those that belong to Him, those that have accepted Yeshua the Messiah, He want to bless us here and now. He wants us to enjoy fellowship with Him here and now. And because He wants us to enjoy our time with Him here and now, He had raised in the midst of His own people some godly men and godly women who become a blessing to the people of God.

The godly men are called to be teachers of the word of God. They are called to be instructors, to be a help for the people of God. And also the women in their sphere, you will see it in the second chapter of the book of Titus, the women are also called to be godly sisters, godly women that will bring a blessing to God's people. So now, since we are left here and we are not in glory yet, we are waiting the day that the Lord will come and take us home. In the meanwhile, God in His wisdom gave us this book that we call today the Bible.

In Hebrew we call it Sefer HaTorah, the scriptures, the Hebrew scriptures, the Tanakh, the Brit HaChadashah, the New Covenant. This is like a book of instruction for men and women, for people to know how to live their life until the day that we are going to be at home in glory in heaven with Yeshua the Messiah. So, He gave us three letters, God through the Apostle Paul. Those three letters were written to two young men. One of them is called Timothy, a Jewish believer. Another one called Titus, a Gentile believer. Both of them became believers in Yeshua the Messiah and to them the Apostle Paul gave pastoral letters.

Timothy, young man, Titus, young man, are going to be ministering the word of God and instructing the believers how to live and how to conduct themselves as the people of God. And it is rather sad when we don't appreciate these kind of books or letters because we lose out when we don't allow the Lord to teach us and instruct us in the things of the Lord. And only those that will enjoy it and submit to it will benefit from that which the Apostle wanted to accomplish. Whether it is in the time in the island of Crete or whether it is in Ephesus where Timothy was or anywhere else, if we are going to submit to the authority of the word of God, we will be blessed.

That's what God is promised to his people. Now, I mentioned that. The reason that I mentioned it is simply because to realize this in our own mind, that God loves us. God wants the best for us. God wants to instruct us and that's why he had given us people such as Timothy, Titus, and other men such as Paul, Shaul, Peter, Shimon, Petos, and many godly men, Jew and Gentile alike, who sought to be a blessing for the people of God. In our previous ministry, we have covered the first four verses of Titus chapter 1 and we saw this wonderful introduction. Paul called himself the servant of God in verse 1.

The Greek was his Dolos or Doulos. In Hebrew, it's Eved. He made himself a bond slave of God. He committed himself to be a slave for the sake of God's work here in this world. Then he was an apostle of Yeshua the Messiah. He was a messenger who was sent by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah to minister to the people of God. And you notice, as we also mentioned last ministry meeting, it is according to the faith of God's elect. We have been chosen in the Messiah already before the foundation of the world. But now in time, we came to believe on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

And we are blessed to receive this information from the Apostle Paul, according to the faith of God's elect. Imagine, we are undeserving people, yet God has elected us, has chosen us in Christ, in the Messiah, even before the foundation of the world. And what did he give us? As we have mentioned last week, eternal life. Beloved brothers and sisters, chayei olam in Hebrew, eternal life. Every believer in Yeshua the Messiah has eternal life. Not only quantity of life, but quality of life. This is eternal life, Yeshua said in John 17, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah whom thou had sent.

We have a relationship with the living God. Yesterday in our Bible class, we talked about those that have followed idols. They had no hope in them. But the believers in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah have eternal life. So he's writing to Titus. He's giving so much information, even by the introduction in these first four verses. So now he continues. This is what the Apostle Paul does. And in verse five, Shaul Paul emphasizes the twofold reason why he had left Titus in Crete. Just look for a moment at the map of the island of Crete. The island of Crete, look, it was rather a large island.

260 kilometers in its length. It had many cities, more than one city. And this man by the name of Titus was left on this island for a reason. This island is one of the Greek islands. And Titus was left there because the Apostle Paul could not remain there for too long. He had some other ministry to do. And he left Titus on the island of Crete for a reason. And he's telling to Titus in chapter one and verse five, the two reasons why he left him in this island of Crete. Notice that, verse five, For this cause left I thee in Crete. That thou should, number one, set in order the things that are wanting.

Number two, ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee. Shaul Paul saying to Titus. Two-fold reason. Number one, to set in order the things that are wanting. Number two, to ordain elders in every city. You see, in this island, there was much more than just merely one city. There were many, many cities on this island. And those cities had those that have already accepted the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, as their Lord and Savior. And Savior. So now, can you imagine? There are new believers to remind you that when the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus at about 62, 63, 64 AD. The whole church, the assembly was born at about 30 AD, after Yeshua the Messiah died.

So there's about 32, 35 years of the church that have began from the beginning of the time where the Holy Spirit of God came and formed the body of Messiah. People are young, you might say, in the faith. Some of them, perhaps, for one year, two years, three years, four years, five years. Maybe some of them came back from Jerusalem on the Feast of Pentecost because there were people who came, Jewish people who came from the island of Crete to the city of Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 2, we read of them. And they became believers in Yeshua the Messiah. They were baptized by the Holy Spirit of God.

And they went back to their home country in this island called Crete. And they began to spread the gospel. Later on, Shaul Paul came with Titus. He saw that there were already some believers there on that island. He himself somehow served with Titus in this island. But he had to go and he left Titus in the island of Crete for twofold reasons. Number one, set in order the things that are wanting or the things that are lacking. And number two, ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee. The twofold reason why Titus remained in the island of Crete. The first thing is very interesting to set in order the things that are lacking or wanting.

See, brothers and sisters, God is a God of order. God is a God that likes to see things in order among the people of God. If there is no order, if there is no submissiveness to the word of God, if there is chaos, it only brings, you might say, judgment and disturbance among the people of God. To remind you what happened in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, we read: For God is not the author of confusion, but of shalom, of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. There was this order in the city of Corinth. And the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians. He said, hey, listen, what's going on in your midst?

How come everyone does his own thing? And there are so many conflicting situations in the midst of the Corinthians. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. As it is in all the assemblies, the churches of the saints. There should be always order. We continue in verse 40 of 1 Corinthians 14, we read: Let all things be done decently and in order. Now, you can just imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, if you go to any assembly, any local congregation, local church, and there is disorder, there is friction among the brothers and sisters. There is pride and arrogance. Some say, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Peter, I am of Cephas, and so on.

And there is disorder in the assembly. Can you imagine? That's why the Corinthians had so many problems in their midst. Because they did not submit to the authority of the Word of God. And there was that ego. And there was that pride. And there was conflict. And there was immorality in their midst. They were taking each other to the court. They were doing all sorts of things in the assembly at Corinth. And God is not a God or an author of confusion. He is a God of order. So Titus was, you might say, a delegate of the apostle Paul. And he left him in Crete in order that he will set things in order.

In the Hebrew, the word says, Tashlim et hachaser. In other words, complete that which is lacking. That which is still missing there. And apparently, this is the reason why Shaul Paul left Titus there. That was the first reason that we read here in verse 5. But there was a second reason, beloved brothers and sisters. And the second reason was to ordain elders in every city. Now here is something that we often don't quite understand. Unfortunately, many local assemblies, local churches in the time in which we live in. They are trying to point an elder so they have a vote. And the majority seem to rule. But you notice that the apostle Paul doesn't say to Titus.

Titus, you go and you have a survey. The majority of the people, whoever they want to set before them as an elder. The majority will choose whoever become an elder or an overseer. No, the Bible never taught such a thing. There is no such a thing as majority rule. And we are going to have a vote and everybody will have a decision and majority rule. Notice that he says, you, Titus, you have ordained elders in every city. In other words, you sent by me, namely Shaul Paul, the apostle, you will be discerning on a basis of God's word to set things in order and to appoint elders to care for the flock of God, for the people of God.

It's not majority rule. It's not a decision that anyone can make except the godly order that have been given to us in Scripture. Recognizing the spiritual leadership, recognize the spiritual godly brothers that they can commend them to lead the flock of God. It is interesting because that expectation is given to us. And you could see how God is the one that is really desiring to have the care for the people of God. You know, many a church group or many congregation have been divided because what happened, they did not have godly care in their midst. And because when you don't have spiritual men to care for spiritual things, everything fall apart because the church is not a business.

The church is not an organization. The church is an organism that is led by the spirit of God with a godly brothers who lead the people of God in that order. And so here is interesting to see because he said the very same thing to Timothy in the third chapter of 1 Timothy chapter 3. He says to them, and this is the true saying, if a man desires the ministry of an overseer, he desires a good work. And then he gives an instruction as to the requirement for spiritual leadership among God's people. So I think it's good for us to see this as we study the book of Titus.

Now, I want you to notice that from there on, after he gave this instruction, by the way, the word elders in verse 5 come from the Hebrew word zaken or zkenim is people that consider to be mature, responsible people. The Greek word is a presbyteros, which simply means overseers, those that will take care of the people of God. The elders, the mature, godly brothers who will take the spiritual leadership among the people of God. How do we need these kind of brothers who are growing spiritually? Titus was a younger man. He was not as old as the apostle Paul, but he was a godly man. He was a man that wanted to please the Lord, that he served the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah under the leadership of the apostle Paul.

Now, from verse 6 to verse 9, the list, it is an amazing list. And it makes you wonder who is ever qualified, who is ever able to, you might say, to rise up to this high requirement that God is giving to us in this passage, in Titus 1, verses 6 to 9. And just look at me at that list for a moment. I would like to just mention here, there are 12 positive requirements and there are 5 negative requirements that are mentioned here in these verses. Verses 6, 7, 8 and 9. Let me just go through them. The first one that is mentioned here in verse 6. If any, be blameless. When you read that word blameless, it simply means above reproach.

Blameless does not mean sinless, because all have sinned, including Paul, including Titus, all came short. All are imperfect. But blameless means that one is above reproach. Yeah, he failed, but you cannot, you might say, blame him and accuse him for many, many things that may come up. Time goes on. So the first thing that he's mentioning here is one that is above reproach. Blameless, as it says here in verse 6 here. That's the first one. That's the first one. In Hebrew, we call it ishtam, or ishtamim. Remember, Noah was called a righteous man. Ish, ish, tzaddik, v'tamim. He was blameless, but Noah failed. We read of him, how he got drunk and so on, and things happened to him.

But he's still called in scripture, ish, tzaddik, v'tamim. He was a man of God. He failed, but he was a man that was, you might say, in general, above reproach. Secondly, you notice in that list, it says here, a husband of one wife. Now, you can just imagine that in the days of old, there was a lot of polygamy was going on. And men had more than one wife, and so on. But in a sense, you can say that he's a one-woman man. Notice he doesn't say one-man woman. In other words, you can see that he's speaking about the male leadership in the local assembly, in the local church.

He doesn't say a wife of one husband. No, but a husband of one wife is a person that is one-woman man. Now, maybe some wife had passed away, and he got remarried or something like that. But it is a man that is a husband of one wife. And it is kind of helpful. Why? Because it helps the people of God to have an example and to assist, especially when there's so many broken homes today. So many broken families. And you can just imagine in an island of Crete, that there were all sorts of situations. Remember that Greek islands and the Greeks worship all sorts of idols.

And the family was probably broken to pieces. And now the Messiah came. The body of Christ was born. And now the people of God are to learn from this godly example that can be given to them by the men of God. So what an interesting thing. The first one is blameless. The second requirement is a husband of one wife. Then the third thing that one wonders. Notice this. Having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. The other children that are believers, that are faithful. And you can just imagine how necessary or how helpful it is for the servants of the Lord when the children, when they are under the responsibility of their parents, that the parents are training them in nourishment and admonition of the Lord.

And they are children that are submissive to the parents and not, like it says here, accused of riot or being unruly. That word for having faithful children. The third requirement speaks of banim in Hebrew, banim ma'aminim. Children that have turned their hearts to the Lord, to believe in the word and in the person of the Lord Jesus. And notice in verse seven, he continues now. So he already said, blameless husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. And then he says in verse seven, he says that the bishop, for a bishop, that's the King James word for the, for the word overseer in other translation.

Episcopos in the Greek, for the overseer must be blameless. And notice this, as the steward of God. The word steward simply means he is handling God's things. He is handling the business that belong to God. Imagine what a privilege on the one hand, but also what an awesome responsibility because the handling of the business of God, of the affairs of God, demand that he will be a faithful servant. A servant, a servant that is faithful. There is a verse in first Corinthians chapter four that I want to read to us all. Very good verse. Very good verse. It says in verse two, moreover, it is required in stewards or in stewardship that a man may be found faithful.

In the things of the Lord, God wants his servant to benefit his people by his faithfulness. The servant to be faithful because he is the steward. He is managing the things of the Lord and he wants to lead God's people closer to God himself and to the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. He continues now, even here in verse seven, after saying that the overseer must be blameless as a steward of God. Then notice the things that he is not to be in the next verses, verse seven, five things that the servant is not to be and not to do. Notice that verse seven be not self-willed, not self-willed is the first one.

The word self-willed is one that is really determined to get his own way. I'm not going to listen to any leadership. I'm not accountable to anybody. I do my thing and I'll do my way. Well, if the servant is going to be an example to the flock, this bishop or this episkopos, this overseer has to be not self-willed to be submissive to the Lord, humble before the Lord that the Lord can instruct him and lead him in his own way. Not to be self-willed. You know, sometimes beloved brothers and sisters, we are so self-occupied and self-willed. I'm not going to listen to anybody who's going to tell me I don't accountable to anybody.

I'm the captain of my ship. I'm the pilot of my plane. Like someone saying I did it my way. Well, it's not God's way. If you didn't do it God's way, your way will never be successful and pleasing to the Lord. My ways are not the right way. God's ways are always the best. So, not to be a person that is self-willed. Doing his own thing. Then it says not soon angry. In other words, not quickly getting angry. So, in ministry, they so quickly one can get angry because there are so many things that are rising up among the people of God. The people of God are like children in a family.

And we know very well how we fail many times as parents. When we were, instead of being patient with our children or patient with our dealings, we have been quickly angry. And then we didn't benefit. In other words, quick-tempered. Soon angry simply means that we have tempered very harsh and we are very quickly getting angry to one another. Then notice that he continues and he says in this, the third thing, he says not given to wine. Not given over to wine. Wine is a mocker. Strong drink is raging and whosoever is enticed by it is a fool. King Solomon has said. Because to be given over to wine is to be drunk that you are not able to be sober and able to handle the various responsibility.

That one has. So, not self-willed. Not soon angry. Not given to wine. And he continues with the next word. He says not a striker. A violent man. A man in Hebrew is very interesting. The word here in verse 7 is very strong. Baal egrof. In other words, a grof is a striker. Someone who will punch you. If he will not get his way, he will punch you physically if needed. You know, if that thing can happen among the people of God, can you imagine how sad that will be to see the people of God fighting and even physically striking one another. In other words, the spiritual leaders of the people of God, the overseers need to have such an attitude, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given over to wine, being drunken, and not striker.

And fifthly, very interesting, not given to filthy looker. In other words, not pursuing gain. In other words, doing their ministry for money. In other words, God's people need to be supported by the people of God, but it's not the reason why they do their ministry. For money. In other words, if you will not pay me, I will not preach the word or seek to instruct. In other words, this is terrible when it's become the only ground upon which this overseer is going to do his work. Not, as it says here, not pursuing this gain in order to do his ministry. The ministry is the person is called by the Lord to serve the people of God, but he's not to do it for, as it says here, given to filthy looker in verse 7.

So five negative, not self-willed, not soon angry, not giving to wine, not striker, and not giving to filthy looker, the apostle Paul saying to Titus. So Titus needed to look around among the local congregation or local churches in this interesting island by the name of Creed. As if he was traveling around, he was looking for believers that can be helpful to all those people who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah on the island of Crete. So he will ordain elders in every city. Now, the apostle Paul doesn't stop here because you notice in the next verses, verse 8 and then verse 9, he continue and he give us some positive things.

Oh, these men, these elders. It says in verse 8, lover of hospitality. You know, hospitality, think of Father Abraham. When angels and the Lord himself came to him in the middle of the day and Abraham ran and invited them to come to his own home. Hospitality is such a wonderful thing. In ministry among the people of God, one of the things that is part and parcel with the service for the Lord is to have guests coming and being hospitable. Enjoying to have some time with the believers. The apostle elsewhere wrote about to the Hebrews when he said in Hebrews chapter 13, Let brotherly love continue, be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

This is Hebrews chapter 13 verses 1 and verse 2. So hospitable. It's so wonderful to have these individuals that are hosting others, inviting them to their own home, spending time with them, being hospitable. So lover of hospitality in verse 8. And then in verse 8b, a lover of good or lover of good men or good people or good, that which is good. You know, there's so much evil and bad in this world. And so important for the servant of the Lord, the overseer who are going to take care of the people of God, to seek their welfare, their good, to seek to be a blessing to them. So he's a lover of good, not evil, set evil aside, but a lover of that which is good, that which is beneficial for the people of God.

Or have tov, it says in the Hebrew text, a man that is hospitable, a man that loves that which is good for the benefit of God's beloved people. And so the apostle continued by giving this instruction to Titus. He continued and he says, listen to this in verse 8 and continues, he says, sober. You know, sober, the thought of being sober is being really self-controlled. You know, when a person is not sober, if he drank something or if he is not thinking through, he's not wise in his conduct, he cannot give instructions to others. So sobriety is very important. That means that he is controlling himself, self-controlled, being sober in verse 8.

This is number seven of the expectation that our pastor Paul said. Notice in the next statement in verse 8. He is also a just man, a man that is upright, a man that is upright. Verse 8, sober, but also just, seeking to be fair in dealing with God's people. You need to have this seeking to be just, fair in your dealing among the people of God. He continues, he says, holy. Holy means not that he have a halo over his head. Holy means set apart, devoted for the things of God, devoted for his ministry. You know, we have benefited over the years, all of us, in our own spheres.

People that have been devoted to the things of the Lord have kept us in a straight and narrow path. And when they were not there, we wondered because we thought, okay, there's nobody to challenge me and kind of speak to my conscience and my heart. And so this man had to be set apart. The word holy simply means kadosh in Hebrew, mekadesh. Set apart himself for the things of the Lord that he will benefit the people of God. I know how many brothers that have been for me such an influence. It's not the holy that had a halo over their head. But they were godly men that encouraged me to continue on.

Carry on. The Lord have never changed. His love for you is no different today than yesterday. Carry on. Move along. Set yourself apart for the things of the Lord. That's what we need in our lives. Because there are problems on the left and on the right. There are problems at work. There are problems at school. There are problems at home. Set yourself apart for the Lord. That's what this man is doing by being an example to God's people. And notice the last word here in verse 8 is, as it says here, temperate. Temperate. Interesting word here in verse 8. Being one that is temperate. Temperate. He is really the kind of a man that is, you might say, disciplined.

Disciplined. He knows. He's disciplined. He knows when to say certain things. He knows when not. When to keep his mouth shut. He knows how to handle things in the midst of God's people. He's temperate. He's disciplined. He's disciplined. He is the kind of a person that is, in Hebrew we call it, kovesh et yitzro. In Hebrew it means that he is simply tempered. He knows how to manage himself. Spiritually speaking. What an amazing standard, beloved brothers and sisters. And he doesn't stop here, the Apostle Paul, by saying what he's saying to Titus. Because in verse 9 he gives us additional two important things in order to be a spiritual leader, an elder among the people of God.

In other words, he is the kind of a man that is firmly standing upon the word of God. Not one day he believes that, in another way he don't. Not allowing doctrine of another man or another group of people to sway him from that which is fundamental mention in the word of God. Paul said in Ephesians chapter 4 when he was writing about the leaders and the gifts that were given in the city of Ephesus. He said, just listen to this. He said, "And God gave us apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastor teachers." And then he gave the reason in verse 12 of Ephesians chapter 4.

For the perfecting of the saints. For the work of the ministry. For the edifying of the body of Messiah. Until or till we all come in the unity of the faith. And of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lay in wait to deceive. In other words, you see the people of God are like going to and fro with every wind of doctrine.

And so the spiritual elders, the godly men that God wants to raise among God's people. They are to hold on or to hold fast to the faithful word as he has been taught. You cannot change your views on doctrine. You cannot change the ABC of the word of God. You got to stand firm from that. Again, last night in our Bible class when we were talking about salvation. And we wanted to emphasize the fact that when a person is truly saved, he or she, they are saved once and for all. They don't get saved and then get lost and then get saved and then get lost.

What does the Bible teach us about salvation? And we have learned very quickly from the Gospel of John alone that everyone that has accepted the Messiah, he or she, are once and for all saved. Oh yes, they failed the Lord at the time. Sin easily rise up from among the people of God, but our salvation does not depend upon our performance, but our salvation depends upon the finished work of our Lord Jesus, our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who shed his own blood for us. So you see, this man who is going to be the overseer, he is an elder in the midst of the people of God.

He is to hold, notice this, he is to hold fast to the faithful word as he had been taught. Standing on the truth of the word of God. And now the Apostle Paul is telling the last expectation. Why is he supposed to be standing firm upon the word of God, upon the faithful word? Notice what it says at the end of verse nine. Why? So he will be able by sound doctrine to exhort and to convince others. Look at this. I'm reading verse nine at the end. He said that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers, those gainsayers, those who oppose the word of God.

In other words, he got to be able to exhort from the scripture and to stand firm upon the word of God. So there are those that constantly come and opposing that which is found in scripture. He must be able to have sound doctrine being taught to the people of God. I know that we live in a day when people say, you know, what do you need doctrine? Who needs sound doctrine? We need love, love, love, love, love. Like the Beatles say, all we need is love. But it's not true, beloved brothers and sisters. We need teaching. We need sound doctrine. When we come under the sound of the word of God, we need to hear the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby.

Thank God for those who taught us teachings and doctrine. What says the word of God? Thus says the Lord, God said to the people of Israel. Sound teaching. Paul is saying to Titus, Titus, this man or these men in the island of Crete, that you will go to every city and you will appoint them as elders. They are going to be overseers. They need to have this qualification, including holding fast the faithful word so they will be able to, with sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Now, I wanted to say that the teaching of sound doctrine is only a benefit for God's people.

If we don't have sound doctrine, beloved brothers and sisters, we're going to find ourselves never maturing spiritually, never quite getting a hold of that which God had given to us in his word. And we're going to be so confused. We never quietly know, be assured about certain things. But the moment we understand and have the faithful word presented before us, sound teaching will enable us to understand scripture better and to be able to answer those, as it says here, gainsayers, those who oppose the clear scripture that we have before us. Now, verses 6, 7, 8 and 9, the apostle Paul give Titus this list of qualification for those who are going to be elders among the people of God, overseers.

Now, the standard is high. And you honestly, if we can say, who is the one that can attain such a standard? But God had to give this standard because that is a godly standard that will help the people of God to seek to rise up to this standard. So there will be a blessing in a ministry of the word of God. So we find out that the apostle Paul gave this instruction in verses 6, 7, 8 and 9, a list of qualification. If you look at your place and my, I look at this, I'm saying to myself, oh, Lord, have mercy on us. Who of us fit into this standard here that you are giving help us, oh, Lord, so we will seek to be in some small measure a help to the people of God.

So Paul doesn't stop here because now in the remaining verses of this chapter, Titus chapter 1, verse 10 to verse 16, he gives Titus a warning. And in this warning, he's helping him to understand that there are many false teachers that have already crept in in the days of Titus on the island of Crete. And that Titus is now responsible to warn the brothers and sisters against those false teachers that have crept in in the midst of the people of God. Wherever God is working, Satan will come along and he will seek to disturb. Wherever the word of God is preached, always you will find Satan coming and seeking to sow seeds in order to confuse the people of God.

So now in the next verses, I would like you to follow with me. In verse 10, apparently, there were in Crete, many who, as it says here, who actually were in such a condition as unruly, vain talkers, and deceivers. Look at verse 10. Look at the sad things that have already existed there in the local assemblies, local churches there in the island of Crete. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of their circumcision. See, he, the Apostle Paul, was pointing to the early days. You remember, some of the Jewish people who became believers or some who have wanted to, you might say, to have their influence brought into the island of Crete.

Some of them, some of them from the circumcision already early in those days, influence some in the island of Crete. And so, you see, you notice that there are many that are unruly, there are many that are vain talkers, and there are those many that are deceiving the people of God. The first thought here is unruly, you know, is someone in Hebrew, the word is modim, of people that don't like to be under authority. They are just simply unruly. They are just simply unruly. They don't go by the rules of anybody. That's why it's called unruly. They are simply, don't submit to authority in the local assemblies that existed in Crete.

And notice he used the word many. Not one or two or three. Apparently, in all these cities in Crete, there were here and there, many that are already in these early days of the church days. There were already those that were unruly in the midst there of the local assembly, local congregation. But not only that, there were also vain talkers. They talk things that are not sound, not right. Vain talkers, in verse 10, Vrei Hevel. Hevel means things that have no value. No beneficial to the people of God. But they were speaking among the people of God, and therefore, they were influencing God's people. And God's people like sheep, gullible, listening to this and listening to this.

And so quickly I sway with every wind of doctrine. Paul said to Titus, Titus, listen, if you are going to set those elders and set things in order, here's the reason, because there are there already many that are unruly and they are vain talkers. And thirdly, look what it says here in verse 10. And they are deceivers. They deceive the people of God. They turn them away from the narrow path that God had called them to go. There's a verse in Acts chapter 20. Paul left the Ephesians elders in Ephesus and notice what he said to them. He says, take heed. Acts chapter 20 and verse 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

To feed the church of God which he has purchased with his own blood. For I know, Paul is saying, this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And he continued and he said, also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them. What a sad, what a sad, what a sad remarks. Acts chapter 20, verse 28, 29 and 30 with the warning of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian assembly to where he sent Timothy. Here is the Christian or the Crete, the assembly in Crete and he's saying to them, listen, Titus, there are already many unruly vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision who will eventually will deceive so many.

And they will sway God's people from instead of following the Lord to become their disciples rather than the disciples of the Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah. How, brothers and sisters, I tell you, how blessed are we if you in your life had in any wherever you have been since you became a believer, if you have been under a godly man that have taught the things of the Lord and have kept us all, each and every one of us, from going in one direction or another. What a blessing it is when God raised these kind of leaders in the midst of God's people. And if not, it's so quickly one can be deceived by vain talkers and unruly men that ended up eventually leading the people of God astray.

And how sad, when you look back, and we know it from history, how quickly the people of God were scattered like sheep without a shepherd. Wandering around, where should I go now? Going from church building to another church building, from one leader to another leader, from one shepherd to another shepherd, never finding rest to another shepherd, because they allowed themselves to be led after unruly, vain talkers, deceivers, instead of following after that which had been given to us by the word of the Lord. We will never be able to change the word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word remain the same.

And so thank God for the instruction that the Apostle Paul, giving them this warning that they will be able to sustain themselves in a way that is honoring the Lord. There is a verse in 2 John, which I want to read, 2 John and verse 7. John is writing about it. 2 John and verse 7, he said, For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Yeshua the Messiah is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourself that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresses abides not in the doctrine of the Messiah has not God.

He that abides in the doctrine of the Messiah, he has both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God's speed. For he that bideth him God's speed is partakers of his evil deeds. John said this, that many deceivers have entered into the world, and some of them have crept in among God's people and ended up causing havoc among the people of God. You see what Peter said in 2 Peter chapter 2, he also wrote about that. But there were false prophets also among the people. Verse 1 of 2 Peter chapter 2. Even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And many, listen to this. And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason, of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feign words make a merchandise of you, whose judgment now of long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. Paul wrote of it. Peter wrote of it. And we see this again and again in the history of the body of Messiah, that there is the warning to the people of God, be careful, don't follow unruly men, vain talkers, and deceivers, because eventually it will not benefit you. It will scatter you abroad, and you will not benefit.

In the early days, it says here, especially of the circumcision. It was an influence of Jewish people who have influenced, of course, a lot of these things among the early believers. But now that we are 2,000 years later, it is no longer the Jewish people. It is now everywhere by many around the world. The church is already 2,000 years old in many nations and countries. And this kind of situation exists among the professing church everywhere in the world in which we live in today. And so he continues to give this counsel to Titus. In verse 11 of Titus chapter 1, he says, listen, their mouths must be stopped. They cannot continue.

And notice that he says in verse 11, he says, whose mouths must be stopped. Who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they are not for filthy lucre's sake. He says, listen, they've got to stop. Because what happens when they continue in their own way, they're ending up the disturbing homes, disturbing families, teaching things where they should not do it. They should not teach those things. And here it mentioned again, the word filthy lucre's sake, for gain for themselves. What a sad thing it is to hear this from the Apostle Paul saying this about the local church's assemblies in the island of Crete, giving them these warnings.

Notice that they are subverting whole houses. They are disturbing homes and families, but they also teach things. Which they should not teach. How amazing the warning of the Apostle Paul. Now, this is very strong ministry. This is a very strong word from the Apostle Paul. But this is part of the New Testament, part of the teaching of the Berita Hadashah. And we need to learn from that and apply this to ourselves today. And so the Apostle Paul continues, and he's speaking about the Cretians, or the people of Crete, that one of them, notice it in verse 12, kind of a very strong statement in verse 12. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies, or in other words, lazy.

What a sad commentary. Now, I don't think we can apply this to every person who is from the island of Crete, because that's applied to all of us, all nations, all people. But there was a commentary that was given by one of them. He was apparently a Cretan man, was a prophet, you might say, from among the Cretans who gave this kind of commentary about the people in Crete, out of which Titus was called to raise men, appoint men that will be leading the people of God. Verse 13, it says, Paul now charging Titus to rebuke those that teach not sound teaching. He said, this witness is true, wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.

Notice how many times he used the word sound doctrine in verse 9. Sound in the faith in verse 13. And he continued now in verse 14. He warned them against Jewish fables and commandments of men. It says in verse 14, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men, turn from the truth. Haggadot HaYehudim. That word, Jewish fable, Haggadot HaYehudim in Hebrew. There are many fables, many stories that rise up in Jewish history. The many things that we have in the Bible, which are true history of Israel, but there's also fables that rose up. And we have fables in Christendom today, just the same. But in the early days, there was a lot of Jewish influence on these early believers.

So he says, listen, don't be giving yourself into Jewish fables, but also not giving yourself into the commandments of men in contrast with the commandments of God. All sorts of things that are turning away people from the truth. And then he concludes with this. And I would like to conclude with these verses 15 and 16. Paul distinguishes now between the pure, this is the believer, and the un-pure, this is the unbeliever. And here, listen to this statement in verse 15 and 16. Unto the pure, all things are pure. But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. But even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good works reprobate or disqualify.

What Paul is saying, look at the difference between the believer and the unbeliever. For the believer, the believer doesn't need to hear all this vain talk. He needs to shun it. The believer doesn't need to be to hear deceitful works to be led by this. That should be set aside. For the believer's fables, just merely myth, he should set this aside. For the believer, man's commandments are not valuable. They are to be set aside. For them, the word of God for the believer is the standard and the guideline for the people of God. But for the unbeliever, as it says here in verse 15b, the defiled, he says to the ones that are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.

They're trying to, you might say, to develop all kind of things in order to be standing right before God. They're trying to make all sort of system, human merits in order to seek to please God. As the Lord said, the Apostle Paul said, really, even their mind and their conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in reality and in their works, they really deny him. Being abominable, disobedience, and unto every good works, even their good works are really disqualified them because they did not believe in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. What a chapter. What a message that Titus received from Paul.

Titus, listen, listen, here is the list of the qualified men to lead among the people of God. High standard. And then on the other hand, Titus, listen, I warn you, why you need this kind of man? Because they are already their false teachers. And those are deceivers that crept in among God's people. And they came to this, they were in the island that is called the island of Crete. Titus, the reason that I left you there in Crete is doest that you, verse 5, set in order the things that are wanting and verse 5b, and ordain elders in every city as I have appointed you. And Titus was a godly man.

And he, I'm confident, served the Lord among the people of God sought to raise brothers that will serve the Lord in such a way that God's people will benefit for that. And today, brothers and sisters, today, we need these men. Of course, women as well in their sphere of service. But we need these godly elders, godly leaders that will help us because all of us like sheep, easily going astray with every wind of doctrine. We need a man of God that will help us in our spiritual growth. Thank God that he raised men like this in our people Israel's history. And thank God that he raised men like this throughout the church age, in the last 2,000 years of the church age.

We need these men today in our midst. May the Lord raise them even among us, this kind of servant of the Lord that will be a blessing to God's people. Can we say amen to that?