ABOMINABLE “SNOWMEN”
“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving 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.” —Titus 1:15-16
There is no task on earth more demanding than the gospel ministry. Its influence effects the destiny of the souls of men, and its standards are defined by God. Thus the apostle Paul took great pains to counsel young men for the ministry. We noted it in passing in our remarks in the studies in Timothy and it confronts us again in this epistle to Titus. Following his introduction the apostle defines essential standards for the gospel ministry (v.5-9) then issues a warning about men in ministry so disqualified for the office that he says “[their] mouths must be stopped.” One cannot but wonder what he would say about many a “minister” in this day and age!
The Holy Spirit has capitalized on the situation to convey truth which, if heeded, will pay great spiritual dividends in the church. If ignored, it will ultimately leave the “sheep” to the “wolf” and scatter the flock. (See John 10:12-13)
From the perspective of our “nugget” for today, consider first the declaration: “They profess that they know God,” but their motive in so doing is for their own gain (v.11). Then note their designation by the Holy Spirit: they are “defiled and unbelieving.” The inference is strong, if not absolute, that these are unconverted men who for selfish reasons have adopted the ministry as their vocation. If there were some in Paul’s day, there are many in ours.
The degradation of these “hirelings” is defined as extending to “mind and conscience.” They neither think according to the truth of God, nor do they live it. Both head and heart are involved, and the results are tragic: “whole houses” (v.11,) entire families, are caught in the brambles of their false teaching and ungodly example. Today we may say whole churches are the victims of those who for hire will say what best serves their own interests rather than the truth of God.
Finally, there is the demonstration, already alluded to, that justifies the accusation: “in works they deny Him.” That is to say, these false teachers not only distort the truth of God in their teaching, they degrade it in their behavior. These correspond in this dispensation to those the apostle condemned in the former when he said, “The name of God is blasphemed among [unbelievers] through you, as it is written [Rom. 2:24].”
It is true, of course, that we are not saved by our “works.” But it is equally true that we are saved “unto good works,” and those works are defined by the word of God. It is the measuring instrument of our conduct, and our conduct defines our character. This, by the way, applies to every professing Christian, not only to the church’s leadership. As Emerson put it long ago, “What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say,” proving that sometimes, indeed, “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light [Luke 16:8].” Wise men will read our lives more keenly than they will read our lips, but that kind of wisdom is often wanting in many a congregation, threatening them with misdirection in both doctrine and practice when “hirelings” are in the pulpit.
Now someone will doubtless say, that is all well, but of what value is it to readers of this article? To this our response is threefold. First, there may be among my readers some whose churches are in search for a pastor. Schools can make preachers; only God can produce pastors, in the true sense of the word. Take heed to the warning in this nugget, and give careful attention to the divinely disclosed standards for spiritual leadership delineated in verses 5-9.
Second, some of our readers are involved in ministry. Listen to God’s charge, and renew your efforts to walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, so that you may adorn the doctrine you preach with practice that illustrates and proves it.
Thirdly, let every Christian observe that God does not intend to have first class and second class members in the body of Christ. The standards demanded for those in ministry are intended for all who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All are called to be witnesses for Christ, and what we are in practice should reinforce, not contradict the faith we profess.
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.”
[II Cor. 5:17]
For the adorning of the doctrine of God,
"Pastor" Frasier
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