Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Last time we gathered we considered God’s requirements for a minster of God.
We saw that God requires:
A man that is blameless
A man that is faithful to God’s word
A man that has his home under control
A man that his life under control
There are many that will speak behind a pulpit today - many will speak truth and others will minister lies and deception to their people.
Joseph Smith preached to his early followers that he was a prophet of God, called to restore the church of God.
Ellen G. White preached to her early followers that she was a modern day prophetess who continued to receive revelation from God and that she was being used by God to restore the church.
These are just two examples of false teachers that have done much harm to people’s faith.
False teachers are common in our day and they were also common in the days of the apostles.
Paul exhorts Titus to beware of the false teachers by pointing out the following:
False teachers and their false character
False teachers and their false message
False teachers and their depraved lives
I. False teachers and their false character
I. Los maestros falsos y su carácter falso
As Paul considers false teachers he points out certain qualities that demonstrate their falsehood.
False teachers are:
Rebellious
Talkers
Deceivers
Rebellion characterizes the life of a false teacher.
They rebel against the word of God.
They rebel against God given authority/institutions.
They do not feel the need to belong to the local community of believers.
They feel like they are exempt from what God requires of his people.
It is for this reason, that many false teachers seem to get away with so much wrongdoing and feel they are above the law.
They feel like they are not accountable to anyone - even God.
False teachers have the gift of gab - they are talkers like you would not believe.
They use their tongues to flatter people.
They use their tongues to tell a good story.
They love entertaining people with their tales and theories.
They are extremely charismatic people that can command large audiences and maintain their attention for a long period of time.
Just think of the many evil dictators that were able to give long speeches leaving the people mesmerized or ecstatic as if they were under a spell.
False teachers are deceivers.
The end goal of a false teacher is to preach falsehood.
They believe their own deception.
Someone may asks: Do you think false teachers know they are deceiving others?
I sincerely believe false teachers have bought into their own lie.
They have started to believe the lies they are peddling.
False teachers have come under their own spell.
False teachers do not lead people to the truth but rather lead people away from the truth to believe a lie.
The goal of the man of God is to lead the people of God to the word of God.
He is called to be faithful to the message contained in God’s inspired, infallible, and inerrant word.
False teachers fight against this God given calling and lead the people astray to believe that which is false.
II.
False teachers and their false message
II.
Los falsos maestros y su mensaje falso
Paul identifies some of the falsehoods that the false teachers in TItus’ community were preaching.
The teaching of the circumcision group.
These were teaching that circumcision was necessary in order to become a Christian.
They were essentially teaching gentiles that they needed to become Jewish, through the ritual of circumcision, before they became true Christians.
Some of these false teachers were going as far as requiring that gentile believers abide by the law of Moses.
They were preaching a message of salvation through faith and through the keeping of the law - this is not the gospel.
Whenever we add something to the gospel we are essentially denying the biblical gospel and preaching a false gospel.
They were preaching Jewish myths and man made rules.
Instead of preaching Biblical doctrine they were preaching all sorts of false Jewish legends.
They were not preaching the message of the Bible but rather hidden messages of the Bible and mysterious teachings that only a select few had access to - only the truly spiritual had access to this true knowledge of God.
Whenever you see people writing books about secret messages or codes in the Bible, books about symbols or interpretation of dreams, etc…beware!
This is false teaching and will lead you astray.
We have all that we need for piety and salvation written in the word of God.
Not content with preaching false Jewish legends they were also imposing upon others man made rules and regulations.
This could refer to imposing rules related to food, dress, preferences, etc.
They were imposing requirements upon the people of God - asking people to do things or to refrain from doing things that God never asked.
There’s a verse in the Bible that gives us a glimpse into the ugliness of man made rules and commands:
It is very important that we do not bind people to our own preferences or choices.
People are free in Christ to make their own decisions in many areas of their lives.
We must require of people what the Bible does not require of them.
III.
False teachers and their depraved lives
III.
Los falso maestros y sus vidas depravadas
What is it that drives false teachers?
When we read this section of the letter to Titus we come to one conclusion - false teachers are driven by a desire to do that which is evil.
Titus 1.13
Paul says they have destroyed entire households.
He ties this to their seeking after dishonest gain.
This tells me that false teachers go into a home and captivate people’s attention.
They start to spread their false message.
Soon, they are squeezing money of out their listeners until they have utterly destroyed the household.
How many false preachers have you seen on television, in the name of Jesus asking for hundreds of dollars in offerings and donations?
These are false teachers brothers and sisters.
Paul says they are utterly corrupt.
Their sickness is so deep within them that they are completely under its power.
It could be the reason why many false teachers end up destroying themselves and those who follow them because they are so caught up in their lies.
At the end of the day, they say they know God but their lifestyles contradict their profession to know God
When we examine a potential false teacher we must not pay attention only to what they say but how they live!
Their lives will reflect the transformative and sanctifying power of the gospel of Jesus Christ or will reflect their wordly lifestyle and depravity.
Conclusion
What shall we do?
Shall we pray for them?
Shall we invite them to our church so we may pray for them?
Shall we debate them publically?
Should we pick a fight with them?
Paul is crystal clear in his Holy Spirit inspired counsel to TItus:
We must pray that God will silence their mouths.
God will silence them in one of several ways:
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