TUESDAY July 29, 2025
A Necessary Rebuke
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
Titus 1:12-14
A prophet on the island of Crete, one from among the people, perfectly described the Cretans as ...liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Can you believe that? Paul, having been on the island with Titus, completely agreed. The prophet had given a true testimony of the people living there.
Paul knew Titus had to deal with these kinds of evil people. It was necessary for Titus to rebuke them sharply. He must correct the Cretans and hold them accountable. The Gospel message had given them an opportunity to turn from their sin. They needed to remain steadfast in the faith by holding on to sound doctrine. The Cretans needed to be warned not to listen to Jewish fables and man-made traditions––commandments of men––that would lead them astray.
When Jesus began His ministry, He sharply rebuked Jewish leaders for their hypocrisy, saying, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7). The Jewish elders professed they knew God, but in reality, they did not know Him.
Please be careful of people who try to lead you astray. They may sound pious, but their teaching is not in accordance with what the Bible teaches. False doctrines are taught by Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses. They will say they are Christians, but they are not. They do not preach the same Jesus. If you challenge them regarding the deity of Christ, as found in John 10:30: “I and My Father are one,” you will find that what they teach about Christ is completely false.
The deity of Christ is the key doctrine of the scriptures. Reject it, and the Bible becomes a jumble of words without any unifying theme. Accept it, and the Bible becomes an intelligible and ordered revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
~J. Oswald Sanders~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
