Sunday, 1 July 2018
…knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. Titus 3:11
Paul now speaks of the person of verse 9 who lives for foolish disputes and the like. In verse 10 he gave his advice, saying to reject such a person after a first and second admonition. The reason for this is that a person like this is “warped.” The word is unique in Scripture, ekstrephó. One can almost hear the meaning from its pronunciation. It signifies “turning inside out,” thus to pervert. He takes what is good and completely pulls the goodness out of it and makes it into something bad.
Think of it! The Bible is a beautiful treasure of God’s word for us to live by, to explore, and to revel in, but some pull it inside out in order to make it say whatever they wish. They then argue their misdirected use of Scripture till they are blue in the face. This is exactly what Paul has warned against, and it is what he now describes concerning this sort. Not only is he warped, but he is “sinning.”
To sin is to miss the mark. Paul indicates that this person has taken Scripture intended for exalting God, and he has missed the mark. Instead, he uses it to exalt self, misdirect, bring others into bondage, make profit, or whatever other misuse of Scripture is his intent. As incredible as it seems, some have used Scripture to justify sex cults, something that could never be inferred by a normal-brained person. All such misuse of Scripture shows that such a person is “self-condemned.”
The person who teaches such twisted concepts knows very well that what they teach is wrong, but he approves of it anyway in order to meet his own misguided appetite. His words divide the church, cause strife among believers, and damage the view of Christ in the eyes of others. Thus, such a person should be removed from the church to bring it back into proper functioning.
Life application: Now that you are aware of those warned against in verse 9, what to do about them in verse 10, and why you are to do it from verse 11, then watch out for them on social media, in Bible studies, in conversations about theology, and the like. Understanding what Paul says here in Titus will alert you to this sort. Be ready to defend against their unwholesome ways, and warn others of the truth concerning their sinful tactics.
Lord God, there are a lot of people who are more than willing to mishandle Your word for personal gain. With the advent of social media, there is a specialist behind every keyboard, waiting to highlight their smarts, even if their doctrine is horrifying. Help us to be sound in our theology, and to be aware of such twisters of Your word. From there, help us to do as Your word says, and to cut them off after a first and second warning. Give us wisdom in this, O God. Amen.