10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision
Having challenged Christian leaders to steep themselves in the Word of God, Paul now turned to a reason why that was necessary—to unmask false teachers in Crete. Verses 10 to 16 present characteristics of false teachers.
10 For
The word “for” shows the relationship between verses 5 to 9 and verses 10 to 16. Titus was to appoint leaders committed to the Word of God because there were many false teachers who would try to undermine the church. They would try to steal the Bible from the church.
there are many
There were “many” false teachers who proliferated in the church, with three conspicuous characteristics; they were insubordinate, idle talkers, and deceivers.
Insubordinate [rebellious],
A characteristic of these aberrant teachers was that they were unwilling to subject themselves to God and His Word. They rebelled at any thought of someone having authority over them. They were spiritual anarchists; they would not accept any kind of authority over them.
1 Ti 1: 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
Ju 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
PRINCIPLE:
Pastors must be aware that some of their people will go into spiritual anarchy.
APPLICATION:
There is a need for pastor-teachers who teach solid doctrine because many distortions of doctrine are within and without the evangelical camp. Some people are in total rebellion against God’s revelation. Others refuse to submit to Bible teaching because they put priority on philosophy, psychology, or other humanistic approaches to truth. A biblical standard for pastors is that they must be alert to distortions of truth within their congregations.
