Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Titus Volume 9

Paul Gives Titus Examples of bad Cretian Behavior that needed to be Dealt with in the Church

Titus 1:12-13 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; KJV

The history of the people of Crete during the time of Paul writing this letter to Brother Titus was filled with reverence, regard, and respect for the 'so-called' prophets in their country who were actually poets such as Epimenides who was born in Crete at Cnossos around 659 B.C. and it is documented in their history that it was he who suggested and influenced the Athenians to erect statues to unknown gods which is exactly what the Apostle Paul found when he went to Athens, Greece where we find the encounter documented for us by Dr. Luke with these words, "And standing in the middle of the Areopagus, Paul said, Men, Athenians, I see that you are fearful of gods in everything. For as I passed by and saw the things you worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Not knowing then whom you worship, I make Him known to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is served with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives life and breath and all things to all. And He has made all nations of men of one blood to dwell on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and find Him, though indeed He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also certain of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. Then being offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and man's imagination. Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now He strictly commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day in which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead. And hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked; and others said, We will hear you again concerning this." (Acts 17:22-32) (MKJV).

The Cretians were no worse sinners than any other Gentiles during that time or during any time past or present. They were only like all sinners then and now before hearing the truth of the Gospel of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ blind spiritually and dead spiritually in need of a resurrection from spiritual death that only happens when the true Gospel is preached and God the Holy Spirit reaches into the inner man or inner woman of the sinner and opens their blind spiritual eyes and raises there dead souls to eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So Paul now declares to Titus what one of the Cretian poets had written about the Cretian people in general as a race of humanity, "One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." (Titus 1:12) (KJV). It became known during this time a phrase that was 'to speak like a Cretan equals to lie', therefore, it was written concerning them that they always lied about many things, for example they claimed to have the tomb of Zeus who was the supreme god of ancient Greek mythology. The revered poet Epimenides wrote (sarcastically) that because the country was void of wild animals, then the human occupants replaced them as the wild beast of the land in accordance with the normal behavior of most of the people in the land. The phrase 'slow bellies' describing the people of Crete implies that they were lazy, but wanted to always satisfy their bellies with food, that is, they were gluttons. These words were not that of Paul about the people of Crete, but they were from the poets (like Epimenides) speaking of their own people. 

Paul, however, was never moved to retreat when confronted by any people (no matter the characterization), for he knew that the Gospel of Grace had no limits or retstrictions as to where and to whom it could convert or awake from spiritual blindness and death, therfore, Paul writes these next words to Brother Titus, "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;" (Titus 1:13) (KJV). Paul affirms everything the prophet/poet wrote concerning the people of Crete to be true, however, Paul also knows that the Gospel of Christ had made 'new creations' (2 Corinthians 5:17) among some of the people there, so he tells Titus that the Elders in the Churches their are to 'rebuke' 'sharply' those who had fallen back into some of their old ways. The English word 'rebuke' is translated by the Greek word elegchō meaning to confute, admonish: - convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove. The English word 'sharply' is translated by the Greek word apotomōs which means (to cut); abruptly, that is, peremptorily, that is, in a commanding manner: - sharpness. In other words, the Elders were to tell the fellow Brother or Sister in Christ their fault admonishing them sharply with the commanding authority of our Lord Jesus Christ being with them. The purpose of this was that they  may be sound in the faith, meaning that they (and we today and of every era and generation) might not allow their/our old nature to corrupt their/our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is what Matthew Henry said about Paul instructing Titus to rebuke the believers sharply, "When Paul wrote to Timothy he bade him instruct with meekness; but now, when he writes to Titus, he bids him rebuke them sharply. The reason of the difference may be taken from the different temper of Timothy and Titus; the former might have more keenness in his disposition, and be apt to be warm in reproving, whom therefore he bids to rebuke with meekness; and the latter might be one of more mildness, therefore he quickens him, and bids him rebuke sharply. Or rather it was from the difference of the case and people: Timothy had a more polite people to deal with, and therefore he must rebuke them with meekness; and Titus had to do with those who were more rough and uncultivated, and therefore he must rebuke them sharply; their corruptions were many and gross, and committed without shame or modesty, and therefore should be dealt with accordingly. There must in reproving be a distinguishing between sins and sins; some are more gross and heinous in their nature, or in the manner of their commission, with openness and boldness, to the greater dishonour of God and danger and hurt to men: and between sinners and sinners; some are of a more tender and tractable temper, apter to be wrought on by gentleness, and to be sunk and discouraged by too much roughness and severity; others are more hardy and stubborn, and need more cutting language to beget in them remorse and shame. Wisdom therefore is requisite to temper and manage reproofs aright, as may be most likely to do good."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Titus Volume 8

Paul Gives Titus the Elders Job in the Church Part 2

Titus 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. KJV

Paul tells Brother Titus in no uncertain terms that the Elders are to put a stop to the error or the erroneousness teaching coming into the Church of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, for the enemy (the devil) has found that he cannot disconnect, disintegrate, or destroy the faith of true believers in Christ Jesus our Lord, but what he can do is get false believers into the Churches and see them become teachers and leaders in the Churches and then through error prevent those who come into the Church for the truth from hearing it declared or proclaimed. Through this method the enemy has rendered hundreds and thousands of once thriving Churches to become dead spiritually and cold and unaffective in reaching lost sinners in the world with the true Gospel because it has now been compromised. Therefore, these are Pauls next instructions to Brother Titus warning him and us today and of every era and generation of these type of people who have slid, slipped, and slithered into the Church of Jesus Christ, "Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." (Titus 1:11) (KJV).

The English phrase 'mouths must be stopped' is translated by the Greek word epistomizō (used this one time only in the New Testament) it means to put something over the mouth, that is, (figuratively) to silence: - stop mouths. The Psalmist King David wrote these words declaring this same concept, "But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped." (Psalm 63:11) (MKJV).  In other words, just like an unruly horse has a bit placed into its mouth to control his unruly behavior, the Elders job is to use the Word of God to refute the heretical teaching of others, so that every soul who is seeking the truth of God will find it. As it has been said by many in the past, we must use the Word of God itself to prove the Word of God, for God has never been unclear or ambiguous or contradictory in what He has declared and He has stated 'The Truth' many times in His Word through many different prophets. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say about stopping their mouths, "They be silenced, by reasons and arguments fetched out of the Word of God; as were the Sadducees and Pharisees by Christ, so that they durst ask Him no more questions; and as the Jews at Damascus were by Saul, who confounded them, proving in the clearest and strongest manner, that Jesus was the very Christ." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say about stopping their mouths, "Unmask them at once; exhibit them to the people; make manifest their ignorance and hypocrisy; and let them be confounded before the people whom they are endeavoring to seduce."

When Paul writes, 'who subvert whole houses', he means that these false teachers win over the parents with their false gospel and subsequently the children are then ruined as well. The English word 'subvert' is translated by the Greek word anatrepō meaning to overturn (figuratively): - overthrow, subvert; cause the downfall of spiritually. In other words, these false teachers declare a false gospel and in so doing they make the faith of those hearing it and receiving it as false, fake, and fraudulent as the one declaring it to them. These men and women who did this then and continue to do this today are instruments and tools of the devil to draw sinners away from the truth of the Gospel of Grace (that is Jesus plus nothing = salvation) into a gospel where you need to do this or do that outside of Jesus Christ and you will be saved or the false gospel that Jesus wants you to be healthy and wealthy, and saved. Whatever is proclaimed outside of the Cross of Jesus Christ is false and has no power to save souls (none). When Paul writes, 'teaching things which they ought not', he means what we just said and that is adding something to the Cross of Jesus Christ. Then, these false teachers were teaching that people still needed to be circumcised and follow the Jewish law of Moses, even Gentile converts. However, today there are many things being added to Christ death on the Cross, His buriel, and His resurrection from the dead, for example there are some who teach water baptismal regeneration, some teach you need to speak in tongues in order to be truly saved, and there are many more false teachings that must be stopped by simply declaring the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

The purpose of these false teachers then and now is exactly the same and that is to make merchandise of the Gospel. Paul wrote this same concept to Brother Titus with these words, 'for filthy lucre's sake', which simply means they wanted to tell people what they wanted to hear so they could get their money from them. Greed is the primary motivation of the false teacher, for he or she is not really and truly concerned about seeing the sinner's soul being saved from sin and hell, but only about living their heaven on earth by gaining wealth from deceiving people. What they are doing and being is just like their father the devil as our Lord Jesus told the Jewish religious rulers when He walked the earth, "Why do you not know My speech? Because you cannot hear My Word. You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:43-44) (MKJV). You see salvation is free to every true seeking sinner and it cost him or her nothing to come to Christ and they have nothing they can bring to Him but their sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ also showed His displeasure, disappointment, and disgust with those who were using God's Temple as a house of merchandise as documented for us by the Apostle John with these words, "And the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting. And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, also the sheep and the oxen. And He poured out the money-changers' money and overthrew the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, Take these things away from here. Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise." (John 2:13-16) (MKJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say about these false teachers doing this for filthy lucre's sake, "For gain. That is, they inculcate such doctrines as will make themselves popular, and as will give them access to the confidence of the people. They make it their first object to acquire influence as ministers of religion, and then abuse that in order to obtain money from the people. This they would doubtless do under many pretences; such as that it was needful for the support of the Gospel, or for the relief of the poor, or perhaps for the assistance of distant Christians in persecution. Religion is the most powerful principle that ever governs the mind; and if a man has the control of that, it is no difficult thing to induce men to give up their worldly possessions. In all ages, there have been impostors who have taken advantage of the powerful principle of religion to obtain money from their deluded followers. No people can be too vigilant in regard to pretended religious teachers; and while it is undoubtedly their duty to contribute liberally for the support of the Gospel, and the promotion of every good cause, it is no less their duty to examine with care every proposed object of benevolence, and to watch with an eagle eye those who have the disbursement of the charities of the Church. It is very rare that ministers ought to have much to do with disposing of the funds given for benevolent purposes; and when they do, they should in all cases be associated with their lay brethren."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…






Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Titus Volume 7

Paul Gives Titus the Elders Job in the Church Part 1

Titus 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: KJV

Now that Paul has declared to Brother Titus what the qualifications of the man that would be Elder in the Church of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, he now begins a declaration to Titus about what the man's responsibility or task in the office should be and that is to serve as a spiritual body guard for the Gospel of Grace and the Word of God. Just as important men and women (in the world) have body guards to protect theirs and their families personal physical safety, so is the job of the Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ to protect the spiritual health of the children of God in Christ Body 'the Church' and in so doing he must first be knowledgeble of the Word of God himself and hold firm and fast to it as we learned in the previous study/commentary in Volume 6. The truth of the Gospel is always and at all times coming under attack from the enemy and it is the job of the Elder to defend the Body of Christ with the truth of the Word of God, so Paul declares this to Brother Titus first to prepare the Elders then to refute error, "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:" (Titus 1:10) (KJV).

The English word 'unruly' is translated by the Greek word anupotaktos meaning unsubdued, that is, insubordinate (in fact or temper): - disobedient, that is not put under, unruly. The little English phrase 'vain talkers' is translated by the Greek word mataiologos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning an idle (that is, senseless or mischievous) talker, that is, a wrangler: - vain talker. The English word 'deceivers' is translated by the Greek word phrenapatēs (used also this one time only in the New Testament) meaning a mind misleader, that is, seducer: - deceiver. When Paul writes, 'specially they of the circumcision', he simply means those from Judaism. In other words, the Elders that Titus appointed were to declare the Gospel and teach the Word of God with such conviction, conciseness, and clarity that all the foolish questions and unprofitable words coming into the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ still relating it to the Law of Moses, that is, old Judaism would be destroyed by the simplicity of the Gospel.

This is what Paul feared for the believers in Corinth who were being bombarded with error from false Apostles and Paul wrote these words to them regarding his concern, "I would that you were bearing with me a little in foolishness; but indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one Man, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ. For if, indeed, the one coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another Gospel, which you never accepted, you might well endure these." (2 Corinthians 11:1-4) (MKJV). In like manner today and in every era and generation the Elders job is to protect the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ from those who would come in and preach another jesus or a different gospel from 'The Jesus' and 'The Gopsel' declared by the first Apostles.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about this verse, "Those false teachers are described. They were unruly, headstrong and ambitious of power, refractory and untractable (as some render it), and such as would not bear nor submit themselves to the discipline and necessary order in the Church, impatient of good government and of sound doctrine. And vain talkers and deceivers, conceiting themselves to be wise, but really foolish, and thence great talkers, falling into errors and mistakes, and fond of them, and studious and industrious to draw others into the same. Many such there were, especially those of the circumcision, converts as they pretended, at least, from the Jews, who yet were for mingling Judaism and Christianity together, and so making a corrupt medley." Here is what Albert Barnes had to say about this verse, "There are many persons who are indisposed to submit to authority; many who are vain talkers - who are more given to talk than to the duties of practical religion; and many who live to deceive others under the mask of religion. They make great pretensions to piety; they are fluent in argument, and they urge their views in a plausible manner. Jews, spoken of here as 'of the circumcision' particularly, because they urged the necessity of circumcision in order that men might be saved; This proves that there were not a few Jews in the island of Crete."

The Gopsel of Jesus Christ is the complete and final end to the Law of Moses or the religion of Judaism being the only means to a relationship with the One True God, for when our Lord Jesus Christ (God) became a man and died for the sins of the world and was resurrected from the dead and then later ascended back into heaven, the acceptance of His Gospel as the only means of sin forgiveness and reaching God is the now building of a relationship with God that is, apart and seperate of any religion or practice or spirituality, for now Christ through the Holy Spirit is individually plucking out of this old world into His Mystical Body a new people that He will make fit for heaven with Him and therefore, no man or woman need any other to give them anything that is outside of or contrary to the Gospel of Grace, just as Paul wrote to the Galatian believers with these words, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and do not again be held with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do all the Law, you who are justified by Law are deprived of all effect from Christ; you fell from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness out of faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:1-6) (MKJV).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Titus Volume 6

Paul Gives the Qualifications for Elders to Brother Titus Part 3

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. KJV

Paul concludes his narrative to Brother Titus about the specific qualifications required by any man to hold the office of bishop or elder in the Church of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ with these words, "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1:9) (KJV). The first of the final qualifications for the man who would be appointed to the office of bishop or elder in the Church of the Lord Jesus would be that he would be a man 'holding fast' to that which was handed down from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself to the first Apostles James, John, Peter, etc. So then, this English phrase 'holding fast' is translated by the Greek word antechomai meaning to adhere to; by extension to care for: - hold fast, hold to, support. When Paul writes, 'the faithful word', he means the words handed down from the Apostles to Titus and The Word who became flesh and walked among us, that is, the living Word our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude wrote to all of us brothers and sisters in Christ with these words, "Having made all haste to write to you about the common salvation, beloved, I had need to write to you to exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." (Jude 1:3) (MKJV). In other words, the bishop or elder of any Church of Jesus Christ must be a man who believes the Bible is the inerrant, irrefutable, and infallible Word of Almighty God and not be a man wavering and being tossed to and fro with every other wind of doctrine or teaching that questions the infallibility of God's Holy Word (Ephesians 4:14).

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say about the elder holding fast to the faithful word, "The doctrine of the Gospel, so called because it is true, and to be believed; it is the word of truth, and truth itself, and contains nothing but truth; and because it never deceived any, that gave credit to its doctrines, and its promises; and because it is pure, unmixed, and unadulterated, and is the sincere milk of the word; and because in it is a glorious display of the faithfulness of God to His perfections, to His holiness and justice, to His law, and to His covenant, word, and oath; and of the faithfulness of Christ, to Him that appointed Him and to His covenant engagements, and which has appeared in the discharge of His various offices: and this is not only to be held forth by the elder, but to be held fast, and tenaciously abode by; in opposition to all wavering about it, departure from it, dropping or concealing any part of it, and pusillanimity (contemptible fearfulness) concerning it; whatever temptations there may be to the contrary, through popular applause on the one hand, and reproaches and persecutions on the other; and though there may be many that may endeavour to wring it out of his hands." This holding fast to the faithful word should be as the elder has been taught the Word by faithful men or women who whole heartedly believe God.

This is exactly what Paul wrote to Brother Timothy in both the epistles written to him and in the first epistle Paul said these words to Timothy concerning this matter of adhering to the doctrine he had been taught, "Having suggested these things to the brothers, you shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the Words of Faith and by the good doctrine which you have followed." (1 Timothy 4:6) (MKJV), and then he wrote again to him this same concept with these words in the 2nd epistle to him, "But continue in the things that you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from a babe you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:14-15) (MKJV). Here is what Albert Barnes had to say about as he hath been taught, "The sense is, according to that doctrine as taught by the inspired teachers of religion. It does not mean as he had individually been taught; but he was to hold the faith as it was delivered by those whom the Saviour had appointed to make it known to mankind. The phrase 'the doctrine,' or 'the teaching,' had a sort of technical meaning, denoting the Gospel as that which had been communicated to mankind, not by human reason, but by teaching."

When Paul writes, 'that he may be able by sound doctrine', he means that which was the truth handed down once and for all to the saints as declared by Jude above in the epistle he wrote. The English word 'sound' is translated by the Greek word hugiainō meaning (as used here) figuratively to be uncorrupt (true in doctrine): The English word 'doctrine' is translated by the Greek word didaskalia meaning instruction (the function or the information): - doctrine, learning, teaching. In other words, the teaching of the bishop or elder must be uncorrupt and holding true to what was handed down from the Apostles (Acts 2:42). The result of this true doctrinal teaching would be that it would positively exhort and comfort every true believer while at the same time it would serve to confute, convict, and convince those who disputed and spoke against the truth of God and the truth of the Gospel. Here is what Matthew Henry had to say on this matter of exhorting by sound doctrine and convincing gainsayers by that same sound doctrine, "To persuade and draw others to the true faith, and to convince the contrary-minded. How should he do this if he himself were uncertain or unsteady, not holding fast that faithful word and sound doctrine which should be the matter of this teaching, and the means and ground of convincing those that oppose the truth? We see here summarily the great work of the ministry - to exhort those who are willing to know and do their duty, and to convince those that contradict, both which are to be done by sound doctrine, that is, in a rational instructive way, by scripture-arguments and testimonies, which are the infallible words of truth, what all may and should rest and be satisfied in and determined by. And thus of the qualifications of the elders whom Titus was to ordain."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…