Blake Allen, Young Adult and Student Pastor LHBC
Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Yikes. What an awful way to be described in God’s eternal word. If Paul had a filter, it came off when writing these verses. You can note signs of frustration and concern by the apostle.
Apparently, there were some false teachers threatening the church with their propaganda. Unlike the biblical qualified men Paul described earlier, these teachers had distorted the gospel and sought their own agendas.
After hearing about this, Paul writes to Titus and encourages him to bring order by appointing qualified leaders and entrusting them with the Gospel. He also tells Titus to silence the false teachers and their message.
It kinda makes you wonder how the false teachers could be so deceived. It says they professed to know God. But the way they lived their life professed something else. In other words, talk is cheap.
If our lives don’t match our confession, then it’s like Linkin Park said, “in the end it doesn’t even matter.” Sorry, I had to go there. Point being, the practice of our faith is just as important as the knowledge of our faith. It’s easy to say we love God but what does that look like in action? How much time do we spend with Him in the word and prayer each day? Are we really being the hands and feet of Jesus? Are we giving generously, serving as Christ served, and loving our enemies? Have we truly died to self and followed Jesus?
It’s easy to say yes to those questions but our mouths need not speak for our actions. For as the saying goes, “actions speak louder than words.”
Wherever we are in our walk, we can trust that there is incredible grace offered to us when we fail. Because the loudest act spoken throughout history will always be the crucifixion event.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, may my life and worship be acceptable and pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 118:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!