The following is a sermon transcript from our Sunday Service at The Rock Church in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Each week, we gather to worship, learn from God’s Word, and grow together. This transcript is provided as a free resource to encourage and equip you in your walk with Christ. While you’re welcome to read and share this content for personal use, we kindly ask that it not be redistributed or published elsewhere without prior written consent from The Rock Church.
Introduction: Buyer Beware
Buyer beware. You know the phrase, it’s the used car salesman who presents you with this beautiful car. It appears to be in perfect condition. Look at the paint job, the clean interior. Man, it even runs well. You take it for a test drive and think to yourself, this is the one. I really want it. Even the price is perfect for my budget, but deep within the fine print of the contract is that hyphenated two words, as is.
Simply put, once you sign that deal and drive away, well, all risks transfer from the seller to you. That’s right. Any repairs needed from that moment forward are your responsibility. And sure enough, as you leave the lot, head down the road, you start hearing something strange. It sounds like a knocking. Shortly thereafter is a hissing noise. You think to yourself, oh, well, no big deal. It’ll probably go away. But after just a few days of driving it, the engine fails. It’s undriveable.
Filled with anger, you call the dealership and hear those outrageous words, sorry, sir, you agreed to this purchase as is.
The Importance of Discernment in the Church
You see, whether we’re buying a car or a home, we obviously need to do some due diligence, homework, get the inspections done, ask the experts, call the mechanic, have a home inspector come in, get all the disclosures, prior work, all of it, get it together. Well, how much more so is that important when it comes to sound teaching in the church?
We’re not talking about losing money or getting a bad deal. We’re talking about people’s spiritual lives and well-being.
As we all know, false teachers don’t come into the church saying, Hi, nice to meet you. I’m a false teacher. Would you like to go out to lunch sometime? No, it’s much more subtle. And as we consider the church in Crete, these false teachers were not those outside the church. No, they were within the church.
Yeah, they’re claiming the name of Christ. They are believing in Jesus, attending Sunday morning gatherings, and very active in the church.
The Fruit of Theology
See, I always like to ask the question, what is the fruit of your theology?
That might sound like a weird thing, but what do you believe about God and what behavior result does that produce in your heart and life?
You see, if what you believe about God causes you to become prideful and self-righteous, that is a terrible thing. I don’t care what you have to say about what you believe. You’ve told me already by your attitude and your actions.
See, Jesus said it perfectly: you will know a tree by its fruit.
A good tree can only produce good fruit.
And a bad tree can only produce bad fruit.
False Teachers Cannot Hide Forever
But it’s not so easy because false teachers disguise themselves pretty well. They have all the markings of a good teacher. They say all kinds of wonderful things to make you feel better about yourself. They can be kind and gentle and seem to be very loving.
However, they can’t hide forever. The cracks will begin to appear. You start to notice little things. And over time, those little things, they grow larger and larger.
Boy, that pastor used to treat people so well. What happened? He really cuts them down instead of building them up. You know, he’s upset a lot of people.
Believer, beware.
Before you read their statement of faith, read their statement of life. What is their track record? How is their home? How is their heart life? How is their everyday life? These are all important questions to ask because when you sever your beliefs from your behavior, you have denied the faith that you very much profess.
John Stott said it well:
“True religion is divine in its origin, spiritual in its essence, and moral in its effect.”
Our faith is not words on a paper. It’s a transformed heart and life for people to see.
Big Idea
Good theology — this might be obvious — but it does much spiritual good, while bad theology does much harm.
So believer, beware.
Paul now gives three warnings for us to consider from the text:
- Beware of the substance of their speech and the effect of their teachings (vv. 10–11).
- Beware of them elevating the word of man above the word of God (vv. 12–14).
- Beware of an inconsistency between a transformed heart and a transformed life (vv. 15–16).
Beware of the Substance of Their Speech and the Effect of Their Teachings
Titus 1:10–11
Titus chapter 1, verses 10 to 11, we read:
“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.”
Paul reveals two important things here: who the false teachers are and what they do. It is clear that he focuses his attention on the Jewish Christians—those of the circumcision party—who emphasized myths and the commandments of men. These Jewish Christians were deeply rooted in the law: be circumcised, follow the ceremonies, hold to the rituals. And if not, you’re not a true believer. They forgot that Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.
When we consider the Jewish customs, the feasts, the sacrifices, and all the regulations, all of these were fulfilled in Christ. The entire Old Testament—its types and shadows—pointed forward to Him. The temple sacrifices pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God. King David pointed to the perfect King who rules and reigns over the whole earth. The prophets pointed to the perfect Prophet, the Word made flesh. The priests pointed to the perfect High Priest who intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father.
These Jewish Christians were the equivalent of modern-day legalists. You may have met people in church culture who heap the full weight of the law upon believers: you must wear certain things, speak a certain way, follow a rigid lifestyle, avoid this, avoid that. No dancing. No drinking. No joy. No freedom. It becomes a burdensome life, driven by obligation rather than delight. Instead of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, it becomes drudgery, endless introspection, spiritual measuring tapes, and exhausting checklists. Some become so weary that they even walk away from the faith, saying, “I can’t do this.” And indeed, this is not what the Christian life is meant to be.
Perhaps you’ve sat under a teacher who breaks you down instead of building you up. Paul describes this type of man as insubordinate, unruly, rebellious, and fighting against grace. He fears that if he speaks too much about grace, people will become lax in sin. When challenged, he refuses to listen to reason. His ministry strategy is not to appeal through Scripture or plead gently with his people, but to use control. His message becomes: believe exactly as I do, or you have no place here.
You might recognize behaviors like gaslighting—denying what was said, shifting blame, distorting reality, turning the fault onto you, or even attacking your character: “You don’t sound like a Christian,” “You’re not a good father,” “God is not pleased with you.” He shames you publicly to maintain dominance.
Paul calls them “empty talkers and deceivers.” They talk constantly yet produce nothing spiritually beneficial. Instead of holding fast to the faithful Word, they hold fast to their own opinions and feelings. They seek followers, approval, influence, and personal loyalty. They twist Scripture to fit their agenda, saying things like, “That’s not what this text means—let me tell you the real meaning,” or, “My teachings are the only ones you should listen to.” Any preacher who insists you can only learn from him—beware.
To maintain control, he will overstep boundaries: “I will tell you who you can marry,” or, “I will tell you what you can eat.” John warns us, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” because many false prophets have gone out into the world. We test everything by the Word of God. We do not form conclusions by feelings or preferences. We rely on Scripture—on the whole counsel of God, every book, every word.
Paul then tells Titus that these men “must be silenced.” Strong language. But he understands what is at stake. Leaders in the church cannot afford to be passive. False teachers are like unruly beasts; their mouths must be stopped. This happens by giving them no platform—not allowing just anyone to influence the congregation. Paul says their teachings “upset whole families.” The word “upset” does not mean mild emotional discomfort. It means overthrowing, subverting, destabilizing the faith of entire households.
People begin to wonder, “Am I truly saved? Am I really a believer?” And yet the Lord desires that His people grow in assurance, not in doubt. He wants them to rest in Christ, to embrace the fruit of the Spirit, and to serve Him in the confidence of His promises. Our assurance is not in one decision made long ago or even in our present consistency—it is in Christ alone and in the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
If you walk away from church despairing, unsettled, and hopeless, something is deeply wrong. While we should certainly be unsettled by our sin, we should be comforted by a faithful Savior who knows our struggles and holds us fast.
Beware of Elevating the Word of Man Above the Word of God
Titus 1:12–14
Paul continues in verses 12 to 14:
“One of the Cretans, 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 devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commandments of people who turn away from the truth.”
Paul quotes someone described as “a prophet of their own.” This is believed to be Epimenides, a sixth-century B.C. Cretan poet and philosopher. He famously popularized what is known as the liar’s paradox—a statement that seems to be both true and false at the same time. It raises questions such as, “Can God make a rock so heavy that He cannot lift it?” Critics use it as a supposed challenge to God’s omnipotence.
But God being all-powerful does not mean He can do what is logically impossible. For example, God cannot make a married bachelor. God cannot lie. God cannot deny Himself. God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is the doctrine of God’s immutability.
There is also the doctrine of impassibility, which means God does not experience emotional change the way humans do. It does not mean He lacks emotion, but that He possesses emotion in a divine, perfect, unchanging way. We do not serve a God who is moody or unstable—happy one moment, furious the next. We serve a God whose love is steadfast and constant. Irenaeus, the second-century theologian, said it beautifully: “The impassable became passable in Christ.” In other words, God the Son entered our world, suffered, sweat drops of blood, and experienced true human agony, yet without compromising His divine perfections.
Some verses might seem to contradict this. Genesis 6:6 says, “The Lord regretted that He made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.” But this is an example of anthropomorphism—God describing Himself in human terms to help us understand His posture toward sin. It does not mean God changes. His character is steady, fixed, unwavering.
Paul’s point in quoting Epimenides is that character matters. The Cretans were known for dishonesty. Not all, of course, but many. When someone’s character is corrupt, their teaching becomes unreliable, their speech untrustworthy, and their leadership dangerous. A teacher who elevates his own words above God’s words becomes the authority instead of Scripture. He begins to say, “This is what I think,” instead of, “Thus says the Lord.”
Think for a moment about the lies you hear:
Lies you tell yourself.
Lies the world tells you.
Lies the devil whispers.
You’ve likely heard, “You’re not really a Christian. Look at how you act. You can’t be a Christian.” Those are lies from the pit of hell. The Spirit Himself bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God.
First John 1:10 tells us, “If we say we have no sin, we make Him a liar, and the truth is not in us.” We fight lies by confronting them with the truth.
This is why Paul commands Titus: rebuke them sharply. But this sharp rebuke is not a harsh, cruel, destructive explosion. A sharp rebuke is direct and loving—truth spoken in love, firm enough to confront error but tender enough to restore. It is the responsibility of the church to expose false teachers, not because we delight in tearing anyone down, but because the spiritual vitality of God’s people is at stake.
Being “sound in the faith,” as Paul says, means that what we believe produces godliness, stability, and rest in Christ. The faith accords with godliness. It accords with reliance on Christ, not reliance on self. It accords with grace, not external behavior modification. In reformed theological circles, there can be a subtle elitism—doctrinal pride, theological arrogance, a policing of secondary issues. Doctrine matters deeply, but secondary matters must never overshadow the primary truths:
We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to the Scriptures alone, for the glory of God alone.
We can disagree on matters like eschatology or the age of the earth and still stand shoulder to shoulder as brothers and sisters in Christ. Doctrine shapes life. It produces worship, humility, and love.
Paul warns Titus not to let the church be consumed with “Jewish myths” or the “commandments of men.” These myths and commandments represent teachings that originate not from God but from man—teachings that offer temporary fascination but no eternal value.
Man-made religion might emphasize personal improvement strategies, rituals, or rigid spiritual checklists. But Scripture calls us to inward transformation by the Spirit, not outward conformity for the sake of appearances.
Paul’s warning applies just as strongly today. Consider modern spiritual movements such as the New Apostolic Reformation—sensational experiences, new revelations, and spiritual theatrics replacing biblical authority. Holly Pivek’s “Counterfeit Kingdom” exposes the dangers of such movements. Grave soaking. Seeking anointing from the dead. Praying for resurrected bodies of children who have died. All of this breaks the heart of God and distorts the gospel before a watching world.
False teaching leads people away from resting in Christ. It leads them toward secret knowledge, emotional manipulation, or spiritual performance. Believer, beware.
False teachers elevate the word of man above the word of God. The church must reject that temptation and anchor itself in Scripture alone.
Beware of an Inconsistency Between a Transformed Heart and a Transformed Life
Titus 1:15–16
Paul continues in verses 15–16:
“To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. But both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
Paul is speaking about two groups of people within the church—the pure believer and the impure believer. This is not about perfection. It is about posture, heart disposition, and spiritual condition.
The pure believer hopes for the best in others. He sees signs of grace in the people around him. He delights in dwelling among the saints. He desires fellowship, unity, worship, and the building up of Christ’s body. His heart has been made clean by the blood of Christ, and though he is still a sinner, he treasures the righteousness that has been imputed to him.
But the impure believer has a very different posture. To him, nothing is pure—nothing is safe, nothing is good enough, nothing is spiritually sincere. He becomes cynical toward the church. He says things like:
“They don’t love Jesus as much as I do.”
“They aren’t biblical enough.”
“They’re doing everything wrong.”
“They have a confession of faith? That’s dangerous.”
“This feels like a cult because it uses historic creeds.”
He criticizes everything and everyone except himself. He claims superior spirituality while sowing suspicion, division, and discouragement.
Some will even accuse biblical churches of being like cults simply because they use a statement of faith. But confessions are not extra-biblical revelation. They do not hold authority over Scripture. They are tools—summaries—designed to point us back to God’s Word. Confessions serve the church; they are never to rule the church.
The difference between a pure and impure believer can be seen in how they respond to praise. When someone says, “Great job, brother,” or “What a faithful sermon,” the pure believer is cautious. He redirects glory to Christ. He knows that any spiritual good is the work of God in him. He gives the credit to the Spirit, not to himself.
The impure believer responds differently:
“Wow, I am amazing.”
“I did great.”
“Look at my ministry.”
“Look at my righteousness.”
His heart swells. He boasts. He takes credit. He makes much of his own works. He uses spiritual achievements to inflate his ego instead of pointing others to Christ.
As Spurgeon said, “When men’s minds are pure, all other matters become pure to them. But when their minds are impure, they use these things for impurity.”
The pure believer knows he is righteous only because of Christ. He knows he is still sinful in the flesh. He understands that nothing good dwells in him apart from Christ. But he also knows that God is sanctifying him—one degree of glory to another.
Paul says the impure are “defiled and unbelieving.” These are people within the church who have rejected true faith. They do not believe that Jesus is enough. They seek something more—some secret experience, some mystical insight, some human-imposed standard to feel spiritual. They swerve from the truth that was once delivered to the saints.
Their minds are corrupted. Their consciences are altered. They fall into asceticism—the belief that holiness comes from avoiding the world, withdrawing from culture, and living in rigid self-denial. They believe that holiness is achieved through effort rather than received through grace.
But being “not of the world” does not mean separating from the world. It means engaging with the world while refusing to adopt its sinful values. There are people around us—neighbors, co-workers, friends—who desperately need the gospel. The answer is not seclusion but faithful engagement.
Self-made religion, personal improvement strategies, rigid holiness checklists—none of these can purify the heart. Only Christ can. Only the Spirit enlightens the conscience. So Paul says: ask God to guide your conscience, not your feelings. Feelings have no authority. God’s Word does.
Spurgeon illustrates this beautifully by describing the sun’s effect on different objects. When the sun shines on a dunghill, the stench rises. When it shines on clay, the clay hardens. But when it shines on a flower, it draws out a sweet fragrance.
The same sun—but radically different outcomes depending on the nature of what it touches.
So it is with the Word of God.
To an impure heart, it becomes twisted.
To a pure heart, it becomes sweet.
Let the Word of Christ richly dwell in your heart.
Let it shape your thinking.
Let it renew your conscience.
God has taken your heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh. By the Spirit, He has regenerated you, awakened you, and united you to Christ. He has delivered you from wrath and brought you into His family. And now He is forming Christ in you.
Every true believer carries a deep desire to be “fit for every good work.” This desire is evidence of the Spirit’s work. But to walk in those good works, you must flee from impurity and false teaching. Look unto Jesus—the author and finisher of your faith.
Salvation is of the Lord. Sanctification is of the Lord. Glorification is of the Lord. It is all of grace.
Your responsibility is to cling to Christ, reject false teaching, and pursue sound doctrine. Sound doctrine produces spiritual good. Bad doctrine produces spiritual harm.
Believer, beware. False teachers are everywhere. Be wise. Be discerning. Be anchored in Scripture. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ.
Closing Exhortation
So I’ll ask you again: What is the fruit of your theology?
“Pastor, I believe that God loves me and has accepted me through Christ.”
That’s wonderful. Now remain committed to sound doctrine—doctrine that points you to Christ, that leads you to rest in Christ, and that keeps you sound in the faith. Don’t be subverted. Don’t be overthrown. Be stable and steady in the truth.
This is a long race. You will see many people start strong and fizzle out quickly. But the call is to the long burn—long faithfulness. Keep looking to Christ. Don’t get sidetracked. Yes, there are countless interesting topics we can explore—Gnosticism, asceticism, the NAR movement, theological debates, controversies. Some can be helpful; many can become distractions.
But the center must remain Christ.
“Jesus, you have cleansed us by the blood of the Lamb. We stand before a holy God clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The very grace that saved us is the grace that is cleansing us. The Spirit of Christ is forming Christ in us.”
This is transformation—one degree of glory to another. This is the work of God, not the commandments of men.
Let the Lord purify you as you look to Christ.
Let His Word transform your mind, conscience, and devotion.
Let His grace keep you humble, steady, and joyful.
Believer, beware—false teachers are everywhere.
Be wise. Be innocent. Be discerning.
Test everything. Hold fast to what is good.
Reject what is evil.
Remain rooted in the truth.
Good theology, applied rightly, will produce much spiritual good.
Bad theology will produce much spiritual harm.
So we pray:
“Lord, protect our church from error and impurity.
Give us unity in the Spirit and the bond of peace.
Keep us anchored to Christ.”
Pastoral Prayer
Our gracious God, we are in awe that You would do all that You’ve done for us. And You base it on nothing that we have to perform. You base it solely on Your grace that saves us. You love us more than we will ever understand. And we know our sin is far worse than we’d ever want to confess.
So we come to You now with our hearts laid bare.
We confess our sin, our pride, our self-righteousness, our critical spirit, our divisive spirit. We confess it. And we seek, Jesus, that You would keep us united. Yes, let us have discussion on second and third issues. But let there be no need to divide.
Lord, help us today.
As we look to You and know that the day is approaching, we love the reminder that today is the day of salvation. For anyone here today who does not believe, Jesus, give them faith. Cause them to turn from their sin and trust in Christ. Lord, help them. Pour out Your love into their hearts. Regenerate them. Cause them to be born again as they express the faith that You give them.
Oh Lord, show them their sin—that they are desperately separated from a holy God, under the full weight of the wrath of God and eternal conscious suffering in hell. Lord, be gracious, we pray, to any unbelievers here today. Give them faith. Show them how much You love them. Show them how much You’ve pardoned them. Cause them to be born again to a living hope, for the glory of God, so that Christ may be all in all.
And we pray all this in Jesus’ name.
Amen. Amen.
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