Titus 1:16

Titus 1:15 looks at the attitudes of the false teachers whereas Titus 1:16 views their actions. The divisive and destructive influence of the false teachers betrayed their inner attitude of impurity regarding God’s truth. They were really abominable and disobedient to God as well as disapproved by Him. They could do no deeds He would approve.

"Of all bad men religious bad men are the worse." [Note: C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, p. 32.]

Whenever a person’s talk and walk conflict it is usually his walk rather than his talk that reveals what he really is (1 John 1:6).

". . . Titus 1:16 is the hinge verse of the epistle. Paul has addressed the initial issues of the necessity of godly leadership and has called attention to the seriousness of the Cretan problem. In this verse he identifies a key issue: the opponents are teaching that what a person believes and how a person behaves are not related, and that godly living is not a necessary corollary to God’s salvific plan and work. Then in the next two chapters, after giving instructions for different groups within the church, Paul will give Titus two creedal statements that show that obedience comes out of salvation and must come out of salvation, for it is a purpose for which salvation was provided." [Note: Mounce, p. 402.]

"These verses [10-16] are the only real discussion of Paul’s Cretan opponents (cf. Titus 3:10-11). The situation in Crete appears to be similar to that in Ephesus, with a few important differences. The problem was real since their teaching was already upsetting whole households, and yet the Cretan opponents receive less attention, suggesting that the problem was not as developed as in Ephesus. The opponents were unqualified, rebellious, and inappropriate for positions of leadership in the church. In fact, Titus 1:10-16 have the purpose of explaining why Titus must appoint only qualified people to church leadership (Titus 1:5-9). The opponents were teaching senseless babble, words without meaning, myths. This passage clearly shows that the teaching was primarily Jewish and taught asceticism and guidelines for ritual purity and defilement. The opponents were part of the church but had left the truth of the gospel, and therefore they must be rebuked so that they and the church may become healthy in their faith." [Note: Ibid., p. 395.]