Titus 1:6-16

We don’t use a sledgehammer to swat a fly. We all recognize that is true, but too often we approach conflict the same way that our military approaches war. We take the scorched-earth, Shock and Awe, and overwhelming force method of conflict resolution. On the battlefield, I personally think that can be a good thing, but in the church it is a horrible way to approach conflict.

Paul told Titus that there were rebellious people in the churches of Crete. These rebellious people were very quick to teach and deceive. Their convoluted and twisted theology was causing disruption among families and within the household of believers. Paul and Titus, as mature Christians could recognize the falseness of their teachings and their corruption of the truth; even though they appeared outwardly pure, they were inwardly filthy. Paul held nothing back when describing them as detestable and disobedient. He said they were unfit for doing anything good. Paul told Titus that he and the other elders would have to silence the troublemakers. Paul was not in the Mafia, and “They must be silenced…” did not mean to take extreme measures. Paul understood the need to take a stand, without turning it into “Custer’s last stand.”

So Paul advised Titus to pick elders who were not overbearing or quick-tempered. He knew that the elders would have to restrain themselves when silencing the false prophets. They would have to be firm enough to get the job done, without becoming so harsh that they tore the church apart doing it. They had to be sound enough in doctrine that they could expose the lies while at the same time revealing God’s truth.

When faced with corruption in the church, the elder’s task is to put an end to the false teaching and corrupt behavior, but it is not their task to destroy the person who is the source of the problem. Christ came to save the wicked not to destroy them. Righteousness requires that we stop the sin while loving the sinner.