Titus 1:9 English Standard Version (ESV) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound^[healthy] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Included in this post are the words that were removed yesterday. This might be a good opportunity to address another attitude that needs to be adjusted.

“It’s my responsibility.”

The first thing that should be noted about Titus was his calling. Paul left him in Crete to appoint elders to the church there. It was Titus’s responsibility to appoint men of God to hold that office and continue the work of the ministry of the gospel. The “he” in this verse refers to the office of eldership. The elders were to be responsible for seeing to it that the doctrine being preached was not just sound but meant to promote a healthy church. Rebukes were to come from them.

If we are not elders then it is not our responsibility to rebuke another. We may question, discuss, study and illuminate the Word of God, but as laypersons it is not our responsibility to rebuke what is taught.

If we hear what we believe to be unsound doctrine, there are steps to be taken. Perhaps the wise thing to do is to check with an accountability partner, or trusted friend to see if they heard what you heard. If they agree the two of you have the responsibility to the elders to bring up those concerns with those with oversight authority within the church.

Within the body of Christ we all have a role to play. Those roles have boundaries which should not be crossed. We are all accountable to one another but that does not automatically give us the authority to rebuke perceived errors.

Identification of gifts are important. Learning how to use those gifts to edify the body of Christ is part of our responsibility in those gifts given.

Ephesians 2:8-9 English Standard Version

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Here Paul gives us a gentle reminder that our salvation is by grace. This is correction of a long time practice in religious attitudes of the day. Righteousness was to come to those who obeyed the law but since no one could obey the law, all failed. They were left with religious rituals that only relieved their guilt for a short time.

Here we are on this side of the Cross and our guilt has been permanently dealt with by faith in Christ and His sacrifice. That does not address the larger issue of wrong attitudes. Corrections to our attitudes still has to be addressed.

What have we gained if we swap old life attitudes with new life attitudes that do not align themselves with the Word of God? Those new attitudes will need to be corrected. As an example allow me to address just one that has been seen over and over again within the fellowship of the saints.

“I’m good to go.”

This is true. From an eternal struggle with right standing before God, it has been dealt with completely. Come judgment day we get to stay with God and never be separated ever again. That ignores those things which we need to address in the here and now. We still live this side of eternity, in time. We cannot just accept that God’s grace is going to correct all of our attitudes without careful consideration of what God is asking of us in this present time.

Time must be spent in God’s Word to correct any attitudes that do not allow us to align our thoughts with the mind of Christ.

Titus 1:9a English Standard Version (ESV) He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine….