Teaching the flock, confronting false teachers

 

Paul also tells us that elders should be ready to exhort. That's not a word we hear much nowadays, so let's explore. 

holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9)

"Exhort" can mean to urge to obey, or it can mean to encourage. The word "sound" means healthy. When an elder urges someone to obey sound, biblical doctrine, the result is spiritual health. Foundational doctrines are not the "myths and commandments of men" that Paul mentions later. Biblical doctrine is not speculations about prophecy that have little to do with obedience to God. Instead, godly elders will aim their teaching at building people in the knowledge of God - and in practical, holy living.

In Paul's letters, he places emphasis on both the foundational doctrines and on the practical advice for living. He was writing to many different people in the new churches, and some were illiterate; they would listen to the letters being read aloud. He didn't "talk down" to them, nor did he skip over the "heavy stuff." He assumed that the common folk would be studying the scriptures and his letters just as diligently as the more educated ones - and so he made sure that his letters were full of both - the foundational doctrines and the practical advice that came from those doctrines!

In different passages, the word exhort can also mean to implore, to make an appeal to. Paul uses the same word in his second letter to young Timothy:

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. (II Timothy 4:2, NASB)

Paul seems to be saying that the preaching is so important that the elders' hearts must be in their teaching - people must experience the patience and kindness of the elders, but also sense the urgency of understanding these important truths.

Lastly, we come to the part of the verse where Paul says, elders must have courage and confront errors. It's not enough to be positive and teach. Paul is saying that elders must also refute false teaching - doesn't mean they need to be offensive, but they also don't need to be so polite that they "water down" their rejection of false teaching. What happens then? The truth is compromised.

Here in the southland, especially among believers, there is a dangerous concept. It's called "Can't-we-just-Get-Along?" We are so anxious to have unity, to have politeness and avoid conflict, that we come dangerously close to sinful compromise. And sometimes we actually DO cross the line.

We need to remember that the apostles sometimes named the false teachers and dangerous men:

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. (I Timothy 1:20)

Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. (II Timothy 4:14)

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. ( III John 9)

If Paul had followed the southern church plan, the "Can't we just get along?" plan, he would have said to the Galatians . . . . "you know, those Judaizers are such good members of the community, and we do agree on many things. Let's just set aside the few areas where we disagree ....."

Nope. He denounced them as preaching a false gospel. (You can look it up in the first chapter of Galatians when you have a moment.....)

One of the giants of the Reformation, Martin Luther, did not enjoy controversy. But he came to the conclusion that it was absolutely necessary! Seriously.

When Christians are not doing battle with the devil, or him who bites the heel, that is not a good sign, for it means that he who bites the heel is at peace and has his own way. But when he who bites the heel rages and has no peace, it is a sign that he, being under attack, shall be conquered, for it is Christ who is attacking his house. Therefore whoever desires to see the Christian Church existing in quiet peace, entirely without crosses, without heresy, and without factions, will never see it thus, or else he must view the false church of the devil as the real church. Martin Luther

So, elders need to be godly men, and they need to hold firmly to the Word. They need to teach boldly. We all have probably attended or visited churches where we hear nice, positive, uplifting messages about how believers can succeed in life. But those messages might just convince us that the false doctrines they are teaching are A-OK. If we want to be strong in the Lord, we need to be in a church where the elders preach sound doctrine - and refute those false teachers who contradict God's Word.