Link to Student Guide
Lesson 6
Copyright © 2005
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ
It is essential for this lesson to begin by acknowledging the situation of the Cretan Christians. Paul sent this letter to a companion missionary, Titus (Titus 1:4). Titus was purposely left on the island of Crete by Paul (Titus 1:5). Paul reminded Titus of why he left him in Crete--to establish leadership in the congregations there (Titus 1:5). Paul specified in writing [stressing again an earlier verbal encouragement] the kind of men Titus was to seek to be leaders in the Christian community.
Stress that this is a "reminder" letter from Paul to Titus. Stress what we can know about this letter from statements made in the early part of chapter one.
Students need to understand with clarity the kind of society and culture that existed on the island of Crete for centuries. From a Christian perspective, the Cretan society in general championed and advanced evil values and perspectives. Not even most of other idolatrous societies had respect for the values and perspectives of the Cretans. They were a militaristic people for hire to the highest bidder. They basically did not care about the cause. They primarily cared about the money. Acquiring money any way one could acquire it was highly valued in their culture. Loyalty was an undesirable weakness. In their culture, the Cretans had a history of honoring deceit, drunkenness, adultery, and pleasure centered living.
Make certain your students understand clearly that the society/culture was wicked by Christian standards and perspectives. Students need to comprehend the wickedness of the majority on Crete to understand accurately the concept of a defiled conscience.
That meant that Cretan Christians would learn, exhibit, and endorse values the Cretan society and culture considered disgusting. Therefore, it was critically important that Christian leaders be living examples of God's priorities and values as they shepherded Cretan Christians who had to learn a totally new lifestyle. Those who dared to follow Christ committed to a lifestyle that championed values their own society and culture rejected.
The dilemma students need to see and understand is this: for Cretans to be Christian, they had to live and act by standards their society/culture regarded as weakness. To act differently than the values in one's culture is a demanding, difficult challenge. That fact increased the urgency of Cretan Christians being led by Christians who were examples of mature Christian values in their personal lives.
It would be fairly easy for a man who was honored by a godless society to become a leader in the Christian community. Paul said that must not happen! If a man was to be a leader in the Cretan Christian community, he personally must exemplify the values God revealed in Jesus Christ. Even though Cretan society rejected those values, those belonging to Jesus Christ honored those values enough to live by them!
Discuss the ease with which a man who exhibits the culture's standards of leadership becomes a leader in the Christian community--without changing values! Discuss the importance of Christian leaders being an example for weaker or less mature Christians.
It is in this context that today's text must be read and understood. Paul identified two sources of influence that either influenced or had the potential to influence Cretan Christianity in a powerfully manner. The first were those who seek money in any way they can. Their primary evaluation of every circumstance was in terms of it's money making potential (Titus 1:10,11). The other was the circumcision, the Jews, the Jewish community on Crete. Paul classified both sources as "deceitful men."
Stress the two sources that could exert hurtful influences in Crete's Christian community were (1) those who belonged to money and (2) those who were in the Jewish community. Stress the Christian community's two greatest threats came from (1) the materialists and (2) people who were supposed to know God.
Paul's statements in verse 13-16 seem to indicate that both these influences were at work in the Cretan Christian community. Perhaps some who were primarily influenced by the Cretan culture said things like, "Everybody knows that cannot be right!" Perhaps some in the Jewish community said things like, "We have known and worshipped the God you now acknowledge through Jesus Christ for a long, long time. We know what He wants! We know how He is to be approached! We can give you the keys to the mysteries of how to please Him!
Talk about how we today are very susceptible to the influences of those who hold money in high esteem and those who declare they understand God.
Paul was quite specific in regard to these rebellious influences. They were deceitful, empty talkers whose influence must end. They must be severely reproved to encourage them to be "sound in the faith" [sounds like people in the Christian community who were untrustworthy].
Stress these men were NOT God's influence in Crete's Christian community.
These people [in the Christian community] had defiled minds and consciences. They saw something wrong with everything--even that which was of itself pure. They could see something wrong even with purity because they possessed defiled minds and consciences. Because they thought evil of what was right, they taught Christians to feel guilty about doing pure things. They affirmed their values and perspectives came from God Himself [especially the circumcision or the Jews on Crete]. Yet, their behavior denied God's influence in their lives. They were worthless people who were detestable and disobedient to God. In a declaration of utter contempt, Paul declared nothing they did blessed anything good! It is difficult to be that evil in a community dedicated to spirituality in Jesus Christ, but it is possible.
Paul's admonition to confront these "deceitful men" was not a generic encouragement to confront anyone with whom they disagreed, but an encouragement to confront those who brought harm to the Christian community. They took advantage of Christians. They influenced Christians to live by ungodly values.
Note a primary problem in these rebellious people: they had a defiled conscience. Paul's description of these rebellious people reminds us of Isaiah's description of Judah's rebellious majority in Isaiah 5:20-23. These verses are part of the woes Isaiah pronounced against wicked Judah for the spiritual decay in this southern kingdom of Israel. Isaiah's point is evident: because these conditions exist, wickedness rules the people who should be God's people.
This problem is a part of reality in every age. It existed in the first century when Christianity began. It existed in the Israel of the Old Testament. It exists today. Use Isaiah 5:20-23 to illustrate that fact.
Note in the reading these people forgot God's values: they called evil good and good evil; they substituted darkness for light; and they substituted bitter for sweet. They did not "feel" guilt for ungodly attitudes and behavior because they could do evil, live in darkness, taste bitterness, and regard those experiences to be expressions of good. Their consciences did not react to evil attitudes or behavior because their standards and values considered evil to be good. Because their basic concepts were incorrect, their consciences did not react to evil.
Remember previous stress on the relationship between a person's conscience and the person's standards and values. When a person's standards and values change, his/her conscience will change. To properly educate the conscience, a person must adopt God's standards and values. When people who declare they belong to God live by evil's standards and values, their consciences respond to the wrong things.
To these people it was just fine to consider themselves wise and clever. It was just fine to measure their manliness by their drinking habits. It was just fine to help the wicked achieve their purposes if such behavior was to their financial benefit.
These people centered their concepts of right and wrong or good and bad in their feelings or ambitions, not in God's desires.
Did the rebellious people in Titus 1 and Isaiah 5 have a conscience? Yes! Were they benefited by having a conscience? No! Why? Their defiled conscience felt guilt about godly matters and felt no guilt about evil matters. They had a conscience--it just responded to the wrong things! It did not react negatively to evil. It encouraged evil!
Note the problem was not the result of having no conscience, but of having a conscience that responded to the wrong values.
A defiled conscience affirms evil attitudes and behavior instead of recognizing and reacting against evil attitudes and behavior.
A defiled conscience is not the absence of conscience but a confused conscience that champions or reacts to incorrect standards and values.
For Thought and Discussion
This discussion must include the understanding that the culture/society on Crete was by Christian standards and values a wicked culture/society.
This discussion must include the understanding that the Christian community needed leaders who showed by their daily lives that standards and values despised by the culture/society were good, desirable standards and values.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 6