A culture of unbelievers subverts living for Jesus Christ

Titus 1:10-16

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.” Titus 1:10-11

The corruption and destruction of the foundation of the churches of Crete came through those who were insubordinate to the Gospel of Christ, and they were smooth talking deceivers. They persuaded the new believers in Crete that living for the flesh over the Spirit was natural and good. Especially the Jewish leaders, who convinced the Cretans that Jesus Christ could not bring them to God, and they needed to live by the letter of the law and led the new believers away from life in the Spirit to die in the letter of the law. The Cretans and Jewish leaders spoke contrary to this verse, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

Dishonest gain was not necessarily money, property, etc. but was the new believers themselves, whom the Cretans used to enrich their own fellowship among the fleshly/worldly Cretan population, and even for the Jewish Old Testament leaders to gain the victory of drawing people away from Jesus Christ.

Today, we live in a culture of unbelievers who subvert the born-again experience and the message of the Cross. They include the leaders of the churches, government leaders, community leaders, school leaders, etc. Whole households are being spiritually subverted by them as they teach against God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy spirit. Their dishonest gain is to create the global atheistic culture, known as the global government of the beast, and the global goals of the United Nations are being taught in cities around the world. This culture lives for the atheistic entity that replaces their spirit and conscience by giving them what to think and feel to influence what they say and do. This beast enlivens the image of the beast to speak and live through them as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

“One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.” Titus 1:12-14

The pastors of the churches in Crete were spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and ministering to new believers, in cities similar to Sodom and Gomorrah. Paul said that even one of the Cretans own prophets said that the Cretans were always liars, living by basic animalistic instincts, and were gluttons for the easy pleasures of life. The Cretans did not believe in the Living God, did not grasp the born-again experience in Jesus Christ, and were not motivated by the Holy Spirit. Romans 1:22-32 would explain much of this.

Paul wrote to Titus to encourage him to rebuke the Cretan members of the churches not to live their life as liars, nor to live in the flesh by basic animal instincts, not to overindulge the desires of the flesh with excesses and greed. Paul wanted the Cretan believers to be sound in the faith that they held in Jesus Christ, to live in the truth of the Spirit, to give more importance to walking in the Holy Spirit and less in the flesh, and to be moderate in all things. Paul also encouraged Titus to warn the Cretans against Jewish fables, meaning not to put Jewish traditions and teachings above the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Cretans needed to learn to worship God in the Spirit through Jesus Christ, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must embrace what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross to forgive our sin by God’s grace and mercy. We must hold to our belief that Jesus Christ has been resurrected from the dead, He is alive, and He is Lord, Christ the Son of God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” Titus 1:15-16

“To the pure all things are pure…” is a mirror of the verses, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify…This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men…What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!…having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck…” 1 Corinthians 10:23, Acts 24:16, Romans 6:15, 1 Timothy 1:19

In today’s culture, the conscience is polluted, devoid of the Holy Spirit, leading to a train of thought that they can indulge in fleshly desires without consequences. Here in Circleville, Ohio, sexually transmitted diseases are so dominant that the health department is giving away free condoms to whoever asks, with no questions asked. Also. drug use is so dominant that the health department is encouraging every citizen to carry Narcan because the chances are high that eventually a person will come across someone overdosing. In fact, the health department is giving away free Narcan to whoever asks. The list goes on and on in the health care industry, law enforcement, and local politics of the dominance of corruption because the mind and conscience are defiled.

Those of today’s churches have left the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it can be said, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” They have joined with the community agenda instead of being set apart for God for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They serve the entity that replaces their conscience and mind to give them what to feel and think to influence what they say and do. This atheistic entity enlivens the image of the beast to live and speak through them as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

“But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:18-20

---

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11