Titus 1:16

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. THEY PROFESS - i:e., make a profession acknowledging God. They have theoretical knowledge of God, but practically know Him not. DENY HIM - the opposite of the previous "profess" or 'confess' Him (; ; ). So often as we are conquered by sins, we deny God (Jerome). ABOMINABLE - themselves, though laying such stress on avoiding abomination from outward things (cf. ; ). Disobedient...

16_They profess that they know God _He treats those persons as they deserve; for hypocrites, who give their whole attention to minute observances, despise fearlessly what constitutes the chief part of the Christian life. The consequence is, that they display their vanity, while contempt of God is manifested in open crimes. And this is what Paul means; that they who wish to be seen abstaining from one kind of food — indulge in wantonness and rebellion, as if they had shaken of the yoke; that their conduct is disgraceful and full of wickedness, and that not a spark of virtue is visible in their whole life. _For they are abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. _When he calls them , βδελυκτούς (237) _abominable, _he seems to allude to their pretended holiness, to which they gave their earnest attention. But Paul declares that they gain no advan

10-16 False teachers are described. Faithful ministers must oppose such in good time, that their folly being made manifest, they may go no further They had a base end in what they did; serving a worldly interest under pretence of religion: for the love of money is the root of all evil. Such should be resisted, and put to shame, by sound doctrine from the Scriptures. Shameful actions, the reproach of heathens, should be far from Christians; falsehood and lying, envious craft and cruelty, brutal and sensual practices, and idleness and sloth, are sins condemned even by the light of nature. But Christian meekness is as far from cowardly passing over sin and error, as from anger and impatience. And though there may be national differences of character, yet the heart of man in every age and place is deceitful and desperately wicked. But the sharpest reproofs must aim at the good of the reprov...

Verse Titus 1:16. _THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD_] He still speaks concerning the unbelieving Jews, the seducing teachers, and those who had been seduced by their bad doctrine. None were so full of pretensions to the knowledge of the true God as the Jews. They would not admit that any other people could have this knowledge; nor did they believe that God ever did or ever would reveal himself to any other people; they supposed that to give the _law_ and the _prophets_ to the Gentiles would be a profanation of the words of God. Hence they became both proud, uncharitable, and intolerant; and in this disposition they continue till the present day. _BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY_ him] Their profession and practice were at continual variance. Full of a pretended faith, while utterly destitute of those _works_ by which a genuine faith is accredited and

THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD - That is, the Jewish teachers particularly, who are referred to in Titus 1:14. All those persons were professors of religion, and claimed that they had a special knowledge of God. BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM - Their conduct is such as to show that they have no real acquaintance with him. BEING ABOMINABLE - In their conduct. The word here used - βδελυκτοὶ bdeluktoi - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means that which is detestable, or to be held in abhorrence. AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE - Margin, “void of judgment.” On the word here used - ἀδοκίμος adokimos -

EXPOSITION TITUS 1:1 _Knowledge _for _acknowledging, _A.V.; _according to _for _after, _A.V. A SERVANT OF GOD (δοῦλος Θεοῦ); so in the superscriptions: Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ;_ _James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jud 2 Peter 1:1; Revelation 1:1. St. Paul also calls himself "the servant of Christ" ...

THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD,.... That there is a God; that there is but one, only, true, and living God, the God of Israel, as professed by the Jews; and that this God is Father, Son, and Spirit, as believed by the Christians: for the persons the apostle speaks of were judaizing Christians. Yet this knowledge was but notional; it lay in theory and profession only; they had not a spiritual experimental knowledge of God in Christ, which only has eternal life connected with it: BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "in their own works"; they were not professed, but practical atheists; they owned there was a God, and boasted of their knowledge of him; but their lives and conversations showed that they had no true knowledge of him, and that the fear of him was not before their eyes; these gave the lie to their profession; they practically denied that...

While reading this chapter, we must understand that Titus was sent to Crete, to superintend the preaching of the gospel throughout that island. Crete was at that time inhabited by a people who were only partially civilized, and sunk in the very worst of vices. Paul, therefore, tells Titus to speak to them about things which would hardly be mentioned to Christians nowadays. Titus 1:1. _Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; to Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour._

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The salutation (Titus 1:1)_ 2. Instructions concerning elders (Titus 1:5) 3. Warnings against false teachers (Titus 1:10) Titus 1:1 Paul calls himself in writing to Titus “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,” for he speaks in these introductory words of God's elect, and their faith in Him; and the promise of eternal life, God, who cannot lie, gave before the dispensations began; and that His Word is now manifested through preaching which was committed unto him by our Saviour-God. God's elect are those who have trusted in Christ. Th

TITUS-' ATTITUDE TO FALSE TEACHERS. Loyalty to sound doctrine is needful for silencing many deceitful teachers not outside the Church (Hort), but self-constituted instructors within its borders, who reject its discipline (unruly = insubordinate). These men, exemplifying Epimenides-' judgment (600 B.C.) of the Cretan character, teach error for monetary profit (_cf._ 1 Timothy 6:5). Chiefly, and therefore not wholly, of Jewish origin (Titus 1:10), they base their empty talking on Jewish legends (1 Timothy 1:3 *) and mere human traditions which foster asceticism. Their asceticism is manifestly false, since pure men can make a pure use of everything ...