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 Survey of the Letters of Paul:  Titus 3:10
  
                                                                                                                                                                                    
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Titus 3:10
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
 
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This section has 4 verses.
 
Titus 3:8-11
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
 
We will begin with the Barclay commentary.

THE NECESSITY OF ACTION AND THE DANGER OF DISCUSSION

First, the paraphrase of verses 8-11:

This is a saying which we are bound to believe – and I want you to keep on affirming these things – that those who have put their faith in God must think and plan how to practice fine deeds. These are fine things and useful to men. But have nothing to do with foolish speculations and genealogies and contentious and legalistic battles, for they are no good to anyone and serve no useful purpose. Avoid a contentious and self-opinionated man, after giving him a first and a second warning, for you must be well aware that such a man is perverted and stands a self-condemned sinner.

THIS passage stresses the need for Christian action and the danger of a certain kind of discussion.

The word we have translated as to practice fine deeds is proistasthai, which literally means to stand in front of and was the word used for a shopkeeper standing in front of the shop and calling out to advertise the produce. The phrase may mean either of two things. It might be a command to Christians to engage only in respectable and useful trades. There were certain professions which the early Church insisted that people should give up before they were allowed even to ask for membership. More probably, the phrase has the wider meaning that Christians must practice good deeds which are helpful to others.

The second part of the passage warns against useless discussions. The Greek philosophers spent their time on their over subtle [over precise, picky, hair-splitting] problems. The Jewish Rabbis spent their time building up imaginary genealogies for the characters of the Old Testament. The Jewish scribes spent endless hours discussing what could and could not be done on the Sabbath, and what was and was not unclean. It has been said that there is a danger that people might think themselves religious because they discuss religious questions. It is much easier to discuss theological questions than to be kind and considerate and helpful at home, or efficient and conscientious and honest at work. There is no virtue in sitting discussing deep theological questions when the simple tasks of the Christian life are waiting to be done. Such discussion can be nothing other than avoidance of Christian duties.

Paul was certain that the real task for Christians lay in Christian action. That is not to say that there is no place for Christian discussion; but the discussion which does not end in action is very largely wasted time.

It is Paul’s advice that contentious and self-opinionated people should be avoided. The Authorized Version calls that kind of person the heretic. The Greek is hairetikos. The verb hairein means to choose, and hairesis means a party, or a school or a sect. Originally, the word carried no bad meaning. This creeps in when someone sets private opinion against all the teaching, the agreement and the tradition of the Church. Heretics are simply people who have decided that they are right and everybody else is wrong. Paul’s warning is against those who have made their own ideas the test of all truth. We should always be very careful of any opinion which separates us from the fellowship of our fellow believers. True faith does not divide people; it unites them. ~Barclay Commentary

Note: Heretic
A professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church [from the Word of God].

Now to the other commentaries. We will begin with the general and move to the specific. Let us go to the Matthew Henry main commentary which covers verses 9-15 and pick it up where it speaks to verse 10.

The text picks up right after the reading of verse 9: But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

II. But because, after all, there will be heresies and heretics in the church, the apostle next directs Titus what to do in such a case, and how to deal with such, Titus 3:10. He who forsakes the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, who broaches false doctrines and propagates them to the corrupting of the faith in weighty and momentous points, and breaks the peace of the church about them, after due means used to reclaim him, must be rejected. “Admonish him once and again, that, if possible, he may be brought back, and thou mayest gain thy brother; but, if this will not reduce him, that others be not hurt, cast him out of the communion, and warn all Christians to avoid him.” - Knowing that he that is such is subverted (turned off from the foundation) and sinneth grievously, being self-condemned. Those who will not be reclaimed by admonitions, but are obstinate in their sins and errors, are subverted and self-condemned; they inflict that punishment upon themselves which the governors of the church should inflict upon them: they throw themselves out of the church, and throw off its communion, and so are self-condemned. Observe,

1. How great an evil real heresy is, not lightly therefore to be charged upon any, though greatly to be taken heed of by all. Such a one is subverted or perverted - a metaphor from a building so ruined as to render it difficult if not impossible to repair and raise it up again. Real heretics have seldom been recovered to the true faith: not so much defect of judgment, as perverseness of the will, being in the case, through pride, or ambition, or self-willedness, or covetousness, or such like corruption, which therefore must be taken heed of: “Be humble, love the truth and practice it, and damning heresy will be escaped.”

Note: Immerse yourself in the Word of God.

2. Pains and patience must be used about those that err most grievously. They are not easily and soon to be given up and cast off, but competent time and means must be tried for their recovery.

Note: Personally, you would invoke Matthew 18. The ministry would invoke direct counselling and move to talk of disfellowship.

3. The church's means even with heretics are persuasive and rational. They must be admonished, instructed, and warned; so much nouthesia imports.

Note: Nouthesia:
From biblical times onward, God's people have counseled nouthetically. The word itself is biblical. The New Testament was written in Greek, from which the noun nouthesia (verb: noutheteo) comes. It is a term used largely by the apostle Paul which is sometimes translated “admonish, correct or instruct.”

It is Strong's word 3559. It gives the meaning as "a warning, admonition, counsel."

3559 nouthesía (a feminine noun derived from 3560 /nouthetéō) – properly, setting (placing) the mind through God-inspired warning ("admonition").

3559 /nouthesía ("warning through teaching") improves a person's reasoning so they can reach God's solution – i.e. by going through His thought-process. See 3560 (nouthetéō).

[Romans 12:1-3 likewise emphasizes the importance of receiving God's thoughts in the renewed mind, through faith, to reach God's solutions.]

Romans 12:1-3 ...these are verses for you and not the heretic
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [see Sermon, "Your Reasonable Service"]
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Notice some occurrences of this word other than Titus 3:10:

1 Corinthians 10:11 but I will read from verse 5:

1 Corinthians 10:5-11
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Ephesians 6:4 but I will read from 1 and go to verse 8

Ephesians 6:1-8
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

4. Upon continued obstinacy and irreclaimableness [ir-i-kley-muh-buh-ness], the church has power, and is obliged, to preserve its own purity, by severing such a corrupt member which discipline may by God's blessing become effectual to reform the offender, or if not it will leave him the more inexcusable in his condemnation. ~Matthew Henry Main

Some quotes I found on heretics:

"A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes."

“The doer of evil has, indeed, killed his own soul; but the heretic — the liar — has killed as many souls as he has seduced.”

“The heretic is both a murderer and a practitioner of deceit. How is he deceitful? His words deliberately misrepresent the words of the Lord.”

“Heretics do not have Christ, the Truth, on their lips, because they do not have him in their heart.” [What did Ephesians 6:6 say?]

“Heretics are unhappy men.” [see Sermon, "Many"] where we discuss Matthew 24:10 "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. "

“Heretics mean one thing in their heart; they promise another with their lips. They speak with piety and conceal impiety. They speak Christ and hide the Antichrist, for they know that they will never succeed with their seduction if they disclose the Antichrist. They present light only to conceal darkness; through light they lead to darkness.” [see Sermon, "Dirty Fleece"] which speaks to Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

Now the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses 8-11 unlike its big brother, the main commentary.

When the grace of God towards mankind has been declared, the necessity of good works is pressed. Those who believe in God, must make it their care to maintain good works, to seek opportunities for doing them, being influenced by love and gratitude. Trifling, foolish questions must be avoided, and subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor should people be eager after novelties, but love sound doctrine which tends most to edifying. Though we may now think some sins light and little, if the Lord awaken the conscience, we shall feel even the smallest sin heavy upon our souls. ~Matthew Henry Concise

Now to the Biblical Illustrator.

An heretic … reject

The treatment of heresy

I. Heresy is not an unsound opinion, but an unsound life. A man may hold an erroneous opinion, and hold it sincerely; but the word used here denotes one who seeks to promote discord in the Church (See Rom_16:17).

II. Heresy is to be dealt with firmly, but gently.
1. Firmly—by admonition.
2. Gently—by repeated admonitions.

III. Hardened heretics are to be rejected.
1. But this only applies to exclusion from Church fellowship.
2. It is no warrant for persecution.
3. Excluded heretics are to be deemed objects of pity. ~Biblical Illustrator

Now to the specific commentaries. We can easily see that this verse is in two parts:

1] A man that is an heretick.
2] After the first and second admonition reject.


1] A man that is an heretick.

A man that is a heretic - Generally defined, one that is obstinately attached to an opinion contrary to the peace and comfort of society, and will neither submit to Scripture nor reason. Here it means a person who maintains Judaism in opposition to Christianity, or who insists on the necessity of circumcision, etc., in order to be saved. This is obviously the meaning of the word heretic in the only place in which it occurs in the sacred writings. ~Adam Clarke

A man that is an heretic - An heretic, according to the notation of the word, is either one that makes choice of an opinion upon his own judgment, contrary to the generally received sense of the churches of Christ, and prefers it to theirs, and obstinately persists in it; separates from them, forms a party, and sets himself at the head of them, whom he has drawn into the same way of thinking with himself: or he is one that removes and takes away a fundamental doctrine of Christianity. ~John Gill

A man that is an heretic — Greek “heresy,” originally meant a division resulting from individual self-will; the individual doing and teaching what he chose, independent of the teaching and practice of the Church. In course of time it came to mean definitely “heresy” in the modern sense; and in the later Epistles it has almost assumed this meaning. The heretics of Crete, when Titus was there, were in doctrine followers of their own self-willed “questions” reprobated in Titus 3:9, and immoral in practice. ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown

2] After the first and second admonition reject.

After the first and second admonition, reject - Labour to convince him of his error; but if he will not receive instruction, if he have shut his heart against conviction, then - burn him alive? No: even if demonstrably a heretic in any one sense of that word, and a disturber of the peace of the Church, God gives no man any other authority over him but to shun him, παραιτου. Do him no harm in body, soul, character, or substance; hold no communion with him; but leave him to God. See the notes on Acts 5:17; Acts 24:14 (note), where the word heresy is particularly explained. ~Adam Clarke

Quoted verses:
Acts 15:17
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Acts 24:14
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

After the first and second admonition, reject - have nothing to do with him; have no society with him; admit him not to private conversation; and eject him from church communion, after he has been publicly admonished twice by the order of the church; for this is not to be understood of private admonition, by a particular person or persons; as in the case of private offences, Matthew 18:15 but of public admonition, in the name of the church. An admonition with the Jews did not continue less than seven days; some say thirty; that is, there were so many days before it was out, or between one and another.
~John Gill

After the first and second admonition, reject — decline, avoid; not formal excommunication, but, “have nothing more to do with him,” either in admonition or intercourse. ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown

So, stay close to God and immersed in His Word and stay away from heretics and the false doctrines and beliefs they bring. This is the lesson of verse 10
 



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