Zealous for good works
After seeking the Lord for how to identify false teachers and false leaders, I was led to Titus. That book summarized what a leader in the church ought to teach. First thing is the leadership qualification. Titus 1:6-8 (NIV) An elder must be blameless, …… Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless–not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
The leader of God’s church must be blameless, “who loves what is good” and “holy“. Because what he suppose to teach is written in Titus 2:7, 11-14 (NKJV) in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, …… For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Doing good works is emphasized again in Titus 3:8, 14 (ESV) The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. …… And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, …… Doing good works is God’s will, as it is written 1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
Beware, there are too many false teachers have rejected these word of God, as it is written in Titus 1:10-11 (NIV) For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach —- and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
But who are they? We can recognize them according to what is written in Titus 1:15-16 (ESV) To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
It is quite clear, “many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers” are so full of “unbelieving“. They don’t have pure heart, as “both their minds and their consciences are defiled“. They did repeated sinner’s prayer, as “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works“, that means they live a life of “disobedient” in doing God’s will, (1 Peter 2:15) For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. They are also disobedient in imitating Jesus.
The Narrow Gate
Obviously there plenty of people live like that today, but the question is; in our everyday life, how to obey the word in Titus 1:13, … Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith. This is not simple, there are two totally different ways of practicing the scripture in real life application. Those who imitate Christ will follow His example, John 5:30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. And John 8:28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. Jesus does everything according to the Father’s instruction.
Therefore, when it comes to “rebuke them sharply” they will not act according to what’s in their mind, instead, they will imitate Jesus’ way of “speak just what the Father has taught me“. They will seek the Lord for real time instruction on what to say or how to say it. This can be done by praying something similar to,
Psalms 119:66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.
Psalms 119:125-128 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. It is time for you to act, O Lord; your law is being broken. Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.
Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Then, they can do accordingly as instructed. This is what the scripture says led “by the Spirit”, as Romans 8:9-10 explained: You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
In the same way, if they hear the scripture telling them, “let our people learn to devote themselves to good works“, they will also imitate Christ, “I do nothing on my own“. They will first seek God for guidance on doing what God considered good works for that day (or season), like Psalms 25:4-5, “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” And Psalms 143:10 “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” I think this is the way of the cross, to deny the self and follow Jesus’ way of “Enter through the narrow gate“.
This way is very difficult, because it depend on the hearing of His voice. I am sure many people have tried and gave up in the end, fro the cost is very high. As it is written, Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Everyone is free to choose which way he want. Whenever repeating the Psalms, we will hear the Holy Spirit gently advising us the best way to follow;
Psalms 119:10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
Psalms 119:58 I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
Psalms 119:145 I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord, and I will obey your decrees.
Psalms 138:1 I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
These Psalms explained what it means “find me when you seek me with all your heart“. It seems take 6 stages, “seek you with all my heart“, “keep your law and obey it with all my heart”, “sought your face with all my heart“, “call with all my heart“, then we can find God and say from the heart, “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart“. Otherwise, we may say only with lips, not our hearts.
We have to make the decision, whether to follow or not. When we start to seek Him with all our hearts, we may understand the real meaning of His word, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” That is the daily bread our souls depend on. That is the real time instruction on how to do God’s will. The growing of faith and love takes lots of efforts and time, as it is written, 2 Peter 1:5-9 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
Also remember Luke 13:24 (NKJV) “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. And Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. To summarize “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me“, it’s imitating Christ, that means —- put imitating Christ into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
The Wide Gate and Broad Way
Those who don’t take up their cross and imitate Christ doing God’s will, are likely on broad ways. Normally, they assume repeating sinner’s prayer is enough for salvation. Many have read the Bible, but only hold on to some of the scriptures and the best thing they can do is “try my best” without hearing Jesus’ voice nor inquiring of the Lord. They are often deceived by false teachers and false doctrines, as it is written, 2 Peter 3:15-16 … , just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Those who can’t hear Jesus’ voice nor seek Him for real time instruction are “ignorant and unstable people“. They walk in the flesh most of the time and produced overwhelming majority of teaching materials, books, videos, websites and so on. It would take lots of time to get something helpful. But take heed the word in Matthew 18:3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The doctrines, theologies and opinions of men simply will not make anybody becoming “like little children“. As it is written; ” ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Luke 16:15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.
We don’t know how many sheep have perished already because they had followed men’s easy ways that offer only false assurance. Based on a 2024 study from Barna Group and Pure Desire Ministries, 54% of practicing Christians admit to viewing pornography, a figure that is only 14% lower than the 68% of non-Christians who report doing so. Roughly 67% of pastors have a personal history of using pornography, with nearly 18% currently struggling with it. Just image how many more are living in sin that they don’t even considered as sin any more! It is a tragedy for the sheep to fall into many traps set by sinful “pastors” who do not know how to repent and some of them are not called by God.
Many of God’s children are lukewarm today, they often attend Sunday service, give money to charity, read the Bible, don’t smoke, don’t drink, waiting for Jesus to rapture them out of tribulation. They live like the church in Laodicea, Revelation 3:15-17 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
“to spit you out of my mouth“, means without protection from God. It’s a serious warning, but seems hidden. When the time of persecution, tribulation and judgement comes those without God’s protection would wish they never existed. Therefore, take heed Jesus’ advice, Revelation 3:18-20 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
“buy from me” emphasizing only from Jesus, not men-made theology or ideas, no matter how “good” or “spiritual” they may sound. Now let’s pray Psalms 23 and 25 (NKJV) ;
THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
TO You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses!
Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins.
Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.
Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!