We have entered an era in our culture that propagates the philosophy of wokeism. Most of the time these woke individuals are a bunch of people who scream about various injustices. But most often they don’t have a real plan to address a specific imbalance or injustice. They scream and call others racist among so many other degrading names. Along the way they can inflict a good deal of unjustified damage, for instance by canceling people who made the wrong remarks about gender, CRT or other issues. However, when speaking their piece they don’t care to blaspheme Gods name or be evil toward Godly values and moral. I wish sometimes they would just shut-up!

I suppose you and I have prayed at times that God would silence certain people. I presume we could put together a list of people God could quiet. Like certain political leaders, teachers, philosophers, comedians, professors, religious persons, media personalities, journalists, talk-show hosts, writers, actors and even some preachers.

I have learned that part of the ministry of leadership in the church is to silence Gainsayers. They must be silenced because of the doctrinal damage they are doing. Paul noted their mouths must be stopped. It is evident that a number of these people existed on the island of Crete in the some cities and in the churches. Paul will address this challenge to Titus. However, before we can cover this challenge we shall review Gods’…

I. List of Positive Qualities vv. 8-9

1. We go back to the positive qualities: hospitable; that is opening ones resources to those who are in need. He gives from the resources that he has and the access of others to help people who have need.
He is to be characterized as “loving what is good.” He loves to be in the company of godly men. This is a combination of two words: phileo and agathon, “to love what is good. It means he’s a lover of good men and a lover of good things.

2. He is sober that is sound minded. This describes the person who is able to think clearly and with clarity. Dr. Warren Wiersbe states in his book Be Faithful that sober minded: “does not mean he has no sense of humor, or that he is always solemn and somber. Rather it suggests that he knows the value of things and does not cheapen the ministry or the Gospel message by foolish behavior.” A pastor or leader in the church must be just (right toward men), “holy”. It means “pure, unpolluted free from any disgrace of sin.” Here we are back to that blameless life again, “above reproach.

3. Next is self-controlled. He’s a man who has control of his life. He does not need to be policed as it were because he answers to God he knows God is watching. This person walks with God in the integrity of his heart.

II. Silence of the Gainsayers 9,10

1. In verse nine we have “Holding fast the faithful word”: This means that the leader must be sure of God’s Word for himself. When he brings the word of God to people he must bring it with confidence and authority, not mixed with theological speculation and academic doubts. The pastor, leader will stay true to God’s word, instead of a focus on fads and the culture.

2. “That he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” A godly leader will use his solid foundation in God’s word to exhort (encourage) those who are on the right track. He will also use it to convict those who are on the wrong track, those who contradict. This is done by, by sound doctrine: A godly leader deals with those who contradict, and he does it with sound doctrine. He doesn’t do it with pompous authority and political backstabbing. He brings correction with sound doctrine against the “gainsayer”. The term means to oppose oneself to one, decline to obey him, declare oneself against him, refuse to have anything to do with him. Leaders need to stand on the foundation of the word. — Gospel

3. Titus must appoint elders who will hold fast to the word of God. God wants pastors who will speak His Word, His truth – and so do we; and so did Paul. His instruction to Titus is very, very important. In verse 9, elders are to be able to “hold fast the faithful word”; they are to “be able to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict.” Here we find the compelling reason why this is so – because the church is inundated with people who must be silenced. “Part of spiritual leadership is this: silencing people who should not be speaking.

4. Paul is teaching Titus the way we silence them is by overwhelming them with truth. Jesus did that, and He did it over and over again with the Pharisees and the scribes and the Sadduccees. They spewed out their human philosophy and their pseudo –religious garbage and He cut them to shreds with divine truth. In Matthew 22:34 it says, “Jesus silenced the Sadduccees.” He shut their mouths because they became overpowered with truth. Let’s go to John 8:32-44 and look at Jesus in this situation. He starts by saying, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Conclusion:

Being a real leader is more than having a title; it is being able to inspire others to follow you and to rid the church of wolves in sheep clothing. The man of God will have the godly traits the father desires to lead His sheep. The false teachers and gainsayers will not; in fact they are self-willed, quick-tempered, addicted to wine, pugnacious, and they love money. They are not hospitable; they don’t love what is good; they are not sensible; they are not righteous; they’re not devout; and they’re not self-controlled; and they don’t handle the Word right. Therefore they need to be silenced!

Communion:

The first Sunday of most months we gather together and we receive communion. We know and understand that after a while our computers get junks up and fouled up and we must reboot the computer or our smart phones back to re-calibrate back to the proper settings and functions. Just as we need to do this on our electronic devices; we need Communion, we need to go to the Word of God for a spiritual examination and to hit our spiritual re-set button as it were. All sinfulness and offense should be dealt with before communion or you should not participate in communion. Once you decide to place that offense under the blood and come to the altar for communion you are saying in essences the matter is settled. I will forgive … Jesus taught us to seek forgiveness without delay. This is especially true when dealing with an offense. God’s forgiveness should lead us to fear Him, worship and adore God, for his grace and forgiveness.
Matthew 18: 15-17
The true church is the combine body of all born again believers. It is made up of all who genuinely confess Jesus to be “the Messiah and the Son of the Living God.” These are the members of the Church. These people are family. The purpose of the Communion is to safe- guard unity. It is design to protect this sacred unity. The apostle Paul rebuked the church at Corinth for their poor behavior and their disgrace at the Lord’s Supper.