The reason the church needs elders who can correct error with sound doctrine is that unfortunately there are many who seek to deceive believers with empty talk. Paul highlights the circumcision party which were Jews who professed to be believers but who insisted that Christians be circumcised and observe other aspects of the Jewish law. This, like many other Christian errors, seeks to add works to salvation and in effect denies the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross for our complete salvation. These people were upsetting whole families and were driven by selfish gain.

Paul quotes a Cretan writer, Epimenides (c. 600 BC) who wrote, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” While clearly a generalisation, he was summing up the characteristics of the people of his nation. Paul was certainly not saying that the believers were like this but the false teachers certainly fit this description. It is not clear who Paul expected Timothy to rebuke, the false teachers or the believers who were falling for their lies. He could be referring to the believers who may already be wavering and turning away from the truth. Alternatively, if the false teachers are rising up from within the church, then they were to be rebuked for turning away from the truth and teaching what is other.

Paul clarifies that for those who are pure (clean) all things are pure (clean) but for those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure (clean). This parallels Jesus’ teaching (Mark 7:1-23) and Peter’s experience (Acts 10:9-15; 11:1-18). Those who have been cleaned through belief in Jesus are not going to be able to make themselves more or less clean through what they eat. But those who are still in their sin, no matter what religious observances they may choose to follow, will never be clean because their minds and their consciences are defiled. It doesn’t help to be clean on the outside in strict religious acts if we are not clean on the inside, changed by the Holy Spirit because of our new birth in Christ. These false teachers professed to know God but their actions told a different story. While they promoted good works as the requirement for holiness, Paul exclaims that they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for good work. C. S. Lewis said something that fits this quite nicely, “Of all bad men religious bad men are the worse.”

God wants us to do good works for Him (Eph 2:10) but he doesn’t want us to put the cart before the horse. The good works we do must flow from a change within. We cannot hope to please God by doing good works which we decide to do. Are you doing “good works” from the wrong motive? Are you not doing the good works that show that you know God? To avoid error, it’s always best to return to the truth of God’s word.