“They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” – Titus 1:16

Scripture reading: Isaiah 29:13-24; Titus 1:10-16

Hypocrisy looks ugly on everyone. An ugly dress on a beautiful bride is still an ugly dress. An ugly piece of artwork in a beautiful gallery is still an ugly piece of artwork. Social media is saturated with people who say (or have said) one thing, and then do another. Everyone is a hypocrite; no one lives life perfectly in line with what they believe.

False teachers can be identified by their hypocrisy. They claim a special knowledge about God—by some other kind of “special” revelation. Yet, in their personal lives, these false teachers show anything but good works. They are detestable, or abominable, and the sense is that they pervert justice (see Prov. 17:15; probably by way of bribes; remember, they are greedy for shameful gain); they are disobedient (in private, breaking God’s Law and not repenting of it); they are unfit (unqualified; morally reprehensible). In other words, the lives of the false teachers show a disgusting and repulsive lifestyle that does not at all agree with God’s Word.

Contrast all that description to what the Bible requires of elders (1:6-9). Men who are biblically qualified to lead God’s church and teach must have a quality of character that produces a godly lifestyle. Doctrine matters; true doctrine leads to true living.

Here are three simple questions to help identify false teaching: 1) Does the teaching agree with Scripture? 2) Is the teaching spiritual and heart-changing?  3) Does the teaching lead to godly living or hypocrisy

Suggestions for prayer

Pray for the church to be protected from false teaching. Pray for the church to be purified by the gospel of truth and for God’s people to stand firm in sound doctrine. Pray for your elders and minister.

Rev. Todd De Rooy currently serves in Redeemer URC, in Orange City, Iowa. He has served there since being ordained in 2008. It is their earnest prayer that by the grace of God, they would renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.