假教师的危险
提多书一章10至16节
10因为有许多人不服约束，说虚空话欺哄人，那奉割礼的更是这样。
11这些人的口总要堵住。他们因贪不义之财，将不该教导的教导人，败坏人的全家。
12有克里特人中的一个本地先知说：“克里特人常说谎话，乃是恶兽，又馋又懒！”
13这个见证是真的。所以，你要严严地责备他们，使他们在真道上纯全无疵，
14不听犹太人荒渺的言语和离弃真道之人的诫命。
15在洁净的人，凡物都洁净；在污秽不信的人，甚么都不洁净，连心地和天良也都污秽了。
16他们说是认识神，行事却和他相背；本是可憎恶的，是悖逆的，在各样善事上是可废弃的。
信息分享
保罗在第11节强调要将这些人「堵住」。他们运用的手段，今天也屡见不鲜，其中一个方法，就是首先吸引某位家庭成员，然后借着他/她去迷惑全家。当一人受迷惑，不单使整个家庭陷入无尽的痛苦，更祸及整间教会。尤其是一些激动情绪的错误教义，最容易在教会中间造成严重的分裂；但它们却特别能够吸引那些喜欢新鲜感的人。
假教师的动机值得怀疑。保罗指出他们的动机是「贪不义之财」。历世历代的教会，都曾被这些为了一己贪念而自立作传道的人，弄得伤痕累累。一个要求信徒奉献所有储蓄的领袖，必然大有问题，我们必须立即远离他，并奉劝其他人不要追随。这是对任何假教派的一个准确测试。
革哩底人似乎特别容易听信谎言；但保罗相信福音能彻底改变他们。他建议提多要「严严地责备他们，使他们在真道上纯全无疵」。换句话说，不要把他们逐出教会，反要重建他们的信心，使他们再次坚定不移地相信耶稣基督。责备是为了挽回。请翻看加拉太书六章1节的教导；让我们也以此原则，来处理那些在教导和行为上出现偏差的信徒。
THE DANGER OF FALSE TEACHER
Titus 1: 10-16
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Message
Paul wrote in verse 11 that these false teachers must be stopped. One of their methods is still used today - get hold of one member of a household and then through him/her attempt to attract the whole family. This can cause endless heart ache and can disrupt not only family life but the whole church also. Nothing is so divisive than wrong doctrine especially when it appeals to the emotions and to people who are always looking for something new.
The motives of false teachers are often suspected. Paul speaks of them doing this for “dishonest gain”. The church of God has been hurt many many times by self-appointed preachers of various kinds who are only doing it for the sake of money. When a group leader wants his or her followers to contribute all of their savings, we should clearly stay away from them and warn others also not to be involved. That is one sure test of a false cult.
The people of Crete seemed to have been particularly susceptible to any untruth or false statements. But Paul believed the Gospel could completely change them. The words he used in saying how to deal with these people was “rebuke so that they will be sound in the faith”. In other words, don’t throw them out of the church but win them to a new place of faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The rebuke was to bring about restoration. Look at Galatians 6:1, and let it guide us in dealing with those who are wrong in teaching or behaviour.