Let’s finish chapter 1 (verse 10-16)

v10: Many people are unruly, insubordinate or reject authority. They do not want to submit to truth because it does not accomplish their own purposes.

· Idle or empty talkers – they speak of things that have no eternal significance.

· Those of the circumcision – we learnt about these people in Acts (the Judaisers). They demanded that all men needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul was not against circumcision, BUT he was against it if it was done for the purpose of obtaining salvation.

v11: Subvert means to corrupt, overturn or overthrow from the foundation, ruin, destroy etc. That is what these people have done to entire households.

· The things they have taught are shameful and have led people to sin.

· The reason they do it is for their own personal financial gain. When our primary desire is worldly gain, we will be easily manipulated by the enemy.

v12: Evil beasts – they follow animalistic instinct rather than truth. This leads them to do evil

· Gluttons are people who are driven by their own hungers or carnal desires.

v13: These people need to be rebuked (reprimanded, disciplined) sharply or sternly. Paul tells us here that it is acceptable to be harsh with those who claim to be believers but who are embracing and teaching falsehood, who are motivated by financial gain and who are in bondage to their carnal nature.

We need to be people who are highly concerned for the soundness of doctrine – our faith. Leaders need to be people willing to rebuke, reprove and convict those who are not teaching the truth of G-d.

v14: We are not to be people giving heed or committed to myths or stories that fill the rabbinical literature (oral law).

· Commandments of men = traditions of the elders

· If we embrace those two things written above (both false teachings) then we are going to be turned away from truth.

v15: When we are committed to the truth of G-d (pure and clean) we know how to steward or use all things for the Kingdom of G-d. This does not mean we can do sinful things (or whatever WE want to do) and call them clean.

· Defiled – those who are unclean (not committed to G-d’s truth) misappropriate even those things that would have ordinarily been considered clean. They do not know how to handle the Word of truth appropriately.

· Minds… And consciences – they have brought defilement to the way that they think and even to their thoughts on a subconscious level (our conscience is like our moral compass) 1 Tim 4:1-5

v16: Their words and actions don’t tie up. What they say they don’t do.

· Abominable – gross. So unappealing that they are rejected.

· Disobedient – against the faith

· Disqualified for EVERY good work – nothing good will be counted for them. Good work = the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who enables us to behave in a way that produces good fruit – that which is pleasing and acceptable to G-d.