“They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works” (v. 16). That’s what Paul told Timothy, and the Church has no shortage of similar hypocrites today. In fact, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll confess how easy it is for all of us to fall short in our faith, as our words and works don’t always measure up to what we know to be true. Worse yet, the remnants of sin within us can deceive us, blinding us to parts of our lives that are completely out of accord with God’s Word.

So, how can all of us become more consistent in our faith? Simply put, we need good leaders, and Paul says he left Titus in Crete to make sure that qualified elders could act as overseers of the Church. But what kind of leaders do we need?

Well, we certainly don’t need hypocrites trying to help us with our hypocrisy. But unfortunately, the Church has many such false teachers who prefer the “commands of people” to the commands of God (v. 14). Piling all sorts of legalistic burdens on fearful believers, many of these false teachers are just preaching for the money (v. 11), using guilt and fear to wring offerings from their desperate followers. Some of them even try to use abusive language to bring people into line, as Paul points out in verse 12.

In contrast, Paul calls for elders who do as they say, who lead by setting a good example – first as faithful husbands and caring fathers (v. 6), but also as trustworthy, generous and hospitable neighbors (vv. 7-8). Because their conduct has earned the trust of the members of the Church, wise and godly elders are thus able both to explain what the Bible says, and to apply it directly to our individual lives – even when that requires a measure of rebuke (v. 9)

So, do you want to make more progress in faith and holiness? Then find the right kind of leader to follow.

Titus 1:1-16 (ESV)

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you–
6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.
11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
12 One of the Cretans, 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 devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.