That’s not a way I would want someone to characterize me. But that’s how Paul described the people of Crete. Why would he be so harsh? His purpose was that they would become spiritually mature. Paul admonished Titus to “rebuke them as sternly as necessary to make them strong in the faith ” (Titus 1:13). Stern rebukes aren’t pleasant. But as it says in Proverbs 15:31, “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.” Proverbs also says:

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
– Proverbs 3:11-12 

Rebukes are strong medicine, tough to swallow, but they can be life-giving. In the case of God, they are an expression of love because He longs for us to grow strong in the faith and in so doing drawn near to Him. Let’s take a look at Paul’s particular rebuke for the Cretans.

    * Some had turned their back on the truth and instead listened to the Jewish myth of requiring circumcision for salvation (Titus 1:10,14). Paul said that teachers of this doctrine must be silenced for they were leading whole families away from the truth.

    * He called them liars, cruel and lazy (v. 12).

    * And he said that the corrupt and unbelieving have defiled consciences and deny God. He called them despicable, disobedient and worthless for doing anything good (v. 15-16).

If that’s not harsh enough for you, read Galatians 1:8-9 where Paul repeated multiple times that anyone who preaches false doctrine should be cursed by God. In the Old Testament there are entire books filled with blistering prophecies of destruction for people who have turned away from the Lord. Take the book of Amos, for example. Death, destruction, hunger, rains that ruin harvests, drought at other times, terrible war, plagues, mass slaughter and exile. There is unspeakable destruction promised when we continually reject God. In chapter 5, God calls His people to repent, live righteous lives and to follow Him with all their hearts:

    * Come back to me and live! Don’t go to worship idols (Amos 5:4)

    * Come back to the LORD and live If you don’t he will roar through Israel like a fire, devouring you completely (5:6).

    * I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry (5:24).

I feel as if God is saying to me, “Wake up! Beware of the coming destruction!” He doesn’t want me to suffer. He doesn’t want me to die. He wants me to return to Him and live. He wants me to repent so that I can turn to Him and be restored to fellowship with Him. The truth is that God loves me. He wants the best for me. In chapter 4 of Amos, we learn that God will bring disaster upon His people in order to issue a wake-up call, in hopes that they will return to Him. Unfortunately, they mostly never repent.

In Psalm 80, the people cry out to God and ask why He hasn’t rescued them. They say with very religious words:

Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will be saved. O LORD God Almighty, how long will you be angry and reject our prayers? You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful …why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass may steal our fruit … Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice. Then we will never forsake you again (Psalm 80:3-5,12,17-18). 

In essence the people are begging God to help them against their enemies. They wonder why God has been so mean to them. They admit that they have forsaken God, but instead of repenting, they ask God why He has abandoned them. We often do this, don’t we? We sin and go our own way and then blame God for being a mean and angry God when things go wrong.

As if in response, the prophet Amos says:

Do what is good and run from evil-that you may live! Then the LORD God Almighty will be your helper, just as you have claimed He is (Amos 5:14). 

For those of us who would rather not be counted among the corrupt and unbelieving, despicable, disobedient and worthless for doing anything good, then we would be wise to embrace God’s life-giving rebuke. His purpose is that we would grow strong in the faith and his motivation is love. He is beckoning me and you to return to Him and live. I don’t want to be labeled a cruel animal or lazy glutton. But I acknowledge that I am a sinner in desperate need of God’s grace. And as I run to the Lord, I firmly believe that He will be my Helper.

Dear Lord, I surrender to You. I confess that I am a sinner. I turn away from my sin, Lord, and turn to You. I know that You are saving my soul. I know that You love me enough to discipline me so that I can grow strong in the faith. God, help me to return to You moment by moment. You know that by nature I am wayward, but You can help me walk the straight and narrow path. What is impossible for man is possible with You, God. Teach me to walk justly and live righteously. Lord, be my Helper and be with me always.