Therefore rebuke them sternly,
The directive to rebuke indicates a need for correction within the church. The Greek word for "rebuke" suggests a sharp, decisive action, reflecting the seriousness of the false teachings being addressed. This aligns with other New Testament instructions for church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17). The cultural context of Crete, with its reputation for deceit, necessitated a firm approach to ensure doctrinal purity.

so that they will be sound in the faith
The goal of the rebuke is restorative, aiming to bring individuals back to a healthy, robust faith. "Sound" implies wholeness and health, suggesting that false teachings can lead to spiritual sickness. This reflects the pastoral concern for the spiritual well-being of the church community. The phrase connects to the broader biblical theme of faith as a foundation for Christian life (Hebrews 11:1). The emphasis on soundness in faith underscores the importance of correct doctrine for spiritual growth and stability.

• Paul has just cited one of Crete’s own poets: “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). By adding, “This testimony is true,” he affirms that the description accurately matches the false teachers troubling the churches.

• Because every word of Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), Paul’s confirmation carries divine authority. The apostle is not indulging in slander; he is acknowledging a real spiritual problem that must be addressed (John 17:17).

• Similar acknowledgments of sin’s reality appear elsewhere: Jesus calls the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27), and Peter exposes Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit (Acts 5:3-4). Scripture never glosses over what endangers the flock.

• Recognizing the truth about error is the first step toward protecting and purifying Christ’s people (Ephesians 5:11-13).

• Because the assessment is true, decisive action follows: “rebuke them sternly” (Titus 1:13). Godly leadership must confront error, not merely observe it.

• Stern rebuke is commanded elsewhere:

– “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (2 Timothy 4:2).

– “Those who sin should be rebuked in the presence of all, so that the rest also will stand in fear” (1 Timothy 5:20).

– Jesus Himself rebukes wayward disciples (Luke 9:55) and even entire churches (Revelation 3:19).

• Practical shape of a stern rebuke:

– Clear identification of the error (Galatians 2:14).

– Compassion for the sinner but zero tolerance for the sin (Proverbs 27:6).

– Aim for public benefit when the error is public (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).

• The authority to rebuke rests in Christ’s charge to shepherds to guard the flock from wolves (Acts 20:28-31).

• The goal is restorative, not punitive: “so that they will be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13). Godly rebuke seeks to heal doctrine and character.

• “Sound” means healthy, free from corruption—echoing 1 Timothy 1:10, “sound doctrine.” Corrective truth functions like medicine (Psalm 107:20).

• Other passages stress restoring the erring:

– “Correct opponents with gentleness. God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).

– “Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him” (Galatians 6:1).

– Church discipline aims that “his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

• When rebuke achieves its purpose, the church enjoys:

– Doctrinal solidity (Ephesians 4:14-15).

– Relational harmony (Colossians 3:14).

– Missional credibility (Philippians 2:15-16).

Titus 1:13 upholds both the truthfulness of Scripture’s diagnosis of sin and the loving necessity of firm correction. The apostle commands Titus to confront error directly, with the redemptive aim of restoring believers to robust, healthy faith. Sound doctrine and holy living flourish when shepherds courageously expose falsehood and guide the flock back to Christ’s saving truth.

Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.--Some render, wherefore confute, that is to say, set them right, sharply (apotom?s). The substantive apotomia, translated in the English version "severity," is used in the passage about the "wild olive tree" (Romans 11:22). As a surgeon's knife cuts away the diseased and mortifying flesh, so must the words and discipline of Titus, the Apostle's representative in Crete, sharply rebuke, and, if need be, punish the sinning members of the congregation. Not merely the false teachers--the deceivers--are referred to here, but also the deceived, those whole households mentioned in Titus 1:11; and the object of this severity in words and acts was that the lapsed, the doctrinally and morally sick, among the Cretan Christians, should be restored to health again; and the sound state of faith and practice would, St. Paul proceeded to show, consist in "the rejection of Jewish fables and the commandments of these men."