Commentary on Titus 3:1-15

WHAT THE CRETANS ARE TO DO, WHAT THEY ARE TO AVOID
A Summary of Titus 3:1-11

In this last section of his letter St. Paul gives Titus certain counsels which he is to set before all the faithful of Crete. They are to be obedient to authority, helpful to others, and considerate of outsiders, remembering their former sinful state out of which God's pure mercy and grace delivered them, thus making them heirs of eternal life (Tit. 3:1-7). Titus must insist that being a Christian carries with it the obligation of producing fruit in good works. Useless discussions are to be avoided, and those who persist in them are to be shunned (Tit. 3:8-11).

Tit. 3:1. Admonish them to be subject to princes and powers, to obey, to be ready for every good work.

Admonish them, i.e., the Christians of Crete.

Princes, powers, i.e., both the supreme and subordinate authorities. The Cretans were notorious for sedition.

Tit. 3:2. To speak evil of no man, not to be litigious but gentle, shewing all mildness towards all men.

The graces of Christianity are to be shown to outsiders, as well as to fellow-Christians. Gentleness “is the indulgent consideration of human infirmities” (Aristotle, quoted by Lock).

Tit. 3:3. For we ourselves also were some time unwise, incredulous, erring, slaves to divers desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

In verses 3-7 the Apostle reminds the Christians of Crete of the reasons why they should be charitable and kind towards all men, even sinners. They themselves were once in a pitiable condition (Rom 1:30 ff.), and it is only through the goodness and mercy of God that they have been saved.

Some time, i.e., before we were Christians.

Unwise, incredulous, etc. Let the Christians of Crete, whether of Jewish or Gentile origin, reflect on their own past non-Christian lives, and they will find no reason for boasting, but rather every reason to feel humble and to be kind to their pagan neighbors. The common Greek word for “pleasures” occurs only here in St. Paul, and the term for “hateful” is not found elsewhere in the Bible.

Tit. 3:4. But when the kindness and love for men of God our Saviour appeared,

Over against the malice and hatefulness of men St. Paul sets the kindness and love of God. We have revised the wording of the verse in accordance with the Greek, and the Vulgate should be likewise changed.

God our Saviour is here applied to God the Father, as in 1 Tim 1:1.  The goodness and love of the Eternal Father towards us have been manifested in the Incarnation of our Lord and in our justification.

Tit. 3:5. Not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost.

Before describing the works of God’s love in our behalf the Apostle affirms their absolute gratuitousness, stating that our justification and salvation are not due to any meritorious works done by us, whether in the state of nature or under the Mosaic Law, but only and entirely to the pure mercy of God (cf. Rom 3:20 ff.; 2 Tim 1:9; Eph 2:9-10); and the medium or instrumental cause employed by Almighty God to confer on us the graces of justification and salvation is “the laver of regeneration and renovation,” i.e., the Sacrament of Baptism.

Of the Holy Ghost, to whom is attributed the work of our spiritual regeneration and renovation, as being a work of love. See on 2 Tim 1:9.

Tit. 3:6. Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

Since the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son by way of love, we attribute to Him works of love; but that our justification and salvation are in reality the work of the whole Divine Trinity is evident from this verse.

Whom means the Holy Ghost, of whom there has just been question; and “he” means God the Father, who is the subject of the whole sentence, God the Father in Baptism has abundantly poured into our souls the Holy Ghost, i.e., sanctifying grace and the other gifts of the Divine Spirit, which Jesus Christ by His sufferings and death has merited for us.

Tit. 3:7. That, being justified by his grace, we might be heirs according to hope of life everlasting.

That indicates the final purpose of the justification we have received through the rich outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon our souls in Baptism, which is to make us “heirs of life everlasting.” This final and glorious issue of our spiritual lives we now possess in hope.

Tit. 3:8. Faithful is the saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they who believe in God may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

The Apostle concludes the exhortation of verses 3-7 by inculcating the performance of good works, on which he is ever insisting throughout the Pastoral Epistles.

Faithful is the saying, i.e., worthy of all belief, referring to what he has been saying in the verses just preceding; these truths St. Paul wishes Titus to preach constantly, so that the faith of his hearers may be living and fruitful in good works.

These things, etc., i.e., the truths he has been stressing.

Tit. 3:9. But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.

In verses 9- 11 St. Paul tells Titus to avoid the foolish questions and quarrels of the heretics and the heretics themselves. See on 1 Tim. 1:4, 6:4, and 2 Tim, 2:23, where the same advice is given.

Tit. 3:10. A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid,

Heretic. According to its primary meaning this word means one who makes divisions, factions-therefore, a factious person. But since there is question now of doctrine and of adhering stubbornly to error, it seems the term must here be given the strict meaning it came to have in later times. The adjective does not occur again in the New Testament, but the corresponding substantive is found in a number of places in St. Paul and the Acts.

Tit. 3:11. Knowing that he that is such an one, is perverted and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.

He now explains the reason why the pertinacious heretic is to be avoided. Such a one "is perverted," i.e., beyond hope of repair, because he has separated himself from the foundation which is faith ; he is "condemned by his own judgment," because it is his persistence in error that has put him out of the Church.

CONCLUSION
A Summary of Titus 3:12-15

Tit. 3:12. When I shall send to thee Artemas or Tychicus, make haste to come unto me to Nicopohs. For there I have determined to winter.

Artemas, of whom we know nothing further for certain. According to tradition he became Bishop of Lystra.

Tychicus. See on 2 Tim. 4:12; Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7; Acts 20:4.

Nicopolis, most probably the city of that name in Epirus, which at this time was an important place built by Augustus after the battle of Actium, deriving its name from that victory. There was also a Nicopolis in Cilicia and in Thrace; but neither of these would agree so well with 2 Tim. 4:10, where it is said that Titus had gone to Dalmatia. It is clear from the closing words of this verse that St. Paul was entirely at liberty at this time. Ramsay thinks he meant to make Nicopolis a centre for preaching in Epirus and that he was arrested there. The opinion seems probable.

Tit. 3:13. Send forward Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollo, with care, that nothing be wanting to them.

Zenas, mentioned only here. He apparently was skilled in Jewish or Roman law. Tradition says he became Bishop of Diospolis and was the author of an apocryphal work known as "The Acts of Titus."

Apollo, the eloquent Alexandrian preacher, of whom there is question in Acts 18:24, 19:1; 1 Cor. 1:12, 3:4, etc.

Tit. 3:14. And let our men also learn to excel in good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

As a last word St. Paul emphasizes the need of industry and the performance of good works on the part of the Christians of Crete.

Tit. 3:15. All that are with me salute thee : salute them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

All that are with me, etc., i.e., his traveling companions and co-laborers.

Salute them, etc., i.e., the Christians of Crete, who were united to the Apostle and his companions by the same "faith," i.e., loyalty to Christ and His teachings. The blessing is to Titus and the whole Church of Crete.

Dei and Amen of the Vulgate are not represented in the Greek.

Commentary on Titus 2:1-15

TITUS' TEACHING OF VARIOUS CLASSES OF PERSONS

A Summary of Titus 2:1-15

Here St. Paul tells Titus that the best way to correct the unwholesome teachings of the false guides in Crete will be to set before the people the simple positive doctrines of the Gospel as regards all classes, old and young of both sexes ; and in doing all this Titus must show himself an example in doctrine and practice, so as to disarm adversaries. Even slaves and servants, by their obedience, honesty, and fidelity, may be an ornament in all respects to the doctrine of their God and Saviour (Tit. 2:1-10). These teachings of the Gospel are entirely within the power of all to practise; for we have as helps the grace of God which has been manifested for the salvation of all mankind, and the glorious prospect of seeing hereafter the Saviour who gave Himself for us that He might free us from all sins and perfect us in every good work. Let Titus preach these things with all authority (Tit. 2:11-15).

Tit. 2:1. But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine:

In contrast with the false teachers who were unsettling whole households by their fables and the commandments of men (Titus 1: 11, Titus 1:14), Titus is to instruct the faithful in the sound doctrine of the Gospel which has come from God. 

Tit. 2:2. That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.

The Apostle now begins to indicate in the concrete what he means by the “sound doctrine” that Titus is to teach. And first, as regards older men, they should practise those virtues which in a special manner become their years and which age sometimes makes hard. 

Aged men. Though the Greek word here used is different from that employed in 1 Tim 5:1, the meaning is the same. 

Tit. 2:3. The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well: 

Aged women, a Greek word found only here in the Canonical Scriptures, but the same in meaning as the similar word in 1 Tim 5:2. 

In holy attire. Better, “devout in demeanor,” referring to habits of mind and heart, as well as outward actions and appearance. 

False accusers, i.e., slanderers. 

Not given to much wine, as was too often the case among pagan women. 

Teaching well, i.e., privately in families. See on 1 Tim 2:10-12.

1 Tim 2:10-12 reads: Having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbor, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have dihgently followed every good work. But the younger widows reject. For when they have grown wanton against Christ, they will marry, Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith. Here is what Fr. Callan wrote on that passage:

Here are mentioned further qualifications required of those widows whose names were to be put on the church list. It was the dispositions manifested by these works rather than their actual performance that counted.

1 Tim 2:10. If she have brought up children, not necessarily her own.

If she have washed, etc. To wash the feet of guests was a necessary complement of hospitality among the Orientals (Matt 26:6; Luke 7:44), and an act of extreme humility (John 13:5-15.).

1 Tim 2:11. In verses 11 -15 St. Paul explains the reasons why certain widows should not be put on the church list. It is supposed that the women thus listed are enrolled for life in the service of the Church; and if they are younger than sixty, they will want to change and remarry “when they have grown wanton against Christ,” i.e., when they have grown tired of the life to which they have engaged themselves. The Greek word for “grown wanton” is found only here, and the figure is that of a young animal that has tired of its yoke and has become restive through fullness of vigor.

1 Tim 2:12. hose widows who had been enrolled on the church list had consecrated themselves to a work for Christ which was incompatible with remarriage; and to break the pledge they had thus freely made would bring upon them the guilt of being unfaithful to their first troth, which was to the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Damnation here means the guilt of unfaithfulness. The punishment of eternal damnation is not at all necessarily involved or implied in this instance; although, if there is unfaithfulness to Christ in one direction, it can easily spread to every direction and to all matters.

Tit. 2:4. That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children,

The Apostle now points out the object and motive of the good teaching on the part of older women spoken of at the end of the preceding verse; they are to exercise this good office on younger women, especially young married women, so as to instruct them in the duties peculiar to their state.

To love their husbands, etc. Quite literally, “to be husbandlovers, children-lovers.” The first Greek substantive is found only here in the Greek Bible, and the second only here in the New Testament. Love is the domestic source of strength and influence for married women; it is like a central heating plant which warms and cheers the whole person and extends its radiation to all around.

Tit. 2:5. To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


Having a care of the house. It is disputed whether we should read here, quite literally, “keepers at home” or “workers at home.” The former is descriptive of the ideal wife among the Greeks, and hence very probable; but the latter has the support of the best MSS., and so it is to be preferred.

That the word of God, etc. The conduct and example of Christian wives would have great influence on pagan outsiders; hence they should give no occasion for adverse criticism.

Tit 2:6. Younger men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober.


Sober, i.e., sober in mind and conduct. The Greek word here literally means “wise”; it may also be translated “self-control.”

Tit. 2:7. In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in teaching, in integrity, in gravity,


In all things. St. Jerome and some other authorities join these words to the end of the preceding verse. Titus, like every bishop, is to be an example to all (1 Tim 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3)—but especially to younger men—in blameless conduct and sound teaching.

Tit. 2:8. The sound word that can not be blamed, that he who is in opposition may be afraid, having no evil to say of us.

The sound word, etc. Titus’ discourse or preaching must reflect the soundness of his doctrine.

That cannot be blamed is one word in Greek, and means “irreprehensible”; it is found elsewhere in the Bible only in 2 Macc 4:47.

That he, etc., i.e., that the adversary may be silenced. A simple presentation of the true doctrine will shame the enemy.

Tit. 2:9. Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, in all things pleasing, not gainsaying,
Tit. 2:10. Not defrauding, but in all things shewing good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

9-10. See on Eph. 6:5-9; 1 Tim. 6:1-2.

Tit. 2:11. For the grace of God appeared bringing salvation to all men;

The Apostle now (ver. 11-14) gives reasons why Christians should observe the precepts he has been enjoining, namely, first, because the grace of God has appeared in the Incarnation of God’s only Son, “bringing salvation to all men” (ver. 11-12), and secondly, because by observing those precepts and living holy lives we prepare ourselves for the glorious coming of our Saviour (ver. 13-14).

The aorist “appeared” indicates the definite appearance of the Saviour at the time of His Incarnation. The adjective here translated “salvation” does not occur elsewhere, and it is to be connected with “all men.”

Tit. 2:12. Instructing us that denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world,

The purpose of the Incarnation was to save us from our sins and to teach us the way to heaven.

That denying, etc. This phrase expresses the negative duties of the Christian life, while the following words, “we should live, etc.,” express the positive requirements of the same life. The words “soberly, justly, godly” embrace all our Christian obligations—to ourselves, to our neighbor, and to God.

Tit. 2:13. Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Christ Jesus,

The practice of the holy life taught us by our Saviour carries with it the right and privilege on our part of looking forward one day to a glorious realization of our hope, that is, of seeing the blessed object of our hope, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Coming would be better translated “appearing,” and the absence of the article before it shows its close connection with “hope”; its Greek equivalent is found only in the Pastoral Letters and in 2 Thess 2:8, and it refers to our Lord’s Second Coming everywhere, except in 2 Tim 1:10, where it means His First Advent. Since, therefore, the word “appearing,” here as everywhere, is applied to our Lord and never to God the Father, and since there is only one preposition governing “great God” and “Saviour Jesus Christ,” it is next to certain that the Apostle in this verse is speaking only of our Lord, and not of God the Father and our Lord. That he should speak of our Lord as “the great God” is only to emphasize the glory of His coming. We have, therefore, in this verse an implied but solemn proof of the divinity of our Lord.

Tit. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a chosen people, zealous for good works.

Who gave himself, etc. See on commentary Eph 5:2; 1 Tim 2:6.

Redeem, cleanse. These words express respectively the negative and positive aspects of the one process of sanctification.

From all iniquity. Literally, “from all lawlessness.”

A chosen people, i.e., a people who would be His own property or possession. This is the meaning of the Greek. The language here is from Psalm 130:8, Ex 19:5, Deut 6:6, 14:2, etc., where God’s choice and formation of Israel as His own people are in question.

Tit. 2:15. These things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. 

The foregoing exhortations and precepts Titus must preach and announce with full power and authority, and he must not hesitate to rebuke the wayward and disobedient, for he speaks not as a private person but as God's minister and in God's name. See commentary on 1 Tim. 4:11-12.

Commentary on Titus 1:1-16

INSCRIPTION AND GREETINGA Summary of Titus 1:1-4. 

The introduction to this letter is somewhat longer than usual. St. Paul asserts his divine authority to preach the faith to God’s chosen ones, that they may sanctify themselves and thus become worthy of the promise of eternal life which was given long ago and has now been revealed through the Gospel. Paul is the preacher of this heavenly message according to the command of God, and he writes to Titus as a son in Christ, since they both share that common faith and the resultant peace and grace which God bestows in Christ Jesus. 

Tit. 1:1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God and the acknowledging of the truth which is according to godliness.

Servant of God, a phrase found only here in St. Paul’s letters, and therefore a mark of the genuineness of the Epistle since no forger would be likely to use a strange expression in the very first line of his letter.

An apostle, i.e., a commissioned agent. The Apostle proclaims his authority and commission on account of the false teachers in Crete. 

According to the faith. This points out the purpose of the Apostle’s commission, which was to preach the faith “of the elect of God,” i.e., the faith common to all Christians, which all mankind are called to share, so that all may come to a knowledge of the truth “of the Gospel,” which truth “is according to godliness,” i.e., it teaches us how to worship God as we should and live according to His will. 

Tit. 1:2. Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who lieth not, promised before the times of the world,

Unto the hope, etc. The purpose of the Apostle’s preaching and of the Gospel truth which he proclaims is to stimulate the hope of life eternal which the ever-truthful God “promised before the times of the world,” i.e., from all eternity (see 2 Tim 1:9). This last phrase is understood by some expositors to refer to the promise made in Old Testament times to the Patriarchs and Prophets, but the first explanation is thought to be more probable. 

Tit. 1:3. But hath in due times manifested his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour:

The construction here is difficult, but the meaning is clear enough. The promise to give eternal life to the elect, which God had decreed from eternity, was made manifest in due time in the preaching of the Gospel message, which Paul had been commissioned to preach by God Himself.

God our Saviour. See commentary on 1 Tim 1:1. 

Tit. 1:4. To Titus my beloved son, according to the common faith, grace and peace from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Titus. See Introduction to this Epistle, No. I. 

The common faith, which was the bond of their spiritual relationship. 

Christ Jesus our Saviour. In the preceding verse we had “God our Saviour,” which shows that our Lord is true God.

DUTIES DEVOLVING UPON TITUS
A Summary of Titus 1:5-16. 

St. Paul has left Titus in Crete to set things in order, and to this end one of the first things that should engage the attention of the young bishop will be the appointment of proper church officials, priests and bishops of high moral and spiritual character, whose doctrine is above question and whose manner of living is a perfect reflection of that doctrine (Tit. 1:5-9). This is at all times necessary, but especially so in conditions such as confront Titus in Crete, where there are abroad certain false teachers, the worst of them Jewish, who for the sake of money are circulating ideas and discussing questions that are unsettling the faith and demoralizing the lives of Christians. The Cretans are only too much disposed to vice and disorder, and hence Titus must sharply rebuke those false and misleading guides, and recall the faithful to soundness of doctrine and Tightness of conduct. Those false teachers are defiled from within, and they deny by their lives the God whom they profess with their lips (Tit. 1:10-16). 

1 Tit. 1:5. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

For this cause, etc. St. Paul refers to a time when he and Titus visited the Island of Crete together, which must have been between the first and second Roman imprisonments. We cannot identify this visit with the passing glimpse of Crete which is related in Acts 27:7-13, when Paul as a prisoner was on his way to Rome from Caesarea; for at that time it seems the Apostle did not land at all. 

The things that are wanting, i.e., the reforms that St. Paul was unable to complete before he was called away. 

Priests. See commentary on 1 Tim. 3:1. 

As I also appointed thee, i.e., as St. Paul had instructed him to do when leaving him there. 

Tit. 1:6. If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly.
Tit. 1:7. For a bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not arrogant, not subject to anger, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy offilthy lucre:
Tit. 1:8. But given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober, just, holy, continent;
Tit. 1:9. Embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers.

6-9. These verses are nearly identical with those of 1 Tim 3:1-7, on which see notes. 

Faithful children, i.e., children who are Christians. 

Not accused of riot, i.e., of riotous and profligate living. 

A lover of good, i.e., of everything good. The word occurs only here. 

Just, holy. These qualities, though understood, are not mentioned in 1 Tim 3:1-7. 

Embracing that faithful word, etc., i.e., that teaching which was taught by our Lord and the Apostles. Throughout these letters St. Paul is insisting on the need of sound doctrine, sound teaching, sound faith (cf. 1 Tim 1:10, 6:3, 20;  2 Tim 1:13, 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13, etc.). 

And to convince, etc. If a bishop or priest is not a master of sound doctrine himself, how can he convince unbelievers and refute heretics? He must first know and be persuaded himself before he can teach and persuade others.

Tit. 1:10. For there are many disobedient, vain talkers, and seducers ; especially they who are of the circumcision:

In verses 10-16 St. Paul gives two more reasons why he requires in the clergy of Crete the qualifications just enumerated, namely, because of the presence in the island of many false teachers,
and because of the perverse character of the Cretans.

Disobedient. Better, "insubordinate," to the teachings of the Gospel and their lawful superiors.

Vain talkers is one word in Greek, and it occurs only here in the Bible.

Of the circumcision, i.e., Christian converts from Judaism : these were causing most of the trouble. See commentary on 2 Tim. 2:16-18.

Etiam of the Vulgate is not in the best Greek.

Tit. 1:11. Who must be reproved, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of base gain.

Who must be reproved. The Greek reads: "Whose mouth must be stopped." 

Who subvert, etc. These false teachers carry their pernicious doctrines into families and upset whole households, putting one against another ; and all this is done for the sake of the money they thereby get, which is therefore rightly called "base gain."

Tit. 1:12. One of them, a prophet of their own, said: The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slothful bellies.

One of them, i.e., one of the Cretans.

Prophet. This title the Greeks were accustomed to give to their poets, who were thought to be inspired by the gods. The Cretan poet here alluded to was Epimenides, who lived about 600 B.C., and the verse quoted is from his Minos. The first part of this verse was later quoted by the Alexandrian poet Callimachus (300-240 B.C.) in a hymn to Zeus, and applied to the false Cretan story that Zeus (the Greek Jupiter) was killed and that his tomb was in the Island of Crete. The verse seems to have been well known as an accurate description of the character and conduct of the Cretans.

Tit. 1:13. This testimony is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 

Without qualification the Apostle accepts the testimony of Epimenides regarding his fellow-Cretans; but of course this is to be understood of the people generally, and in particular of the false teachers, who are to be "rebuked sharply" for the sake of the faith which they are imperilling.

Tit. 1:14. Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn themselves away from the truth.

Jewish fables. See commentary on 1 Tim. 1:4, 

Commandments of men. See commentary on 1 Tim. 4:7;  Commentary on Col. 2:21; Matt 15:2 ff. 

Who turn away, etc. The Greek reads : "Who turn their backs upon the truth."

Tit. 1:15. All things are dean to the clean; but to them that are defiled, and to unbelievers, nothing is clean; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

Soundness in faith and soundness in morals are linked together in the Pastoral Letters ; and of course the contrary is equally true: bad teaching leads to bad living. The Cretan Judaizers were drawing distinctions between clean and unclean foods according to Old Testament prescriptions ; but St. Paul would have them understand that all foods in themselves, as created by God, are good and pure, and that it is only the wrong intention and the wrong mind which make them bad or unclean.

Tit. 1:16. They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him; being abominable, and incredulous, and to every good work reprobate.

These Judaizers of Crete, like all the Jews, were proud of their knowledge of the true God, in contrast with the Gentiles who worshipped idols, but by their false teachings and false practices they really denied God and became abominable in His sight, useless for every good work.