In listing the qualifications of a pastor (Titus 1:6-8), Paul told Titus a pastor must always be βholding fast the faithful word as he hath been taughtβ (Titus 1:9), adding,
βFor there are manyβ¦ vain talkersβ¦β (Titus 1:10).
What do you think those βvain talkersβ were saying? Well, since Paul warned Timothy about men who βturned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the lawβ (I Tim. 1:6,7), itβs likely the βvain talkersβ Paul warned Titus about were also teaching the Law.
This is especially likely since these βvain talkersβ were βspeciallyβ¦of the circumcision.β The Jews of the circumcision loved the Law of Moses (John 9:28,29), and understandably so. After all, the Law was once the word that spiritual leaders in Israel were expected to hold fast! But part of the βfaithful wordβ Paul teaches us to hold fast was the precious truth that βwe are not under the law, but under graceβ (Rom. 6:15).
How important is it to recognize this dispensational change? Paul insists that teaching the law to people under grace is βvain.β I wonder if he was thinking of how Samuel used that word to warn Godβs people about idolatry, saying,
ββ¦turn ye not asideβ¦ after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliverβ¦β (I Sam. 12:21).
We know these βvain thingsβ were idols, for God often associates idolatry with such βvanitiesβ (Jer. 10:14,15; 16:19,20). This suggests that Paul called the teaching of the Law βvainβ because they of the circumcision made an idol out of it. Of course! Any time Godβs people refuse to let go of something that is no longer a part of His program, it becomes an idol. Remember, Hezekiah had to destroy the brazen serpent Moses lifted up when Godβs people later began to worship it (II Ki. 18:4).
But did you notice how Samuel defined the word βvainβ as something that cannot profit or deliver? That was certainly true of idols in ancient Israel, but it is also true of the Law in the dispensation of grace. You see, that word βdeliverβ is another word for save, as we see when we compare how Paul quoted the prophet Joel (Joel 2:32 cf. Rom. 10:13).
And thatβs another reason Paul called the teaching of the Law βvain.β In the dispensation of grace, the Law canβt profit or deliver or save anyone now that its time is past, any more than the brazen serpent could once its time was past.
Granted, the Law used to be able to save. Thatβs why the David declared, βThe law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soulβ (Ps. 19:7). And thatβs why he added, βI hate vain thoughts: but Thy law do I loveβ (Ps. 119:113). Obviously the Law wasnβt vain when it was part of Godβs program! It wasnβt unprofitable back then because it could deliver and save menβs souls, when people like Zacharias and Elizabeth obeyed it blamelessly (Luke 1:6). But now people are saved by receiving Christ by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8), and Paul tells us to walk in the same grace that saved us (Col. 2:6).
Do you see how crucial it is to always study Godβs word by βrightly dividingβ it (II Tim. 2:15)? Unless you recognize the division between Godβs plan for Israel in time past and His plan for people living today, you canβt even be sure of the plan of salvation, nor βhow ye ought to walk and to please Godβ once you are saved (I Thes. 4:1). In time past, Godβs people walked in the Law (Ex. 16:4), but no longer!
This is why Paul told Titus that a pastor must always be found βholding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught,β for the βwordβ Paul taught was βthe word of His graceβ (Acts 20:32)! May all of Godβs pastors and all of Godβs people hold it fast! source
