False teachers are extremely dangerous because they undermine truth! Their rotten fruit may not surface for some time, but when allowed to continue unchecked, they will deceive individuals, whole families, and good churches. Paul warned Titus that such teachers had already seen some success and that their mouths must be stopped. Regretfully, whole houses had already been subverted with the false teachers still at work. A similar situation is recorded in Acts 15:24 where the saints of God were “troubled” by the words of false teachers. There is no telling how many of God’s people have walked away from sound doctrine because of false teachers. Worse yet, how many souls are burning right now in hell because they trusted in a false gospel?
Dedicated soldiers are a dying breed, especially amongst Christians. Few people endure when the going gets tough or obstacles surface. The average Christian believes that God’s will involves no hurdles. In the secular world, drill sergeants, employers, and teachers spend a great deal of time and effort trying to instill discipline into those who grew up lacking character with little desire to succeed. This lack of character affects us all. Good soldiers endure hardness. They do not quit in the service of the Lord because of trials and tribulations. Neither do they allow themselves to be entangled in the affairs of this life. Their main desire is to please the very one who chose them to be a soldier in the first place.
