TITUS: Leaders to Only Follow Christ, "that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth!"

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (I Timothy 4:12)

Just as he did with Timothy, God, through the hand of Paul is instructing Titus how to organize the churches.  The first office of priority in the church is who will be the ordained elder, or ordained bishop appointed to each specific congregation (Titus 1:5).  The Greek word translated "ordain" means to place down, to designate, constitute, convoy.  Elders or bishops of churches are to be "ordained", or appointed by leaders:  God sent His Son (John 10); Christ appointed disciples and apostles (Matthew 10); apostles taught and appointed leaders (Acts 9:1-31); leaders were appointed to organize churches and ordain elders and bishops (Acts 11, Acts 15).  

If anyone starts a church without some association or appointment by a credible, Biblical based ordaining body, beware!  Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. (Acts 15:2); endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:3-6)  There may be disagreements within the body, but there should be a governing body that can help guide in resolving issues and restoring peace and order, because there is only Ond God and One Holy Spirit from God, and He will have unity!

The requirement of an ordained elder or ordained bishop are very strict, because this person is supposed to be the overseer of the church, the physical body of believers in Christ: For this reason I [Paul] left you [Titus] in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,  holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict [the Word]. (Titus 1:5-9)  

God does not play with people who teach others the Word of God: “Whoever causes one of these little ones [or a person] who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! (Matthew 18:6-7)

After meeting the requirements, the responsibilities of an ordained elder or ordained bishop are very serious, and this person must be very firm: For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision [religious and ritual followers], whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith [convert to Christianity], not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.  (Titus 1:10-14)  

Jesus dealt with the Jews who treated Him this way very firmly and rebuked them sharply: Jesus said to them [Jews], “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:42-47)

Being religious does not mean a person is a Christian: To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.  They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:15-16)  The Jewish leaders at the time, the Pharisees and scribes exemplified this false teaching and false ritual practicing: Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.  Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?  But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. (Luke 11:39-42)

Whether we're called by God to be an elder or bishop, or whether we're called to serve in a less visible but still very important capacity within His church (I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-13), let's be mindful that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head [of the church]—Christ— from whom the whole body [the church], joined and knit together by what every joint supplies [every spiritual gift we have been given], according to the effective working by which every part [every position] does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:14-16)