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Setting in Order the Things That Are Wantingwith God what is right and wrong. Their consciences are searedwith a hot iron and, therefore, polluted with sin. To them nothingis pure.These vain talkers, according to verse 16, profess to knowGod. They talk as ifthey~ more than all others in the church, knowGod. With their rules and regulations; with their forbidding tomarry and their abstaining from meats; with their interpretationsofthe law, they profess to know God. But their profession, theirtalk, is vain. It's futile and empty.It is that because by their works they deny God. Their socalledobservance ofthe law is really a denial ofGod and His Wordand law. By so doing, and now the apostle uses very sharp, stronglanguage, these vain talkers are abominable. i.e., detestable. Goddetests them. They are disobedient in the sense of it beingimpossible to convince them of their error and, thus, persuadethem ofthe truth.This is underscored by the last clause of the text, '~andregarding or pertaining to every good work reprobate." A goodwork is: 211. Performed out of faith, it is a fruit of faith. These vaintalkers are unbelieving, they have no faith.2. Performed according to the law of God. The vaintalkers, to borrow Jesus' language in describing the Pharisees,teach for doctrine the commandments of men (Matt. 15:9). Thevain talkers give heed to Jewish myths.3. Performed to the glory ofGod. The vain talkers subvertwhole houses and deceive God's people for shameful gain.Indeed, they are reprobate regarding every good work. Theyare totally depraved, unable to do any good at all. Titus must,therefore, rebuke them sharply. We too, as bishops in God'schurch, must preach, teach sound doctrine. We must do thisantithetically. Sharply we must warn the people ofGod against thevain talking deceivers. We must do this in order to edify God'speople.•21. See the Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 91.November, 2001 13