Father Mike Schmitz

And like, it would mean something deep.

And there's just this playfulness there.

with among the saints, because they got so used to, I'm firmly ensconced in the teachings of the church.

And then Paul says, that testimony is true.

I agree, those Cretans, yeesh, that kind of a situation.

I'm not gonna step out of the teachings of the church.

But what Paul is pointing out is that a lot of these Cretans who have become Christians are not necessarily living converted lives.

That means this whole scripture is a playground.

And so he talks about, okay, so have the older women live like this, have the older men live like this, have the younger women and younger men live like this.

Again, I say that in the best possible way.

It's a playground because I am, there are clear boundaries.

I'm not gonna step outside of them by interpreting it on my own.

If you're a slave, live like this.

Okay, so number one, know what you're reading.

And the reason essentially is because Christianity has to become credible.

Number two, these principles of interpretation.

Number three, the senses of scripture.

Again, the gospel has to become credible.

We have two more to go.

At this point, you realize that if Christians are living among the world and in the world and are living no differently than anyone else, like if here's a Cretan Christian and they're just a Cretan and they're not living any differently from each other, then that's a problem.