LOOK FOR SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE

MAY 19, 2013

1.     AGING GRACEFULLY (TITUS 2:1-5)

1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.     NASB 

Verse 1:

·         The church must teach sound doctrine or it is not a church.

·         In Paul's day, there were teachers who taught things other than the word of God as declared in the scriptures.

·         They invented fables, they twisted the word so as to permit fleshly practices they desired to continue to indulge in.

·         And all the time they called what they taught "doctrine".

·         Every teacher must ever be on guard to prove all things, and to be careful not to teach personal opinions and hearsay.

·         The life and teaching of Titus must contrast sharply with that of the enemies of the faith who were doing such damage in Crete.

·         Not only must these false teachers be reproved sharply, but their evil must be neutralized by good.

·         The qualities mentioned in the verses which follow are specifically Christian virtues for they presuppose.....

o   the Grace of God working in the heart,

o   the Christian being motivated by the example of Christ,

o   the works being measured by God's holy law, and

o   that God's glory is the primary goal of the people in question. 

The supreme test of all Christian teaching and Christian work depends on whether they produce healthy characters, which are not contaminated by the noisome and germ-laden atmosphere around. Our teaching must be healthy and also health-creating.

“Through the Bible Day by Day” by F. B. Meyer 

Verse 2:

·         Temperate: not given to frivolity, but prone to act in a measured and reasonable mature manner at all times.

·         Dignified: serious, respectable, composed in habit, speech and behavior.

·         Sensible: men of mature judgment and self-constraint, governs well the fleshly passions.

·         Sound in faith: steadfastly and constantly adhering to the truth of the gospel, their faith must neither be lukewarm or mixed with any error.

·         We should love God for himself, and all the brethren for Christ’s sake.

·         In perseverance: waiting upon the lord to do his will in our lives and in those around us.

·         Their endurance must not be replaced by either faint-heartedness or obstinacy.

o   In their attitude toward God let the aged men rely wholly on God and His revealed truth.

o   In their attitude toward the neighbor let there be:

1   NO BACKBITING OR SOWERS OF DISCORD OR SPEAKING ILL OF PEOPLE. Not slanderers. NO BACKBITING OR SOWERS OF DISCORD OR SPEAKING ILL OF PEOPLE. Not slanderers. m demonstrate soundness in their love.

2   In their attitude toward bitter trials let them reveal soundness in their endurance or steadfastness.

Verse 3:

·         Here Paul says everything that he said to the men also applies to the women, and then adds three more things.

·         No backbiting or sowers of discord or speaking ill of people. Not slanderers.

·         Not addicted to wine. (This would lead to first admonition.)

·         They should be teachers of that which is excellent to be self-controlled and pure to be self-controlled and pure.

Verse 4:

·         No one, not even Titus, is better to train a young woman than an experienced, older woman.

·         It is Titus' task as a Pastor to teach the older women to teach the younger women to be self-controlled and pure.

·         What they have learned in their own Christian lives, they should teach to the younger women.

Verse 5:

·         Wrong conduct on the part of the Christian women would easily lead to slanderous remarks with respect to the Gospel.

·         In general, the world is judging Christianity by its effect upon the everyday life of the Christian. 

2.     DEMONSTRATING INTREGRITY (TITUS 2:6-8)

6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.     NASB 

Verse 6:

·         Urge young men to exercise self-control in every respect, and to place themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

·         They must guard themselves against being led astray either by their own sinful nature or by the opinions and customs which in the world around them.

Verse 7:

·         Young men must see what it looks like live dignified, exercising pure doctrine and doing good deeds.

·         He must teach clear instructions of the Gospel so that the students cannot be infected with the lies and distortions of the false teachers.

Verse 8:

·         Titus should present the Gospel as Divinely revealed and given, for then it will be sound and non-censurable.

·         Titus's irreproachable conduct will completely disprove the insinuations and accusations that were aimed against him.

·         This enemy of the Truth will be put to shame. 

3.     WORKING FAITHFULLY (TITUS 2:9-10)

9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect     NASB 

Verse 9:

·         External compliance with the master's wishes is not enough, for grumbling underneath is forbidden.

·         The idea behind obedience is that they should be interested in their work.

Verse 10:

·         The slave/employee must show the utmost trustworthiness befitting a Christian.

·         A sanctified life, which brings into clear perspective all the fruits of transforming grace - obedience, cheerfulness, integrity, etc, -- is an ornament that should attract others to the God we follow. 

4.     LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY (TITUS 2:11-15)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

NASB 

Verse 11:

·         This verse is past tense in that God’s grace HAS appeared and it is by this grace that we are saved.

Verse 12:

·         The purpose of "teaching by God's grace" is that we should renounce or reject ungodliness, impiety, and wickedness.

·         When grace takes over a sinners life, this repudiation is a definite act - the sinner repudiates ungodliness - the sinner makes a decision to give up that which is displeasing to God!

·         After training by grace, our lives should manifest a changed relationship to God, exhibiting devotion, godliness, piety and reverence with respect to Him.

Verse 13:

·         The grace of God trains us in order that we may live consecrated lives, while we are "waiting for the blessed hope" - the reappearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 14:

·         Christ gave Himself for us in order to purify, so that we would be fit to be His people.

Verse 15:

·         Titus must constantly talk about this glorious life of sanctification as a thank-offering presented to God for His wonderful grace in Christ.

·         He must urge it upon the people, doing this whenever the occasion presents itself, admonishing those who are in need of special admonition, and even reproving those who have merited reproof.

·         Do not let people despise you for the Christian life you live!

LOOK FOR QUALIFIED SPIRITUAL LEADERS

MAY 12, 2013

Introduction:

·        Apparently Paul and Titus had been together in a ministry on the island of Crete.

·        As we go through the epistle we will learn something about the people who lived on this island.

·        Paul wrote this epistle to Titus, giving him instructions about what he was to do as a young preacher while remaining in Crete.

·       The date he wrote it was around A.D. 64-67.

·       Titus was written about the same time as I Timothy, right at the end of the ministry of the apostle Paul.

·       In this epistle to Titus we have a fine picture of the N.T. church in its full-orbed realization in the community as an organization.

·       The ideal church, according to this epistle:

(1)   has an orderly organization,

(2)   is sound in doctrine, and

(3)   is pure in life, ready to every good work.

·         In Timothy the emphasis was upon the need for sound teaching in the church.

·         In Titus the emphasis is put upon the importance of God's order for the conduct of the churches.

·         Titus was to set things in order in the churches in Crete. 

1.     BUILD UP BELIEVERS (TITUS 1:1-4)

1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; 4 to Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.    NASB 

Verse 1:

·         We know from the O.T. that a bond slave was one who chose to remain a slave of his master for life.

·         The reason that Paul asserts his apostleship by the authority of Jesus Christ I s because he is going to give instructions to the organized church.

·         “for the faith of those chosen of God “, according to the standard of faith which is set for God's elect.

·         This will promote the reliance of the elect upon Him, and their glad recognition of the redemptive truth which centers in Him.

Verse 2:

·         The idea here is resting upon the hope of eternal life; it is an earnest yearning, confident expectation, and patient waiting for " eternal life," salvation in its fullest.

·         This promise was, “promised long ages ago”.

·         It was a promise of the Father to the Son for it is clearly implied that they were "given" to Christ by the Father in order that they may inherit life everlasting.

Verse 3:

·         The Word or message of God with respect to Christ and His gracious gift of salvation has now been made manifest.

·         Full salvation in Christ for both Jew and Gentile is based solely upon Christ's merits appropriated by faith, was:

1.      Objectively given and promised from: 

1 Corinthians 2:6-8

 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;    NASB 

Ephesians 1:4

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.    NASB 

2. Hidden in preceding ages and from the eyes of former generations (Romans 16:23; Ephesians 3:5,6,9; Colossians 1:26a). 

Ephesians 3:5-9

5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;

NASB 

Colossians 1:26-27

26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.     NASB 

·         It was hidden in the sense that it was not fully proclaimed, nor fully understood by the men of the O.T., though it had been foreshadowed.

Verse 4:

·         Grace is God's unmerited favor in operation in the heart of His children - His elect.

·         Peace is the consciousness in the hearts of His own that they have been reconciled with God through Christ. 

2.     GUARD YOUR CHARACTER (TITUS 1:5-9)

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.    NASB 

Verse 5:

·         Evidently, on a certain journey Paul and Titus had been together in Crete.

·         It would appear that the Gospel had been proclaimed and little groups of disciples had been gathered, meeting-places had been arranged, but no official organization had been implemented.

·         If this is correct, the stop-over in Crete occurred immediately after Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment.

·         If so, Paul had left Titus in Crete to organize local churches with elders as spiritual leaders.

Verse 6:

·         When someone can point a finger at an officer of the church and accurately accuse him of dishonesty, then the cause of Christ is hurt.

·         All of the elder's actions must give evidence of the fact that both in deed and doctrine (teaching) he personally wishes to be a blessing to others. 

"I recognize that today in many wonderful Christian homes there is a son or daughter who is away from the Lord and who gives no evidence of godly upbringing. A man may be a fine, godly man who has a wonderful Christian home, and he may not be guilty of anything that caused that boy or girl to turn from Christ, but he should not be an officer in the church.”

J Vernon McGee 

Verses 7-9:

·         There are two things that officers in a church should do:

1.      An officer should be able to exhort, that is, to teach the Word of God.

2.      An officer must be able to refute the heretics. 

3.     CORRECT FALSE TEACHINGS (TITUS 1:10-16)

10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain. 12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." 13 This testimony is true. For this cause reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.    NASB 

Verse 10:

·         This means also that they were "futile" talkers, achieving no useful purpose with their conversation, with fictitious tales.

·         Through their idle and vain talk, they were deceiving the minds of the weak.

Verse 11:

·         There is no such thing as "freedom of misleading speech” in the church.

·         The first step would be to tenderly admonish those who commit error so that he may be won for the truth. If he refuses, he must be sharply reprimanded and told to desist.

·         The person who persists, however, in his evil ways must be shunned by the church and disciplined.

·         The final measure, excommunication, may have to be employed in order to safeguard the church and in order to bring the sinner to repentance.

·        The ungodly in the church was motivated only by money and prestige, not the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 12:

      ·  The reputation the Cretans had in the Roman world of Paul's day was that of  being untruthful, selfish, and pleasure-loving.

Verse 13:

·         Titus would have to deal with the Cretans in a manner differently than he would with the others because of their background and their very nature.

Verse 14:

·         Paul's reference here is not just to legalism.

·         The "Jewish fables" were fanciful stories about ancestors - Abraham, Moses, Elijah, etc.

·         The Lord Jesus rebuked the religious rulers for adding traditions to God's law, and that is what Paul is talking about here.

Verse 15:

·         Pure men are those who have been cleansed from their guilt by the blood of Christ and, having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, are being constantly cleansed by that same Spirit from the pollution of their sins.

·         Those who are contaminated or polluted and having rejected Christ are defiled of all of God's pure gifts.

·         Even their minds are contaminated which is evidenced by the fact that their moral judgments are perverted and that they do not arrive at godly sorrow.

Verse 16:

·         You can deny God and the Bible by the life you live

·         Although the unbelieving Jews professed to know God, by their actions they denied Him.

·         They are completely incapable of performing any work that proceeds from the Word of God.