MAY
26, 2013
1.
LIVE WELL BEFORE
OUTSIDERS (TITUS 3:1-3)
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers,
to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no
one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to
various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful,
hating one another. NASB
Verse 1:
o
The
very first thing Paul mentions here is the fact that the church must have
members who are law abiding.
o
A
believer should obey the laws of the land in which they live unless those laws
conflict or contradict their duty and relationship with God or else the
Christian message will lose much of its effectiveness.
Verse 2:
o
We
are not to malign anyone, and we are not to repeat gossip.
o
Insulting
and abusive language is out of place for anyone, certainly for believers.
o
More
is expected of Christians than the absence of a vice.
o
A
positive virtue must display itself in all contacts with those outside the
Church.
o
Christians
must be genial, that is, ready to yield personal advantage, eager to help the
needy, kind to the weak, considerate toward the fallen, always filled with the
spirit of sweet reasonableness.
Verse 3:
o
This
is a picture of the unsaved today, and a picture of us before we knew Christ.
o
You
can go into non-Christian homes, and you will find these things.
o
The
sharp contrast between what men were in their state of sin and what they have
become since they entered the state of grace encourages gratitude to God; hence
also goodwill toward the neighbor.
o
The
world apart from Christ is passed into review, and what a sorry spectacle it
is!
o
One
of the most soul-destroying manifestations of “spending our life in malice"
is envy, which is to look at another person because of what he or she is or
has.
2.
BE TRANSFORMED
BY GOD’S SALVATION (TITUS 3:4-8)
4 But when the kindness of God our
Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of
deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out
upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His
grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a
trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak
confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good
deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. NASB
Verse 4:
o
God's
grace is seen here in sharp contrast to man's inhumanity to man shown in Verse
3.
Verse 5:
o
Because
Christ died for us and paid the penalty for our sins, God is prepared to extend
mercy to us; it is according to His mercy that He saved us.
o
Paul
speaks as one who has in his own life experienced this mercy.
o
He
does not stand next to his story, but is a part of it.
o
Prior
to receiving God's grace, neither Paul nor anyone else had ever performed a
work acceptable to God.
o
Regeneration:
a.
It
is the work of the Holy Spirit.
b.
It
is a single act quickening us into newness of life, or being born-again.
c.
It
affects the whole man; that is all of us, completely and entirely.
d.
It
is a radical change, so that those who were beforehand loaded down with the
seven vices mentioned in Verse.3 are now in principle adorned with the seven
virtues in Verses 1-2.
e.
It
is entirely the work of God, but in renewing or washing or sanctification, man
as well as God takes part.
Verse 6:
o
This
indicates that through His atoning sacrifice and prayer He secured for His people
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 7:
o
It
means having been declared righteous.
Verse 8:
o
The
fact that the believer is saved by the grace of God does not excuse him from
performing good works.
o
The
fact of the matter is, he is to " careful to engage in good deeds."
3.
DEAL WITH
DIVISIVE PEOPLE (TITUS 3:9-11)
9 But shun foolish controversies and
genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable
and worthless. 10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11
knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. NASB
Verse 9:
o
Argument
or debate never led anyone to the Lord.
Verse 10:
o
You
may whip a man down intellectually by your argument, but that does not touch
his heart and win him for Christ.
o
God
tells us here to be separate from heretics. Just let them alone; reject them.
o
The
welfare of the entire church and the glory of God must never be lost sight of.
This, after all, is the main objective of church discipline.
Verse 11:
o
The
heretic is one who has turned aside from the truth. (An Apostate.)
4.
BE DEVOTED TO
GOOD WORKS (TITUS 3:12-15)
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to
you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend
the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way
so that nothing is lacking for them. 14 And let our people also learn to engage
in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet
those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all. NASB
Verse
12:
o
Although
Titus is invited to come to Paul, the church at Crete must not be left without
a good leader. So Paul is going to send either Artemas or Tychicus, both of
which must be regarded as Paul's co-workers, performing kingdom work under his
authority and supervision.
Verse
13:
o
Some
feel that Zenas was an expert in Jewish law sent to Crete to curb the influence
of those who specialized in Jewish myths at the expense of the true Gospel.
o
Apollos
was a Jew, a native of Alexandria, an orator, mighty in the Scriptures.
Verse
14-15
We
need to know what God considers "good"
works, and we need to "learn"
how to do them.
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