Episode 10 "Titus 3"
Titus 3:1-15
V 1-2 Paul is very consistent in his teaching about being subject to higher governments. Hence, he says here "remind them to be subject to government, namely to rulers and authorities.
the command is to be obedient and ready to perform every good deed He taught the same in Romans 13.1 "Be subjected to govt. authorities." 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "Pray for those in govt." 1 Peter 2:17-21 "Peter teaches the same and explains why servants are to be submissive to their masters."
This is a big deal. At that time, there was not a single King or government that cared about Christians, yet we are instructed to submit even to tyrants! so be subject to their rule. Do not oppose them. rather pray fro those in authority.
V3 For before Christ we were:
- Foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to lust an pleasure, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
V4 But when Jesus- the kindness and life of God "Epiphany"
V5 He saved us! Not on the bases if words but simply by merely the word of the Holy Spirit.
V6-7 Our justification was by grace and by grace we become heirs of God.
This is the entire gospel in a nutshell. We were lost and headed away from God, But when god appeared in our lives it changed everything! Most of all, it change dour eternal destiny making the world not a place we call permanent!
He then vies us the last of five "faithful sayings" of the Pastoral Epistles.
"It is good and profitable to engage in good works."
In those days, there was a false teaching that said, because you are saved by grace, there is no need to engage in good works. Paul fought this teaching everywhere. Hence he said to the Romans "what shall we say then? Should we continue in sin, that grace might abound? God forbid, How can we who are dead into sin, live any longer there in? Romans 6:1-2
You will remember the previous 4 sayings :
1. 1 Timothy 1.15 Jesus came to save sinners
2. 1 timothy 3.1 It is good to be an elder
3. 2 Timothy 2. 11 if we died with him, we live with him, if we deny him, he will deny us, if we are faithless he is faithful, he cannot deny himself
The five sayings all result in sanctification! Believers should be different from the Cretans!
We should look like we are saved.
V9 So since we should not engage in good works once we have received salvation by grace there are four things we should avoid:
Foolish debates (zetesis) genealogies, strife about the law, disputes about the law.
remember in Titus 1:13-14 he told Titus not to pay attention to Jewish myths.
In this time Christianity was basically a sect of Judaism and there were many who did not want to accept the finished work of Christ on the tree and so they would get people into foolish debates. They would talk over the minutia and miss the greater point that Jesus was the Messiah who saves us from our sin.
As a point of clarification, this section does not suggest we should not answer people's questions.. Questions looking for an answer are great. Debating over stuff like genealogies, and strafing over minutia in the law is unprofitable and worthless.
Dont major on the minors. Affirm the great salvation of God not the minutia
V 10-11 He then makes a provocative statement to "reject a heretic after the 1st-2nd warning knowing they are perverted, sinning and are self-condemned"
Literally the word is "heretekos" which means a follower of a wrong sect" so give someone who teaches false teachings two warnings because they chose condemnation over salvation which is the present day life of a heretic.
If a person is heretic, reject them! Does not mean to be mean (Galatians 6:1-2) or that we should not attempt to restore those overtaken in fault (Romans 16:17)
Jesus warned about false teachers in Matthew 7:15
Galatians 1:8 Even if an angel speaks contrary doctrine, let him be accursed
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Send away one who walks and leads an unruly life. (see 2 Thessalonians 3:14)
2 John 1:10-11 Do not receive a heretic into your house.
There is a line that is drawn in the sand - if a person is teaching false doctrine. they have to be identified and avoided because they are trying to get people in their sect.
If a person makes a mistake, restore them back to fellowship. So he's not talking about sinners. He's talking about deceivers ( of which diablos is the king pin)
Those folks are "ekstrepho" meaning turned around sinning and "autokatakrinos"
Auto - Self
Kata - according to
Krinos - Choice
"according to their own choice"
in other words, heretics are not only turned around they have chosen to lie to themselves and delude themselves first and foremost.
Psalm 133.1 Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
God wants u united and he wants those that divide to be kicked out.
Ephesians 4:3 and 12-13 we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit and we work until we all come in the unity of the faith.
1 Corinthians 3:3 For Since there is jealous and strife among you are you not carnal and walk as unbelievers?
John 17 High priestly prayer is all about Jesus prayer for us that we keep the faith and stay unified in the truth.
Verse 12-13 He then tells Titus his plans. You stay in Crete, Titus, unite Artemus or Tychicus show up to take over for you.
Paul was arrested before Titus got there ending up in Dalmatia (see 2 Tim 4)
Help Paul's Lawyer and Apollos that is Paul's fellow worker to make sure they lack in nothing
V 14 note he says here let the believers learn to engage (same words as v8) in good works (8th time he uses this term in the epistle) to meet pressing needs
Do you want your needs met? engage in good works and be diligent in good works so you will bear fruit.
V 15-16 Everyone with Paul wants Titus to know they salute him for the work he is doing and they want Titus to greet the other believers in love on their behalf. Finally, Grace be with you all.
I love that of all the things he could say at the end "grace be with you all."
The thesis of this letter as we said is "good doctrine, begets good behavior." but nothing we do means anything if not for the grace of God.
