SAVED IN ORDER TO DO GOOD

Titus 3:1-15

Key Verse 3:8

“This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”

Introduction

At the previous chapter, we learned about being eager to do what is good. We learned that Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good (2:14). Titus was to instruct specific groups in the church how to be good to one another. Today, we take doing good to the next level. From being eager to do what is good, we now will learn about carefully devoting ourselves to doing what is good. Our lives should be engaged in doing good works, because this is the fruit that comes from being saved. Good works are natural expression of your life when you realize how richly God has blessed you in salvation. Thus, Paul encourages believer to be subject to the rulers and authorities and be gentle toward everyone. H also told Titus to avoid foolish conversation and argument about word and warn divisive people. Through the passage we can learn how we should relate ourselves to the authorities and people in the world based on the grace of salvation and what we should do as saved people.

1. Read verses 1-3. What should the believers do to rulers and people outside? (1,2) How did we live before we were saved? (3)

1-1. Read verses 1-3.

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

1-2. What should the believers do to rulers and people outside? (1, 2)

be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,

· Paul progresses from instructing Titus to teach the people to practice good works in the church in chapter 2, to practicing good works in the world.

. Cretans may have not liked to be ruled by Rome. In addition, there were many Jewish settlers there, who have had a history of uprisings against Rome. But the church was to be reminded to be subject to the rulers, even if they were pagan unbelieving authorities.

. When President Trump won the election, riots broke out all over America. The media continues to hammer him. But what the Bible says is clear.

Rom 13:1-2 reads,

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established… Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

. Any type of authority anyone has, even if they don’t believe, has been given by God. This authority has been given by God to enforce laws, maintain order in society, and to punish evil. So we are to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. We should pay our taxes, and obey the law.

. When the government tells us to do wrong, we may respectfully disobey, but the resistance should be peaceful, and not violent. God will be the judge of those rulers.

. Again believers should obey the rulers and authorities. God established rulers for the good of all. We should respect and submit to them not by force only, but willingly and for conscience’ sake

· Christians were misrepresented as the people who are rebellious against lawful authority. Christians must show themselves as examples of obedience to the government and all authorities.

· To be ready to every good work. We should be ready for doing good in all kinds, and on every occasion that we may glorify God’s name in the world. Instead of just living as harmless people obeying authorities passively we should do good work very actively for our neighbors and the world. We also need to do good work submitting to the authorities.

2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone

· To slander no one- believers should not revile, or curse, speak evil of none, unjustly and falsely, or unnecessarily. We must never take pleasure in speaking ill of others.

· be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. Christian must follow the things that are conducive to peace, not a rough and hurtful way, and become the servants of the God of peace and love. Also we should treat others fairly and justly being considerate. We should be gentle not just toward our friends but to everyone.

1-3. How did we live before we were saved? (3)

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

· When we remember what kind of sinners we were, we can treat others who are in the sinful status with humility, gentleness,and meekness.

· Paul described the characteristics of people who don’t know Christ.

· We were the same with the people who are corrupted with sinful nature, but the fundamental change or transition has occurred to us through Jesus Christ.

· The point of describing the old way of life is to emphasize the change that occurred through.

2. Read verses 4-8. What does our salvation show about who God is? (4, 5a) How did God save us by the Holy Spirit? (5b) How was the Holy Spirit poured out on us through Jesus Christ? (6) What was the hope of God’s salvation for us? (7) What should those who are saved do? (8)

2-1. Read verses 4-8.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

2-2. What does our salvation show about who God is? (4, 5a)

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy

· God’s salvation clearly shows his kindness, love and mercy for sinners like us.

· We were delivered out of such miserable conditions by no merit nor strength of our own; but only by the mercy and free grace of God, and merit of Christ, and operation of Holy Spirit. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us.

· By grace we are saved from first to last. This is the ground and motive of God’s salvation. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

· Therefore we have no ground, in respect of ourselves, to condemn those who are yet unconverted, but rather to pity them, and have hope concerning them, that they, though in themselves as unworthy and unmeet as we were, yet may obtain mercy, as we have.

· God is the author of our salvation. He began the work of salvation and finishes it.

· There is an order in work of salvation. The Father begins, the Son manages, and the Holy Spirit works and perfects all. Trinity works together for man’s salvation.

2-3. How did God save us by the Holy Spirit? (5b)

He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit

· The washing of rebirth - Water is of a cleansing and purifying nature. God washed away our sins through the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

· Through the washing man can earn new birth.

John 3:5-6 reads,

“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit”

· The renewal by the Holy Spirit. Old things pass away, and all things become new through the work of Holy Spirit, in a moral and spiritual sense, not in a physical and natural, sense.

· A new principle of grace and holiness is working in us, which governs, and makes the man a new man, a new creature, having new thoughts, desires, affections, and actions that drives a man to live a new life.

2 Cor 4:16-17 reads,

“Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

2-4. How was the Holy Spirit poured out on us through Jesus Christ? (6)

whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior

· God pours out Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit fell on all those who hear the gospel of Jesus and believe in him.

· He gives us the Holy Spirit generously and abundantly. God is ready to pour out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us. We should be filled with the Spirit and let him work powerfully in us through our faith and obedience.

2-5. What was the hope of God’s salvation for us? (7)

so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life

· Justification, and heirship, and hope of eternal life- Being justified by his grace, we become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

· Justification is the removing of guilt that bound to punishment, and the accepting the person as one who is righteous in God’s sight.

· God gave us the justification freely through the intervention of Christ’s sacrifice and righteousness.(Rom. 3:20)

· Let us not trust in our own righteousness or merit of good works, but in Christ’s righteousness alone.

· Being justified by his grace, we are heirs of eternal life and the heavenly kingdom. Without such justification there can be no adoption and sonship, and so no right of inheritance.

2-6. What should those who are saved do? (8)

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

. Paul tells Titus to “stress these things.” “These things,” refer to what was just said in v.4-7. In verse 4, we see the kindness and love of God. In verse 5-6, we see salvation, not because of our works, but because of God’s mercy. We see salvation as our rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ. In v.7, we see that we have been justified by grace, we have been made heirs, and now have the hope of eternal life. When Paul says to stress these things, he means to proclaim them boldly, and assertively, with confidence.

. Why are these things stressed and proclaimed? First, so that we might trust in God. Second, these things are stressed so that after we have trusted God, we may be careful to devote ourselves to doing what is good.

· Paul mentions the duties of Christians in common - the necessity of doing good works

· Those who have believed in God need to have faith that works through action and brings forth the fruit of righteousness.

· The Christian life is a life of active work for good. We must not mistake this emphasis as that Christian morality or ethics is simply to doing the best that is humanly possible just as other religions do. Rather it is for those who have trusted in God believing the work of the Spirit and faith in Jesus. The reality of the new life in the Spirit is discovered only by those who dare to be actors instead of just hearing the word of God. Believers may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.

· When believers do what is good, their life will have visible results. This is Christian life viewed from its visible outworking. The nearest practical application of the term is to be found in the Christlike lifestyle. The genuine Christian life contradicts the claims of the false teachers, who ultimately denied God with their lifestyle completely devoid of good deeds (1:16).

· When the believers do what is good, it also brings benefits to others and creates visible attractiveness of the Christian life that it might point others to belief in God. Since God's love in Christ has transformed the lives of those who have believed, the manifestation of that love in their lives should have similar results in the lives of others.

3. Read verses 9-15. What should believers avoid? (9) How should divisive persons be dealt with and how are they described? (10, 11) What did Paul ask Titus do for him and other coworkers? (12, 13) What must the believers learn and why? (14,15)

3-1. Read verses 9-15.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.Grace be with you all.

3-2. What should believers avoid? (9)

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

. False teaching, on the other hand, does not produce good works or good fruit, but only quarrels, division and strife.

· At that time there were many Jews in Crete. Some Jews argued about genealogies of Messiah; families and tribes and observing the law, rites and ceremonies.

· Titus should avoid and oppose them; for they are unprofitable and vain.

3-3. How should divisive persons be dealt with and how are they described? (10, 11)

Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned

· The false teachers caused division in the church and broke the peace of the church.

· If they continue to reject the warning, they should be cast out of church then they are self-condemned.

· The damage of heretic teaching is server to the church. It should be taken care of seriously. Heretics have seldom been recovered to the true faith in church history.

3-4. What did Paul ask Titus do for him and other coworkers? (12, 13)

As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.

. At some time in the near future, Artemas or Tychicus will be sent to Crete to carry on the work Titus was doing, and Titus would re-join Paul for his missionary work. Paul also instructs Titus to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way. Apollos was a popular teacher in Corinth (1 Cor 3:4). He was a Jew from Alexandria, a learned man who taught with fervor and taught about Jesus accurately (Acts 18:24-28). He might have been on his way to Alexandria and also delivered this letter to Titus on his way.

· Titus should hold himself ready to come to Paul at Nicopolis, as soon as Artemas or Tychicus should be sent to Crete, to supply his place, and take care of the churches there.

3-5. What must the believers learn and why? (14,15)

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. 15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

· Titus was encouraged again to help believers to devote themselves to doing what is good especially providing other believers who were doing the work of God and in need.

· Christianity is not a fruitless religion. The believers are supposed to be filled with the fruits of righteousness in Jesus Christ and bring the glory and praise to God.

Conclusion

Titus was sent to establish the church in a very difficult environment. The culture of the people on Crete were known to always be liars, evil brutes and lazy gluttons. We also saw in this passage that the culture of the world is one of unbelief, disobedience, and slavery to worldly passions resulting in malice, envy and hatred. To do good is actually something quite counter cultural to Crete and to the world. Titus was given the task to raise up a people eager and devoted to doing good. Titus need primarily to hold firmly to the trustworthy message. He was to find elders to were faithful and loved good. He was to teach the church to be good to one another, and he was to remind them to be good to everyone else. But God would be the one to transform lives.

As believers, we should be good examples of submission to the authorities of the world and being gentle to everyone. God saved us only by his mercy grace and through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit and let us become the heirs of the hope of eternal life. As those who received such grace we should devote ourselves to doing what is good. “These things are excellent and profitable for everyone”.(8b)

One word: Saved in Order to Do Good

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