TITUS Chapter 3 "The Word Given Through Preaching" This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, available at http://www.theseason.org This is a continuation of the message given to Titus by Paul, and it is a message to the Gentiles on the Island of Crete. Titus was left there to oversee the direction of the churches there that Paul had established. This letter to Titus allows us to see and understand what Christ expects of each of us, in that it is an doctrinal book that the church itself must accept and use as it's guide. The instruction is that Christians treat all men and women alike, and take this as their doctrine, and not some church system. The best thing that could happen to our nation is that all the doctrines of men were done away with and destroyed, and that the doctrines of this Book were established as the only doctrine of the church. If the Word of God were allowed to be taught freely in all the land, and that good news is that God forgives all sinners, and Christ paid the price and in Him all men can have that fellowship and brotherly love. This is the only doctrine that is fit for God's house, and we are to preach and teach as Paul gave the instructions here to Titus. We are to rebuke with all authority those that would replace the doctrines of Christ with their own traditions and false doctrines of man's church systems. Can we expect this to be done? Not until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are to many men and woman that want their ideas and ministries to promote themselves, and make a profit for themselves, than to preach Christ only and let the Spirit of God do the leading. There are many good churches that do preach Christ only, and teach the entire Word of God, and they are busy doing our Father's Work. This is not given to tare churches down, but to challenge each church to be a sound spiritual entity, that can exist on it's own and give rebuke where it is needed. That that church can make a stand when it is needed because it is grounded in the entire Word of God. So Paul has given this letter to Titus to be used as a guide and set of instructions to follow in taking his role of leadership in the churches on the island of Crete. Titus is a doctrinal book. Titus 3:1 "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work," The topic of this book is that all things are pure to those that are pure. This is the doctrine or teaching that Christ taught, and Paul is writing it in this letter. Paul is telling Titus to instruct the your congregations to be subject to those governments and powers of authority that are over you, and be ready to follow every honest and just work. In Romans 13. Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." We are instructed to work within the limits of the countries laws that we are in. As long as we honor the laws of the land, that government must ensure us the work that we do which is honorable. It seems that many today overlook this command of God, and think they can take the law into their own hands. We are to do our work within the confines of the laws of the land, we are to be wiser than the serpent. Romans 13:2 "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." If you continually fight those in authority of governmental leadership, than expect there to be nothing but conflict in your ministry, but when you violate the laws of the land, expect to pay the price or fine for your disobedience to the laws of the land. Titus 3:2 "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." Paul is saying to learn to listen to what the other man has to say, and show respect for the other person. You can be very bold, yet at the same time be humble, and that is what this word "meekness" means. When you learn and follow the doctrines of Christ, you automatically become humble, you don't have to tell other that you are meek, for they will see it through your conversation and your actions. To rebuke someone is genuine love, for you rebuke only those you care for. If you don't care for someone, you simply don't care what they do. It just doesn't matter to you. Titus 3:3 "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." Paul is stating that in past times we ourselves were sometimes foolish and disobedient. When we see all these things, deceived, serving lusts and pleasures, hateful and hating one another; Paul sure fit the role in his past life. Paul's life was firm and set on killing and doing away with all Christians, until God met him on the road to Damascus. God struck Paul down with blindness, and then Paul came to see the light. Paul remembers his zealous ways to fight against God, and he is reminding us that we to had those ways, so keep them in mind when we are dealing with other people. Talk about hateful, Paul took part in the murder of Stephen, and when God struck him down on that Damascus road, Paul was on the way to destroy all the Christian churches there. Paul was zealous, and he never did anything half way. When Paul hated, he hated with passion, and when he loved, he loved with the same passion and zeal. So what Paul is saying, in a sense, is that you can afford to be a little generous with those that hate you, for but by the grace of God, you wuld be there also. Titus 3:4 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared," We can see the great love that God has for us in this verse. No matter what we have done in our lives, God presented Himself to us and offered to us eternal life. God didn't stay in the heavenlies, but he came to earth as a baby, and Jesus set the example for us, showing us that there was no other way to the Father. Jesus Christ was our visual teaching aid to show us how we are to walk while living our lives in our flesh bodies. When He became our sacrifice and shed His blood, He did it where all humanity could see it, and know for a fact that it had taken place. Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit," The gifts of righteous that God gave to us, through the death of His Son was not because we deserved it. In the translation of this verse many are somewhat confused by the wording. "The washing of regeneration" is to revitalize or to reclaim something that God once had. When Jesus Christ's blood was shed on the cross, His blood washed the sins from you, even to the point of a rebirth of your spiritual body by the Holy Spirit. Even after we repent and accept Christ, there will be times when we fall short of the laws and commandments of God, and we must repent of those things on a daily basis as those sins are committed. Titus 3:6 "Which He shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour;" When we come to the Father for forgiveness in Jesus name, God then sends His blessings upon us to care for all our needs. Jesus Christ paid the price, and we individually get the rewards of His inheritance when we come to our loving heaving Father in Jesus Christ name. Jesus is our Savior. Titus 3:7 "That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." "To Justify" is to set you forth as one that is righteous, and God makes us righteous before Him through the unmerited favor that He gave to us through His Son Jesus Christ. When you repent to the Father in Jesus name, God removes all guilt from His records, and makes you blameless before the throne of God. This is one of the biggest mistakes that most Christians make, for they ask for forgiveness from God, but they will not forgive themselves. Sure they accept the forgiveness that the Father gives them, but because of the guilt within them, they will not forgive themselves. Peace of mind can only come when there is forgiveness within you for yourself, as well as the forgiveness that God gives you. It is your own pride that won't allow you to forgive yourself for those repented sins. To not forgive yourself shows a lack of humbleness. When we repent to the Father we become God's child, and there is an inheritance that is given to you. That inheritance is God will written to you that you can claim for yourself. You have to accept the inheritance, or written will, before it is yours. God's will is written in His Word, and when you learn those promises of God's will, than you can claim them for yourself. We can start claiming our inheritance the moment that you understand what they are, even right now in the flesh body. To inherit the riches of our Father for the eternity goes far beyond what our minds can comprehend, for it is a commitment to the living soul that is within your flesh body. The eternal life that God gives, is a doctrine that is detailed in all of God's Word. It is to never have to want for anything again. Your inheritance starts the moment that you repent and the Holy Spirit enters into your life, and it continues on for all the eternity. Titus 3:8 "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." Paul is telling us that we can count on what he is saying here. Paul wants each of us to stress this constantly in our minds so that we will never forget it. We should constantly remind ourselves of that heritage that God has given to us and claim those truths for our own. We know in our minds that we are not worth the great price and inheritance that God has given to us, but he has. Just as the earthly father that leaves an great inheritance to his worthless son, though the son will never deserve the gift given to him, all he has to do is to follow the will and receive the inheritance. So what Paul is saying is that after God has regenerated you and made you one of His inheritance, do the very best work that you can do for Him. Be an example in the community of what a Christian should be that follows the doctrines of Christ. By your work they will know what you are. When others see the strength that you have as you are living your life for Christ they will gain their strength by your actions. Titus 3:9 "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." The law given here is not the subject of this verse, but it is in reference to the one questioning the law. It is talking about the "lawyer", the "nomikos" in the Greek who is the person tampering with the law and trying to make it conform to what ever the shade of truth he can make it appear to be. What Paul is telling us is that we are not to argue about the Word of God, if someone will not accept the laws of the Word of God as they were written, don't waste your time in contention with him for neither of you will change your minds. A discussion for study sake is good, but when it comes to strivings with a scripture lawyer, don't waste you time. Foolish questions arise all the time when people gather for Bible studies, but keep those questions within the bounds of common sense. Certain genealogies are important, especially when it is tracing the lineage of Christ, or proving the identity of a person that God is using. Take for instance the name Jeremiah, in the book of Jeremiah; for when Jeremiah the prophet is speaking, he is identified by his lineage as the son of Hilkiah. Whereas in Jeremiah 35:3 we see another Jeremiah given who is not the prophet; "Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah..." These people are Rechabites: which are Kenites, the children of Cain, not of Abraham. What this Jeremiah has to say is not of God, but of his father Cain, the son of Satan and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Foolish genealogies would be like the arguing of two of Jesus disciples arguing over which one would be the greatest, and sit on the right and left hand of Christ in heaven. Even the thought is stupid, for on the left hand of Christ is God the Father. Only a fool would place himself over the heavenly Father. When one person compares their lineage as having any higher rating amongst the Father than any other is pure foolishness, for Paul has just told us of the equality of all Christians in His sight, no matter what the race. Your rewards and position in the kingdom of God is based only on your own obedience to Christ and the faithfulness to the spiritual gifts that He has given you. Titus 3:10 "A man that is a heretick, after the first and second admonition reject;" The "heretick" in the Greek is "hairettikos" and is a "schismatic". He or she is one that constantly is dividing those around him or her. This is especially in the matter of church doctrine. No matter what is taught, they always enter a new idea of try to divide the group so there can never be a full agreement of the body of Christ. It is from the heretick that churches are divided and split into new denominations. Some times the splitting of a group is necessary, and God will lead in the dividing of the group for the sake of starting of a new church in a new area. However in this heretick spoken of here, the forcing of a group into choosing one or the other is for the sake of self gain on the part of the heretick. The division is for the sake of causing confusion within the body of Christ. The person is a troublemaker, and they stick out wherever they are, for their mouths will give them away. Paul is saying when these troublemakers come into your church, correct them no more than twice, then get rid of them. It may offend many but a form of schism is denominationalism. Denominationalism becomes a form of heretick when those of that group feel that they are the only ones that God deals with, and that they have some superior position with God that no other Christian group has. It is from this line of thinking that we get the word "schizophrenia", which is a mental disorder, which is a loss of contact with reality. Though many of the denominations are splits off other larger bodies of believers, there are a lot of good Bible believing churches that stay with the Word of God as it should be taught. But what Paul is warning us is that we are to be aware of this one person that would come into your group, and cause a division with what the Bible teaches. To the pastors, Paul is saying that when one of these troublemakers tells you he is leaving, let him go. All that person will do as long as he is with you is cause trouble while he is in your congregation. "Reject all trouble makers [hereticks] after the first and second admonition. Titus 3:11 "Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." You don't have to make any subverting accusations against the heretick for his own words will condemn himself. Satan will use these people to destroy your church, and we should never be afraid to discipline anyone that is not abiding according to the doctrines of Christ. This is the main problem that is wrong with the Christian church today, and that is the lack of discipline. Many pastors today are bound not by God's Word, or by those that they are teaching, but by offending the boards that hold power over them. The one that must be pleased is our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit will prepare the minds of the board when God's Word is being taught. Titus 3:12 "When I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determinded there to winter. Paul is telling Titus that he is going to be in Nicopolis, which is in Greece, and he will spend the winter there in Nicopolis. Though Artemas or Tychicus will visit Titus in Crete, Paul hopes that they all will join him for the winter months. Titus 3:13 "Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them." Paul wanted to speak to Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos, for each of these men knew the Torah, the law of Moses, and Paul wanted to visit with them also in Nicopolis. Paul is looking forward to a great time of fellowship with these men of God. Titus 3:14 "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." Paul is saying to allow all of the Christians at Crete maintain their honorable professions. But in whatever their occupation was, it is important that they be fruitful in bring other to Christ no matter what their line of work was. Paul was a tent maker, and each of these men had their own professions so that no matter where they went, they could provide for themselves. Paul is telling Titus to tell the Christians to learn a profession that is useful in a community, no matter where they went. When Christians are providers for themselves, others will feel comfortable listening to what you have to say. Titus 3:15 "All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all, Amen."
Home .~ Plough .~ Seeds .~ Vine .~ Potter .~ Seasons .~ Sonshine .~ Rain .~ Field |