Titus 4

Last time we explored the instructions given by Paul in the first half of Titus chapter 2 for older men, older women, and young men. Also how to deal with critics by living an exemplary, godly life.

Now in the second half of chapter 2, Paul is going to address what for us would be called the employer/employee relationship, as well as grace, grace, and more grace.

So let’s begin with verses 9-10:

2:9-10 “Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

Now in Paul’s time this referred to slaves. The word “bondservants” is from the Greek word “doulas” which means slave.

But since we’re not dealing with slavery in our time, we should look at this from the employer/employee perspective.

Paul tells the employee first of all to be obedient. He uses the same word in verse for a wife to her husband. God expects employees to do what they were told, whether their boss is good or bad, nice or mean.

It always helps to remember here that in another place Paul exhorts Christians, “23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23-24).

Catch those last 6 words—“For you serve the Lord Christ.”

This is how God has redeemed work from the curse of the garden.

Gen. 3:17-19 “And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made.”

That’s the curse of the garden!

But when we view our jobs as ultimately serving Jesus and not a man or woman, then our work is redemptive, transformed by the work of the Cross where Jesus became a curse for us!

When Jesus removed the curse, that included the curse of the garden where work was cursed through the fall.

Gal 3:13 “Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross).”

So for every Christian, work is redemptive through serving Jesus in it! There is a nobility to any and every job, so long as it is not immoral or illegal.

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Paul goes on to say that every Christian employee should seek to:

“...be well pleasing in all things, not answering back.”

And of course, if the Christian employee is seeking to please the Lord in his or her work, it will be a job well done, accompanied with a Christ exalting attitude.

“Not answering back” means “not speaking against or contradicting.” It implies resistance, kicking against. We all know about “water cooler” talk, when employees huddle together to complain and grumble against their employer.

Paul says by the Spirit, don’t do it.

“...not pilfering,”

Pilfering comes from a word meaning “being light-fingered.” This word was used of Ananias and Sapphira, who told the Apostles they were donating the entire proceeds of a land sale to the church, when in fact they “kept back” (pilfered) part of the money. In pilfering it, they robbed God.

Pilfering can be major or minor. Everything from taking money from your employer to walking away with stamps, pens, envelopes, computer software, and so on falls into the category of pilfering.

As far as God is concerned, theft is theft. Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Lk. 16:10).

According to Jesus, if you’ll steal a dime you’ll steal a diamond. Theft, as with all bad habits, starts small and grows over time as your conscience grows duller.

“...but showing all good fidelity.”

Fidelity is faithfulness and loyalty. A faithful worker will look out for the best interests of his employers and make the best use of his time and talents.

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Then Paul gives the highest reason for doing a good job:

“...that they (the Christian employee) may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

Adorn means “to ornament.” Our english word “cosmetic” comes from this Greek word. Women “adorn” their faces with added beauty. We ornament Christmas trees, adorning their natural beauty with greater beauty.

When Christian employees serve honorably everyone sees it, and it adorns their message and testimony of the grace of God.

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And in verse 11, Paul expounds on just what that “doctrine of God” is:

2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men...”

The doctrine of God is about the grace of God. Grace simply means “unearned favor.” It is something we got that we didn’t deserve.

And Paul says first that God’s grace is SAVING grace. His grace saves us from what we DO deserve—punishment for our sins. Rather than give us the justice we deserve, He gives us grace we don’t deserve. This is why it’s called amazing grace!

But not only is it SAVING grace, it’s also SUFFICIENT grace. Paul says that God’s saving grace is sufficient for the whole world. His grace “has appeared to ALL men”—every boy, girl, woman, and man on our planet is included in its reach.

But His SUFFICIENT grace only becomes EFFICIENT grace when we place our personal trust and faith in Jesus Christ.

Unlike those who teach universalism—that everyone in the world was saved by Christ’s death on the Cross—we know that we must repent in order for God’s sufficient grace to become personally efficient for us!

The first message out of the mouth of Jesus Christ as He began His ministry was “Repent, and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:15)

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So God’s grace is SAVING grace, it is SUFFICIENT grace, and it is also SANCTIFYING grace.

2:12 “...teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,”

The word “denying” means “to disown.” The believer in Jesus Christ is taught to take a stand against the inborn lusts of the flesh by literally disowning them. We are empowered to do this by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us:

Romans 8: 13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

“Denying ungodliness” is one of the surest evidences someone has been truly born again. Not perfect victory at all times, but engaged in the battle, desirous to walk in the Spirit, genuinely convicted in moments of failure.

God’s grace is SAVING, SUFFICIENT, SANCTIFYING, and it is also a SUSTAINING grace.

Paul states that God’s grace teaches us to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age...” It SUSTAINS us in a godless environment.

This “present age” as Paul calls it is the ungodly, Christ rejecting world we temporarily live in. And every believer’s life is wrapped by grace in the unfailing favor of God.

His grace sustains us in the midst of afflictions that seem overwhelming. Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

His grace teaches us to give generously to support the Lord’s work. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).

God’s sustaining grace teaches us to turn our back on the desires of the world, for this word, says the Apostle James, is an enemy to grace. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

John Phillips put it this way: “This world is the Devil’s lair for sinners and lure for saints.”

This world murdered our Savior, and has persecuted godly people since the days of Cain. It can’t rob us of our salvation, but it CAN rob us of our assurance, peace, joy, of our testimony and our reward.

This world is not the friend of the Christian! We’re in it, but not of it. As salt and light, we’re called to influence it for Christ, not to be influenced by it away from Christ. And God’s grace operates to SUSTAIN us in the present evil age.

Paul says God’s grace will help empower us to live SOBERLY, meaning self-control; RIGHTEOUSLY, meaning to do what is right at all times, at all costs, and on all counts; and GODLY, meaning Christlike. One of my favorite verses is:

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Phil 2:13).

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His grace is SAVING, SUFFICIENT, SANCTIFYING AND SUSTAINING...and it also affects our SPIRITUAL SIGHT:

2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

The Christian’s sight is not to be focused on this present world, which is “passing away,” but on the return of Christ. Notice how Paul identifies Jesus as very God. “Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

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And then finally, God’s grace was SACRIFICIAL:

2: 14a “...who gave Himself for us,”

The great God and Savior Jesus Christ gave Himself for us. On that first Christmas morn, He stepped out of eternity into time, leaving the high halls of heaven, glories unimaginable, to arrive as a baby born in Bethlehem.

There is no question that the most astounding fact of history is that the second Person of the Godhead—the One whom angels worshiped, Who created the universe—came to die for us!

Why?

2:14b “...that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

REDEEM means “to set free by paying a ransom.” The Lord Jesus came down into the slave market of this world and purchased us at the cost of His blood.

FROM EVERY LAWLESS DEED points to our inborn fallen nature we were hopelessly enslaved to apart from divine intervention.

TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF speaks of the blood cleansing us from our sin, and the grace of God ongoingly sanctifying us from the sin of this evil age. He did and does this “for Himself.”

HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE literally means “His own acquisition.” In another place Paul says, “You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

And finally, “ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS.” The Greek word for “zeal” literally means “a zealot.” It is to be totally sold out, all in for doing good works. Paul contends in Ephesians, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph.2:10).

Out of our deep thanks and appreciation for all Jesus did for us, we are to be chin deep in good works for His glory, reaching, teaching, and doing for others in His name!

He closes out chapter 2 with the final words:

2:15 “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

When we are God’s representative, we carry authority from another realm. And while some will indeed despise us, we should never allow it to derail our assignment!