Session 3: Walk Worthy of the Gospel

Session 3: Walk Worthy of the Gospel

Titus 3

Opening Prayer in Nepali

When it comes to Planning and Evaluation in Ministry, what does the Lord have for us in this pastoral letter?

Titus 1: Pursue Holiness in the Pastorate

Like Titus, we have been tasked with establishing Christ-like leaders in our churches. Such an endeavor begins with personal holiness.

Titus 2: Teach Truth in Confidence

Like Titus, we must teach the same sound doctrine on which the church was founded. By the Spirit, the teaching and practice of biblical truth produces spiritual fruit and maturity in our church families. Reject the world and its desires. Live godly lives as redeemed saints who are zealous for good works as we await His return.

Titus 3: Walk Worthy of the Gospel

Like Titus, we must live with in a manner that reflects Christ instead of the world. He saved us, adopted us, and has pronounced us as heirs with his Son so that we might devote ourselves to the good works of evangelism and discipleship.

Titus 2 Context

Paul has just closed Titus 2 exhorting godly leaders to teach sound doctrine. Along with this, Paul shows how Christ-like character should be displayed and taught within the relationships of the church body.

All members of the body of Christ should seek to live in accordance with the Word of God, so that in all things our Savior is glorified (Matt 5.16)

In our Ministry Planning and Evaluation, we hold the Word of God and its exhortations for the church (Teach Truth and Make Disciples) as the mold we use to shape all of the smaller details of our planning.

It is also our standard in evaluation when we ask the question: Is the gospel a central focus in this ministry effort?

Example: Ministry in the American church, based on statistics, is often lacking emphasis on gospel proclamation and discipleship. These must remain primary in all that we plan as pastors and church leaders.

Paul concludes Titus 2 with one of the greatest proclamations of the work of God in our salvation, all of which points us to the primary theme of Titus 3 - Faithful obedience through good works for His glory.

(TRANSLATOR Reads)

Titus 3:1–3 ESV

1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

1. We do not walk like the world (v1-3)

In contrast to what we have seen in Titus 1 about the people of Crete (always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons), Paul instructs Titus to remind the people of God in Crete in how to set themselves apart from the culture.

Submit to authority

Be obedient

Be alert and ready for every good work

Ephesians 2:10 “10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Living in a culture that was hostile to the gospel and corrupted by sin, Paul exhorts the church to live in great contrast to the world around them.

Titus 3:2 “2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

How does this help us in Planning and Evaluating our Ministry?

Again, Paul has given us here in God’s Word a standard by which we first measure ourselves but also our church members.

Through the continual teaching of sound doctrine (Titus 2.11-15), we show the application of the gospel in our lives.

Teach, Work, Encourage, Lead, Submit to authority, and live in this Nepali culture in way that is honoring to your Savior and the new life He has given you for good works.

Good works flow from those who are saved through the Spirit’s work in them.

Who we once were

In verse 3, Paul includes himself in describing who we once were apart from Christ.

Apart from Christ, we are foolish, unrighteous, hateful people who are just slaves to our own sin.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul says we use to be these things, but we were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus.

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus In the past We Harmed Others (Titus 3:3)

If we are to see clearly our need for the new birth, we must deeply know the nature of our own sin.

How does this help us in Planning and Evaluating our Ministry?

As we remind our church members of their new life in Christ and point them to good works as God has prepared for us, let us never forget who we once were.

In can be easy to look at the world around us and think we are far better than them, but the truth is we are only recipients of God’s grace in the gospel.

Remembering who we once were apart from Christ will drive us to praising our God for who we are and all we have been given in Christ.

(TRANSLATOR Reads)

Titus 3:4–7 ESV

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

2. We rejoice in His great work (v4-7)

With Paul’s letter to Titus being heavily focused on doing good works in this new life in Christ (2 Cor 5.17), it is a sobering reminder to encounter a section like Titus 3.4-7.

Because of the great love with which He loved us (Eph 2.4), our Savior, the God Man, Jesus Christ, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature….He came and saved us.

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

He did not do this because we had already done earned His favor through good deeds (Rom 3.10-12, Matt7.21-23), but He did so by His mercy and grace.

The horrible problem of sin needed to be defeated once and for all, and only God himself could do that.

“the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit”

This is the mountain top of Titus 3 where Paul is exalting God’s work in our salvation and not us. Praise the Lord that our Savior’s love for us is no based on our performance for Him.

Paul is speaking here of the NEW BIRTH needed in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Consider Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in John 3.

John 3:5 “5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

This imagery being used by Paul here is not referring to water baptism, but instead this is a internal cleansing and renewal of our hearts by the Spirit.

We are cleansed and renewed by His work, not ours. The prophet Ezekiel, led by the Spirit of God, detailed what the Lord would do in the new covenant in Christ.

(paraphrase)

Ezekiel 36:24–27 “24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Because of His mercy and grace, and through His great work of regeneration and renewal, we are justified before God the Father and we are heirs with Christ in the promised eternal life.

(TRANSLATOR Reads)

Titus 3:8 ESV

8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

3. We work hard in devotion to the Lord (v.8)

In this verse, Paul is pointing back to what has been said in v4-7. He tells Titus to insist on these things as he is raising up godly elders and instructing the struggling church in sound doctrine.

What is Paul saying is trustworthy?

The Good News of God’s work in our salvation! In a world of religious confusion and deception, we can trust the reliability and accuracy of God’s Word and the power of the gospel to save all those who repent and believe.

Paul urges Titus to insist on the reality that we are new creations in Christ, given new life to walk in loving obedience to our King,

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Why should Titus insist on these things?

So that those who have believed in God (the regenerate and renewed people for His own possession) may be careful to devote themselves to good works.

Such things are excellent and profitable for the people.

What good works should be point our people to?

Raising families in the instruction of the Lord

Deuteronomy 6:4–8 “4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”

Love and Lead your families well

1 Timothy 3:4–5 “4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”

Ephesians 5:25–27 “25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Live Unto God and Remain in the Word

Romans 6:10–11 “10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

John 15:7–8 “7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Evangelize the Lost and Make Disciples

Colossians 1:28 “28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

(TRANSLATOR Reads)

Titus 3:9–11 ESV

9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

4. We seek peace in ministry (v9-11)

Finally, Paul instructs Titus to avoid things that distract and are unprofitable in ministry. Foolish arguments are not beneficial in evangelism or in building up the body of Christ.

Such divisive things will possibly come from within our church body. The exhortation from Paul here is in alignment with the church discipline model of Matthew 18.

Seek reconciliation with the church member, but if they are unwilling than have nothing to do with them. Their own actions condemn them before God.

(v12-15)

Paul concludes this letter with some formalities, detailing which of his fellow workers are travelling where and instruction on meeting the needs of these friends.

Again Paul reminds Titus to be sure the believers in Crete devote themselves to good works! Paul’s concern here is the church being unfruitful in its ministry.

2 Peter 1.5-8, Seeking Virtue, Knowledge, Steadfastness, Godliness, Brotherly Affection, and Love keep us from being unfruitful and ineffective in ministry.

CONCLUSIONS

Paul’s letter to Titus is a gracious gift from God for us today. It is a manual for establishing godly leaders, setting right what is broken in a church body, and refocusing us on the church’s purpose.

Planning and Evaluation in Ministry is not an easy subject to teach on, but I pray this letter to Titus encourages you and equips you in leading your church families well according to the Word.