Adorning the Gospel Together

Review/Introduction

I’m grateful for the opportunity to preach this morning. Josiah, thanks for filling in…it’s good to have you back with us. If you happen to have a copy of the Scriptures and would like to make your way there, we’re going to be in Titus Chapter 2 today. Titus Chapter 2. Before we read the passage together, it’s good that we first get our bearings a little. If you’ve been with Light City for awhile, today’s sermon is part 3 of a little break-off series that I’ve been gradually and intermittently walking us through over the course of about the last 7 months.

For context’s sake, this book of Titus is actually a letter to Titus from the Apostle Paul. These two men were close ministry companions, and one of the places where they strove together to advance the gospel and to plant churches was in Crete, which was a Greek island south of Mainland Greece. This island had a mixture of Gentiles and Jews, and had historically earned quite the reputation for itself, including the reputation of being an island full of liars and manipulators.

Yet at the same time, across this troubled island, the gospel of Jesus Christ was advancing. Communities of people were coming to faith, and they were now striving to live as Christians. Paul, now away from Crete, had left Titus on this island in order to help these young Christian communities mature and get established as healthy local churches. And so from afar, in an effort to minister to these Christian communities through Titus, Paul wrote him this personal letter.

In part 1 of this sermon series, we took a look at Paul’s greeting in verses 1-4 of Chapter 1. Within this short greeting, Paul not only reminded Titus that he was writing on good apostolic authority…but he also reminded Titus of his good apostolic purpose, which was all about ministering to God’s elect…ministering to Christ’s Church. And in this case, Christ’s Church in Crete. To what end? It was for the sake of their faith and knowledge of the truth…for the sake of their godliness as Christians…and ultimately for the sake of their sure hope of eternal life with God their Father & Christ Jesus their Savior.

In part 2 of this sermon series—which was where we left off last time—we took a look at the rest of chapter 1, where Paul shows Titus (and us) a vital component of having healthy local churches: healthy leadership. Paul had left Titus in Crete so that he would appoint qualified elders who would bring healthy order, oversight, and teaching to these Christian communities. And this was of heightened importance in Crete. Not only was this island flooded with pagan worship and pagan behavior, but there was also an infiltration of professing Christians who were promoting false teaching…who were promoting false gospels. These false teachers were impure…disobedient…greedy…and they were literally “upsetting whole families” with their teaching. These wolves needed to be dealt with rightly, and God’s flock needed protection and guidance.

So Paul gives strong exhortation to Titus about these false teachers, and about the necessity of having sound leadership and teaching in place. And in doing this, he is also preparing to show Titus (and all Christians) that there is to be a strong contrast between us and these false teachers. And not only a strong contrast from what they were falsely teaching…but a strong contrast from the rotten fruit that they were altogether bearing.

Though these 2 types of false teaching expressed themselves very differently, the reality is that they both tampered with God’s Law, they both tampered with God’s Gospel of Grace, and they both ultimately grew from the same root: hope being placed in human flesh for personal fulfillment. Antinomian, licentious teaching takes advantage of grace and feeds on the lusts of our flesh...while legalistic teaching rejects or minimizes grace and feeds on our pride in our flesh. These false teachers were preying on the lustful & prideful fleshly temptations that all of us are at risk of indulging in. They were acting right in line with the Cretan reputation through their own lying and manipulating…all while professing to know God.

And this brings us to our passage today. So at this time—if you’re able and willing to do so—I invite you to stand as I read Titus Chapter 2 for us.

Read the Text & Pray

This is the Word of the Lord.

Titus 2 ESV

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Father, we thank you for Your Word. By Your grace & by Your Spirit, I ask that you would renew our hearts & minds by it today…that You would conform us unto the image of Your Son. Amen.

Thank you for standing…you can go ahead and have a seat.

Set the Table

As a farm kid who grew up on 90’s country music, it’s my personal opinion that country music isn’t quite what it used to be. That being said, there are a few current artists that I do enjoy. One that Kaylee and I both like is Luke Combs. As I was preparing my sermon this week, I was reminded of a song of his…it’s called “Better Together.” And here’s what the theologian Luke Combs has to say:

Some things just go better together, and probably always will Like a cup of coffee and a sunrise, Sunday drives and time to kill What's the point of this ol' guitar if it ain't got no strings? Or pourin' your heart into a song that you ain't gonna sing? It's a match made up in heaven, like good ol' boys and beer And me, as long as you're right here

You know, personally speaking, I think Luke is subjectively pretty on point with a lot of these combinations.

-A Cup of Coffee & A Sunrise? One of my favorite pairs.

-Sunday Drives & Time to Kill? Sounds like a good day.

-A Guitar with Strings? Well Yeah!

-Writing a Song & Singing that Song? Absolutely.

-Hanging with my Boys & Drinking Beer? Meh, I’m personally not a huge beer guy, but OK!

-Me & My Significant Other? Oh Yeah! Kaylee & I are absolutely better together than being apart.

As I mentioned, I think Luke is subjectively pretty on point with a lot of these combinations. But here’s the reality: it would be perfectly fine if some of y’all totally disagreed. Maybe you’d rather have tea with your sunrise..maybe you’d rather have a nap with your time to kill on Sunday…and so on.

There are a lot of combinations in this world that are truly up for subjective debate, in terms of whether 2 things are better together or not. But when it comes to our passage today…if a song were to be written based off Titus Chapter 2, one combination would NOT be up for debate. Paul clearly shows us that these 2 things most certainly go together, and always will: Godliness & the Gospel.

2,000 years ago, this beautiful combination of Godly Living & the Gospel of Jesus Christ was being confused, undermined & attacked within Christian communities by false teachers. Unfortunately, the same is true in many Christian communities today.

This morning, we’re going to explore this important relationship between Godliness & the Gospel, and we’re going to do so under 4 basic headings. And my prayer is that in doing this, by God’s grace, we’ll all leave here embracing Christ & the gospel a little more, and striving to adorn Christ & the gospel a little more with our lives.

Explain & Apply the Text

Godliness is Not the Gospel

With that being said, let’s take a look at our 1st heading. And I don’t usually like to have headings stated in the negative sense, but I think that in this case, it will hopefully serve us well. Our 1st heading is this: Godliness is Not the Gospel.

You see, as beautiful and harmonious as Godly Living & the Gospel are together, they are not 1 in the same. Not only must each of these components be clearly & distinctly defined, but the nature & order of their relationship must also be clearly defined.

One particular group of false teachers that was plaguing the Church in Crete was a group that Paul referred to as “The Circumcision Party” back in chapter 1. And essentially, here’s what they were doing to unsettle these believers: they were teaching that one’s right spiritual standing before God was based on certain works that one did or did not do. And so in addition to faith in Jesus, they were offering ways for these Christians to earn & maintain their purity before God…such as Jewish purification commands, like male circumcision.

Now in terms of Godliness in particular—in terms of sound Christian living—these false teachers weren’t even getting that right. With the coming of Jesus Christ, these old Jewish ceremonial commands, like Circumcision, were now done away with. They were no longer of any value, because all along they were pointing to the purifying work of Christ.

And yet even still…even as it does pertain to legitimate moral commands and to legitimate Christian living—which we’re going to talk about later: we don’t earn nor maintain right standing before God by means of our godliness. Why? Because it’s utterly impossible. Paul writes elsewhere in Romans that “by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Friends, while godly Christian living is extremely important—and while we should be encouraged when we notice some maturing take place—our godliness is not the gospel. If we’re looking to our own works as the basis of our salvation & our standing before God, then that is actually terrible news for us. It is literally damning news for us. No, we need to keep the gospel pure. And the pure Gospel is this: it is the Good News of God’s Graceful Work….God’s graceful work of redeeming sinners in and through the only Godly One…in and through Jesus Christ alone…obtained by faith in Jesus Christ alone. As verse 11 & 14 tell us from today’s chapter, it is the grace of God that has appeared—it is Jesus Christ that has appeared. And He has given of Himself in order to save and to redeem us. That is the Gospel!

So may we not follow these legalistic kinds of false teachers. May we fight the temptation of indulging our prideful flesh. May we fight the temptation of putting hope in our flesh…even putting hope in our godly living. That’s not where our hope is found. Our hope is found outside of ourselves, in Christ alone. May we not try to take the baton of God’s grace and try putting it into our own hands. While God’s Gospel of Grace absolutely came at the great cost of His own Son, God’s Gospel of Grace is free indeed. Though we have no money…though we have nothing to bring…He invites the thirsty to come, and to freely drink of His living water at no cost. He invites the hungry to come, and to freely eat of the Bread of Life without payment. What a wonderful Gospel that is. What a wonderful Savior He is.

Godliness Accords with the Gospel

So in the negative sense, we’ve seen that Godliness is NOT the Gospel. But positively-speaking, what is the proper nature and order of this relationship? How are Godliness & the Gospel supposed to biblically function & operate together? Let’s go ahead and start unpacking this. This brings us to our 2nd heading for today. It is this: Godliness Accords with the Gospel.

You see, there was another stream of false teaching that was plaguing the early Christian Church, including here in Crete. It was the early seed form of what later became known as Gnosticism. Gnosticism was a blended, syncretistic religion that taught that “matter is bad” and the “spiritual is good.” And because these false teachers viewed physical matter as being evil, they taught that the physical body itself was evil. And so they taught that humans with these evil physical bodies needed a “special knowledge” to work their way to God, Who had distanced Himself from evil matter. And wouldn’t you know, these false teachers themselves had that “special knowledge”, and they were able to line their pockets & prey on vulnerable people.

But this wasn’t the only problem with their teaching! Because they thought that the physical body was evil and that there was no bodily resurrection, this meant that their teaching on godly living in these physical bodies was all out of whack! One of the streams of this false teaching taught this: The physical body is evil… there’s no bodily resurrection…so how you live in your temporary, evil body doesn’t really matter. So these false teachers were presenting immature Christians with an Antinomian, “anti-law”, licentious kind of teaching…one where God’s Gospel of free grace in Christ was essentially free license for Christians to live however they wanted.

Think about how this kind of teaching could appeal to the human, sinful flesh. As opposed to Legalistic Teaching—which appealed to human pride in the flesh—this Antinomian, Licentious Teaching appealed to the human lusts of the flesh. Rather than legalistically rejecting God’s Gospel of Grace, this was taking advantage of God’s Gospel of Grace to indulge in the lusts of the flesh.

Beloved: you and I both know that this is NOT how the Gospel works. While godly living itself is NOT the Gospel, it absolutely accords with the Gospel. It is harmonious with it. It fits with it. But here’s where the nature, the order, and the function of this relationship is so important to remember: Godliness flows downstream from the gospel. The Christian life is lived in light of the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is lived “identity forward, status forward” in Christ.

Holy & set-apart living flows from “gospel received.” “Gospel received” means that we are a part of God’s elect…we are a part of God’s family. As Paul writes in the very first verse of this whole letter, being a part of God’s family means that by God’s grace, we have come to faith and a knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ. And yet in this same opening verse of the letter, what does Paul go onto say? He says that this faith and knowledge of the truth accords with what? “With Godliness.” This opening verse of the letter could essentially serve as his thesis statement for the whole letter. He saw godliness as a crucial component to being members of the Household of Faith.

And so as we jump back into our Chapter 2 passage for today, we see this! Paul writes these familiar words to Titus in verse 1: “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” What is it that accords with sound doctrine? What is it that accords with a sound gospel? Throughout these first 10 verses, he shows us! Sound Living! Godly Living!

Friends: sound, godly living is harmonious with the gospel. It fits with the gospel and flows from it. But what exactly does that look like? What does a life that fits with the gospel look like?

*false teachers plaguing young church with teaching that spiritual rightness before God was predicated on what you do or don’t do. And they offered ways of achieving that (i.e. circumcision, etc.)

*in contrast, the true gospel that Paul & Titus had established there says that believers are made clean holy by the work of God, and is the only thing that makes us fit to do anything good.

*”what” is good for us to do as those who have been made clean and safe in Christ? What does a life downstream from the finished work of Jesus look like? Chapter 2:1-10 shows us.

-Big picture view of Titus 2:1-10. Some common threads and themes.

*summary: a life that fits with the gospel (one that naturally flows downstream from the gospel) is one of selflessness for the building up of the church and its witness to the world

*verse 1: a strong contrast from the false teachers. teach sound doctrine AND what flows from it. Christianity at its core is about what we believe. But our lives should fit that belief. What you do flows downstream from what you believe. Titus: show them how this sound doctrine plays out in their lives. How doctrine affects you and shapes their lives.

*Paul was not only calling on Titus to teach the right things, but to help people see what kind of life flows out of that teaching.

-stark contrast to the false teachers: false teaching, and out of that teaching was flowing corruption (not always obvious to see, and some of it seemed appealing)

*At the core of this sound doctrine is the gospel…the good news that we are made right with God as a gift of grace, completely apart from what we do, trusting in the finished work of Jesus.

*One of the ways that Scripture talks about the work that Christ has done for us is in terms of citizenship. Like the different values of different nations, the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ has a certain set of values. Christ has transferred us into this kingdom out of the kingdom of darkness (with dark values).

*So Paul is charging Titus to ground them in the gospel AND help them to understand what life in this new kingdom is like.

*Life in Christ’s Kingdom can be challenging because even though our citizenship has been transferred to this new kingdom, we still live in our old kingdom! Scripture essentially describes us as an embassy (a sovereign territory in the midst of another country). Local outpost in the midst of America. Ambassadors of Christ working out of our embassies around the world.

Not just a contrast in terms of sound teaching, but sound living. Not just a contrast in terms of declaring facts that the gospel of grace teaches, but displaying fruit that the gospel of grace produces.

Uniquely

-breaking down the different demographics

Collectively

-focusing in on the common thread (selflessness highlighted in humility, self-control, and submissiveness)

Godliness is Formed by the Gospel

(Q: how is godliness formed in believers?)

It’s all of God’s grace! Freely striving in the grace of God.

Good news of God’s grace toward sinners for all of their salvation…justification, sanctification, glorification.

Remember Christ’s 1st Appearing

(salvation…regeneration/adoption/justification)

God saved you.

Christ accomplishing the work of redemption.

Embrace Christ’s Present Training

(salvation…sanctification)

God is continue to save you.

God is sanctifying you.

*tapping into the ordinary “means” of God’s grace

Anticipate Christ’s 2nd Appearing

(glorification)

God will finally save you.

God will glorify you.

The Lord’s Table is not only Christ then and now, but anticipating His coming

Godliness Adorns the Gospel

(Q: what is the by-product of living a life that fits with the gospel?)

STUDY NOTES

INITIAL READING OBSERVATIONS

-”But as for you” (v1)

*marks a contrasting transition from the negative example of the false teachers (1:10-16) to the positive exhortation toward Titus and the Cretan believers Titus was to address

-”teach what accords with sound doctrine” (v1)

*the most pointed doctrine in view here is the teaching of the gospel itself (i.e. what accords with a sound/healthy gospel message)

*Paul is about to unfold it is that accords with sound doctrine (godly, sound, fruitful living). Sound doctrine of the Gospel means that sound living according to God’s law is still important!

-In verses 2-10, Paul is writing about the necessity for believers to live godly lives, which harkens back to what could essentially be Paul’s thesis statement (main idea) in his open greeting in Verse 1.

*Titus 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,”

-Paul tackles this exhortation for Titus to teach godly living to the Cretan believers (himself & seemingly through appointed elders) by highlighting what that looks like across various demographics. Godly living, just like elders are called to! Christian living that accords with their faith and knowledge of the truth!

*V2 ”Older men”

-“are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”

*V3-4 ”Older women”

-“likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women”

*gossip & slander is prevalent everywhere in this fallen world, and it’s especially prevalent in this Wabash community

*V4-5 ”Young women” (by means of older women teaching them)

-“love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

*V6 ”Younger men”

-”Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

*”urge” is a strong word. Young men are especially prone to lack self control, and rather indulge in the various lusts of the flesh. Remember this island of Crete was renown for its licentiousness

*V1,7-8 “But as for you”, “Yourself” (Titus himself)

-”But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”

*for pastors/teachers in the church, this is another unique fruit that needs to be seen in their life. Unique qualification for elders

*In contrast to the impure false teachers just mentioned

-”Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

*again, in contrast to poor model that these false teachers were putting on display (insubordinate, empty talkers & deceivers, selfish motives, defiled minds & consciences, detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work)

*The works/fruit of these false teachers did not accord with their professed faith and knowledge of God!

*V9-10 “Bondservants”

-”are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

*why are they to strive in this? So that by doing so, they adorn God’s Gospel!

-”in everything”. While being bondservants was much different than what we think of with modern-day slavery, the circumstances could alway be more ideal, especially for those who had tough masters. Even when circumstances are tough, we have an opportunity to adorn the gospel!

-”For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (V11-14)

*”For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people”

-”For” connects back to what Paul was just writing on (godly Christian living, slaves adorning the gospel)….which means the grace of God is our great motivator for Christian living! God has extended unmerited salvation and favor to wretched sinners like us. Oh the depths of His grace and love! As Christians who have faith & knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ, oh how we desire to love Him in return, by means of our daily posture and living!

-”all people” can’t literally mean all people, because the whole of Scripture does not present universalism. It seems to either indicate all demographics (such as just highlighted in the context), all nations (Jew & Gentile), or contextually most likely “all people” including masters & slaves

*training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age

-The grace of God not only saves us, but His grace trains us to:

*negatively speaking: renounce ungodliness & worldly passions (i.e. strive to abstain from evil)

*positively speaking: live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age (i.e. pursue what is good)

*”present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

-we’re in the last days. We’re in “this age” (present age) and there is still the “age to come”

-As Keith preached on 2 weeks ago, salvation takes time!

*yes salvation happens in an instant (regeneration/in ark/in Christ), but it also takes time (work out the salvation God is working in you/sanctification/awaiting glorification)

*our hope is certain in this present age! Yet we await the day when we don’t have to hope anymore. When faith turns to sight at the appearing of our blessed hope Himself, Christ

*The appearing of God’s Grace (Christ’s 1st Coming) = salvation has come

*The appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ (2nd Coming) = salvation has culminated

-our salvation culminates in the age yet to come

-”already, not yet” reality

*”our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

-”Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

*divinity of Christ (one with God the Father)

-”who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness”

*God brought grace and salvation to all people in and through the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

-What did Christ do to achieve our salvation? He gave Himself! In order to redeem/purchase us from all lawlessness (from our of bondage to our sin). And in order to purify for Himself a people.

*Ephesians 5:25–27 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 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.”

*God redeemed a people for Himself out of Egypt so that they would be holy and set apart for Him. He immediately gave them a holy and good law to live by!

-”a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works”

*what characterizes the people of God whom He has purchased for himself? they are zealous for good works!

-stark contrast from the false teachers who were “unfit for any good work” (1:16)

-may this characterize us! may we strive to be who we already are as God’s people!

*1 Peter 2:9–12 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

-”Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” (v15)

*Paul reiterating verse 1 (“teach what accords with sound doctrine”) to Titus

*Titus was not merely to positively teach & exhort, but also to negatively rebuke.

-as qualified elders were to be “able to rebuke those who contradict” sound doctrine (1:9)

*”with all authority”. With Paul’s own apostolic authority under the authority of Christ, Titus had been entrusted with authority to appoint elders (1:5)

*”let no one disregard you”. This seems to indicate that Paul was under the assumption that there would be some that would! Paul himself was all too familiar with people disregarding himself!

COMMENTARY OBSERVATIONS

GOSPEL TRANSFORMATION STUDY BIBLE

-Paul is concerned about the corrupting influence of false teachers in Crete, and he is urging Titus to lead the Cretan Christians deeper into the gospel

-The gospel presents a fundamentally different approach toward God than these false teachers do...one based on hope in God’s grace and not on human accomplishments. Grace produces an entirely different kind of fruit in the lives of believers.

-The church in Crete was plagued by 2 problems: licentiousness & legalism (1:10-16)

*licentiousness: reckless, godless, rule-free living (takes advantage of God’s grace)

*legalism: dutiful, strict, dry living (seeks to earn God’s grace)

-though these 2 problems express themselves very differently, Paul shows that licentiousness and legalism grow from the same root: hope in the flesh for personal fulfillment. And both result in spiritual fatigue, strife, sin, and eventually hatred of God

*licentiousness: feeds on the lusts of the flesh

*legalism: feeds on the pride in his flesh

-Paul shows that the answer to both licentiousness and legalism is the gospel

*the gospel alone gives the security, love, and joy that the human heart craves

*the gospel frees us from captivity to the lusts of the flesh and the need to exalt ourselves above others as the absolute approval of the only One whose opinion really matters has been given to us as a gift in Christ. He is all we need for everlasting joy.

*the gospel creates in us something that human religion is utterly unable to create: a “longing” for God. The gospel “trains our hearts” to pursue righteousness and to be zealous for good works (2:11-12). The good news does this, not through threat of punishment or promise of reward, but by making us stand in awe of the God who gave himself for us. Regulating the flesh cannot curb sinful desire any more than you can tame a wild animal by chaining it. Only a profound experience with God’s grace transforms the heart. The gospel gives us the satisfaction in God that curbs our desire for sin and the security in God that no failures on our part can threaten (2:11-14)

-A proper understanding of the gospel therefore necessarily produces joyful, generous, holy living. Where these things are absent, Paul says, so is the power of the gospel. Paul urges the church, therefore, to strive for good works (2:4,7,10). When they do so with the motivations of grace, he says, the difference between the gospel and legalism will be made clear.

-Paul’s prescription for the Cretan believers is not simply for them to try harder at being better. He wants them to believe in the gospel more deeply. If they will focus on the roots of the gospel, they will produce the fruits of godliness (2:10)

-Titus 2:1–10 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

*gospel change is best evidenced not by flamboyant religious ritual, but in integrity, humility, kindness, self-control, patience, and consistency of character. These are the fruits of abiding in the hope of the gospel.

*this section is intended to contrast the lives of true believers with those of the false teachers described in 1:10-16.

*Paul’s list of gospel “fruit” here (combined with his lists in other epistles, such as Gal 5:22-23 or 1 Cor 13:4-8) makes plain that grace is not an excuse for sin. Godliness is not a mere option for Christians; it is essential. The rules do not change, but the reasons do, as love for the God of grace becomes the primary motivation of the Christian life.

*gospel change is from the inside out. If the heart is healthy, fruit will come

-Titus 2:10 “not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

*Godly behavior adorns the gospel, putting on display the beauty of Jesus’ character to the world.

*Godly behavior makes plain the difference between works-based “religion” that focuses on benefits for the practitioner and the gospel of grace that focuses on honoring (loving) the God who delivers from sin and its consequences

-Titus 2:11–14 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

*these verses are arguably the most concise explanation of gospel-centered living found anywhere in Scripture.

-”self-controlled, upright, godly lives…zealous for good works” are produced by embracing the grace of God.

-Spiritual disciplines, Scriptural memorization, and accountability structures have their place. But a profound encounter with the grace of the gospel is the only thing that can produce change at the level of our desires. The gospel produces such loving and longing for our great God and Savior Jesus Christ that we desire to honor Him with our lives (v13). When that love and longing are present, godly behaviors follow.

-Titus 2:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

*The pastor’s role is to hold up the good news of the gospel and to rebuke all beliefs or practices that contradict it.

*Because licentiousness and legalism are both at odds with the gospel, gospel preachers can expect resistance from both. After all, Jesus’ crucifixion was a joint project between both pagan (Roman) and religious (Jewish) leaders.

BARCLAY COMMENTARY

-Titus 2:2 “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”

*sober-minded. When a man has reached years of seniority, he ought to have learned what are and what are not true pleasures

*dignified. appropriately serious and with an eternal mindset.

*self-controlled. strength in the inner aged man, renewed over time, having the Spirit’s strength and to prudently govern various instincts and passions.

*sound in faith. The passing of years and the experiencing of life are meant to strengthen our faith. The years must teach us to trust God more.

*sound in love. maybe one of the biggest dangers of age is criticism and fault finding. Somethings the years have a way of taking sympathy away, and leaving us set in our ways and resentment towards new ways and new ideas. The years should do just the opposite. More grace and sympathy.

*sound in steadfastness. the years (and refining trials) should toughen us so that we are able to bear more and more.

-Titus 2:3 “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,”

*reverent in behavior.

*not slanderers or slaves to much wine.

*are to teach what is good, and so train the young women. use their experience to guide and encourage rather than to daunt and discourage.

-Titus 2:4–5 “and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

*Young women, with the help of training from older women, are to:

-love their husbands & children.

-to be self controlled.

-be pure.

-work at home. while in many ways this is a temporary imperative that is bound to the very restrictive Ancient Greek World for women, these is also a sense where this is a permanent imperative. How so? There may be no greater task, responsibility, and privilege in this world than making a home. There is in fact nowhere where a truly religious life can better be lived than within the home. Many who have made a mark in the world have been enabled to do so simply because someone at home loved them and looked after them!

-be kind.

-be submissive to their own husbands.

-why? that the word of God may not be reviled.

-Titus 2:6 “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

*urged to be self controlled. In youth, the blood runs hotter and the passions speak more commandingly. The tide of life runs strongest in youth, and it sometimes threatens to sweep a young person away. Sometimes, circumstantially, far more opportunities to encounter disaster and to wreck one’s life. There is often confidence which comes from lack of experience. He will often shoulder a responsibility in a much more carefree spirit than an older person, because he has not known the difficulties and has not experienced how easily disaster may happen. No one can buy experience; that is something for which only the years can pay.

-Titus 2:7–8 “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

*Titus (and the Christian pastor/teacher) are to:

-be a model of good works. sound teaching must be back by sound witness of living.

-teaching with integrity, dignity, and sound speech. pure inner motives of integrity. Dignity in have a very real awareness of the weight of pastoring, and not prone to petty things or grudges. Committed to passing on the sound/pure gospel.

-why? so that the teaching cannot be condemned, that the opponent may be put to shame, and have nothing evil to say about us.

-The greatest compliment that can be paid to a teacher is: “first he wrought, then he taught.”

-Titus 2:9–10 “Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

*these bondservants had the opportunity to show their masters (Christian or not, good or bad masters) what Christianity was.

*in one sense, it can be hard to be a Christian at our work; but in another sense, it is easier than we think; for there is not an employer under the sun who is not desperately looking for employees whose loyalty and efficiency can be relied upon.

*these bondservants (Christian workers) were to:

-be submissive to their own masters in everything. Christianity does not obliterate the necessary lines of authority in the world.

-be well pleasing.

-not argumentative.

-not pilfering.

-showing all good faith. trustworthy & loyal fidelity to their masters

-why? so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

-Titus 2:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

*3 fold task for Titus (and for every Christian preacher, teacher, and leader:

declare (with all authority). There is a message to be proclaimed. “Thus says the Lord.”

exhort (with all authority). Encouragement and edification. Not led to despair but to grace and hope.

rebuke (with all authority). The eyes of prideful sinners must be opened to see their need for Christ. At times there is need for strong redirection out of love for one another. Our hearts need pricked.

HUGHES/CHAPELL COMMENTARY

-All true believers are expected to have their faith reflected in their conduct and to have their conduct affirm their faith

-The responsibilities of the younger women are first outwardly oriented. They are to “love their husbands and children.” In that day of formal and arranged marriages, a woman who truly and deeply loved her husband would stand out as a representative for the gospel in Greco-Roman culture.

-Because the false teachers in Crete were “upsetting whole families” by their teaching, these seemingly obvious household instructions may have needed special emphasis

-in terms of “working at home”, it’s unlikely that Paul had in mind concern about “career women” or mothers in the secular workplace. The Greek phrase literally says that the younger women should be taught to be “home workers.” The emphasis is not on the location of a wife’s work, but on being productive in the normal occupations of a wife each day.

-all persons in the Christian community are required to submit to proper authorities in their lives

-the Greek word for “submit” means “to arrange under”

*a Christian wife arranges her gifts and talents under the higher purpose of supporting the spiritual nurture of the household

-”so that the word of God may not be reviled”…the powerful gospel gains credibility

-The false teachers are “unfit for any good work,” but by his example Titus is “to be a model of good works.”

-Since the conduct of Titus is also to provide an example to the younger men, there should be a multiplication of silencers as the godly influence of Titus spreads among the young men and helps heal the embattled church.

-godly responsibilities apply to all members of the Christian community

-a slave (i.e., a servant, doulos) in the Greek world included those in miserable conditions, but it also included those in apprentice or indentured relationships (contracted servants, often working off a loan), domestic workers, and some who held heigh government office. Additionally, as the context of this passage indicates, a slave could be considered a member of the master’s household and a member of a religious community with freemen.

-the slaves were to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior”

*Paul is entrusting to the slaves the ministry of making the gospel appealing to their masters

-Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”

*these words encourage slaves to remember that even societal superiors who have been corrupted by their wordly privileges are objects of the grace of God and thus should not be denied the message of salvation by slaves who already possess the higher privileges of eternity

*In addition, the responsibility for gospel witness given even to slaves becomes the ultimate statement of the apostle that everyone in the church community has a role in the progress of the gospel. The responsibility of Christians to participate in the church community flows from an understanding of how powerfully the gospel progresses when all persons live according to the principles of grace.

*When the apostle uses the same word to describe the coming of grace, he so intertwines who Christ is with what Christ provides that the two become inseparable in our consideration. Grace is not some abstract doctrine or theological construct. Grace comes as Christ does. Grace is as personal as He is. In fact, Christ is grace.

*When we have seen God clearly in the appearance of his grace, we have an intense awareness of our unholiness. A true apprehension of grace instructs us of the magnitude and repugnance of our sin. We want to be rid of (renounce) what stained us (ungodliness) before the radiance of his glorious grace.

-Titus 2:12 “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,”

*why be concerned about godliness since we are saved by grace? Because, say the Scriptures, when the filth of my sin was sweeping me in my helplessness to eternal death, my God covered himself in the muck of this world to rescue me, embraced me despite my filth, and now wants me to remain out of the mud. Such grace should make us so in love with God that we cannot stand whatever in our lives resoils us and offends him. Biblical grace makes us intolerant of evil in our lives.

*grace—rightly perceived—compels holiness. This is not natural logic. Natural logic regarding those who are full of grace is supposed to say “ok thats alright. fine. never mind. go ahead.”

-Titus 2:13 “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

*The knowledge that our God is coming creates expectancy in believers that stimulates faithfulness in daily endeavor and grants perseverance in times of trial. Because Christ is coming, we live in fidelity to him. And knowing that He will deliver us from trial and will vanquish all his and our enemies, we can live in faithfulness to him. His future appearing is our cause for godly living “in the present age.”

-the goal of the godly is to adorn the gospel with credibility and evidence of its power in their lives! If our lives exhibit no freedom from the passions of the world, then our lives implicitly say the gospel makes no difference.

-Without the convicting and renewing work of the Spirit in our hearts, we will always rationalize our sin and continue in its path. Yet, as we grow in our affection for God because of His grace, we increasingly grow intolerant of anything that distracts us from him and seek to guard our hearts from all that would distance us, or anyone else, from him.

-Titus 2:14 “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

*the word “redeem” literally means “to release upon the receipt of a ransom.” Jesus speaks of himself as our ransom (Mark 10:45), and Paul uses the concept explicitly (1 Tim 2:6).

*Christ’s sacrifice and blood cleanses all to whom it is now applied by faith. These words remind us that God has cleansed us from the defilement of our sin by the sacrifice of his Son.

*In redeeming and cleansing/purifying us, we are now Christ’s treasured people. The great grace and love of our savior should inspire us to do the good works that please Him. Grace leads to godliness.

*Because Christ’s work alone purchases our salvation through the redeeming price of his blood, and because Christ’s work alone purifies us through the cleansing that his blood supplies, we do not look to our works as the basis of acceptance to God. Doing what God requires does not make us his own, but having been made his own by no work of ours, we now love to love him who first loved us. Such love has profound effects upon our attitudes and actions.

*what does being a loved people do to us? It makes us more sensitive to sin. When we see how wondrous is the love of Christ, we become more and more sensitive to the sin in our lives, and we long more and more to do what pleases Him.

*God’s people are first ransomed by His work, then purified to be His own, and then they are zealous to do good.

*This dynamic of having the love of God create an intolerance for sin is what the Puritans called “the power of new affection.” What will ultimately make us holy is not willpower, nor guilt, nor an inspiring message, but deep apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ. The resultant love for God drives out and replaces our natural love for sin.

*Though we are God’s people, there yet cling to us affections for evil that we must confess. These evil affections are replaced by an eagerness for good only as apprehension of Christ’s grace wells within us and ultimately drives out the old affections with the new life that is profound love for Him.

CHRIST CENTERED EXPOSITION COMMENTARY

-in the 1st century one our of three persons in Rome and one in five elsewhere was a slave. A person could become a slave as a result of capture in war, default on a debt, inability to support and “voluntarily” selling oneself, being sold as a child by destitute parents, birth to slave parents, conviction of a crime, or kidnapping and piracy.

PERTINENT INSIGHTS FROM PRIOR TITUS SERIES SERMONS

OUTSIDE (CRANDALL) SERMON OBSERVATIONS

-reverting back to chapter 1

*false teachers plaguing young church with teaching that spiritual rightness before God was predicated on what you do or don’t do. And they offered ways of achieving that (i.e. circumcision, etc.)

*in contrast, the true gospel that Paul & Titus had established there says that believers are made clean holy by the work of God, and is the only thing that makes us fit to do anything good.

*”what” is good for us to do as those who have been made clean and safe in Christ? What does a life downstream from the finished work of Jesus look like? Chapter 2:1-10 shows us.

-Big picture view of Titus 2:1-10. Some common threads and themes.

*summary: a life that fits with the gospel (one that naturally flows downstream from the gospel) is one of selflessness for the building up of the church and its witness to the world

*verse 1: a strong contrast from the false teachers. teach sound doctrine AND what flows from it. Christianity at its core is about what we believe. But our lives should fit that belief. What you do flows downstream from what you believe. Titus: show them how this sound doctrine plays out in their lives. How doctrine affects you and shapes their lives.

*long list of things that Paul says the church should be, and breaks it down demographically. Yet amid the diverse instructions, there is an obvious thread of unity in the teaching: selflessness (as Christ exemplified selflessness-incarnation highlighted later in Titus 2). Dying to self for the good of others. Correlation in Philippians 2.

-this makes sense because of 1) what the false teachers were selfishly (man made) teaching/offering: ritual, spiritual actions as a way to be clean before God. This teaching pointed the people in on themselves…and, 2) the broader Cretan culture of exploitation, lying, and indulgence

-selflessness evidenced by numerous calls toward:

*self-control (restraining your pursuit of your desires)

*submission (yielding to someone else’s authority)

*sober-mindedness (controlling your mind rather than letting it run wild)

*the life that befits the gospel (that flows downstream from the gospel) is one that dies to self for the good of others. May this be something that marks us and that we’re recognized as being.

*The Christian life is a corporate life, not an individual life. This dying to self/humility/self control is expressly for the purpose of benefitting others. We restrain ourselves because instead we choose to love and care for others. We are saved into a body (family, unit) of Christ to care for! Your body needs you.

-stark contrast to the false teaching that was upsetting whole households!

-stark contrast to the individualistic modern church found across much of the american landscape, and the broader american culture!

-these verse are written in the form of a “roman household code”. He takes this common Roman code and Christianizes it for churches that are to function like families.

-the church is meant to function as a family, where all that you have and all that you are is brought to bear for the good of the whole family. You are a whole unit. Everyone has a role. Everyone has a place.

-no one in Paul’s day would have understood life outside of family structure like this. Everything revolved around the family. Their place in society revolved around their family context.

-we are called sheep. sheep are dumb and cannot operate on their own or exist in the wild. Their safety comes from being a part of a flock with a shepherd with communal provision.

-these verses are littered with the idea of contributing and receiving from one another

*Teaching from Titus to the people

*Older women to young women

*Bondservants to Masters

-Christ building up His body as His members use their gifts to love and serve one another. correlation of Ephesians 4.

-Christ has freed you. He has provided everything you need to be justified. He has freed you so that you can love. Free to look beyond yourself and care for His bride!

-The life that flows from sound doctrine is not about you pursuing new levels of holiness…you leveling up…your interior life. In fact, focusing on this is a great way to ensure that you WON’T grow genuinely. No, the life that flows from sound doctrine is about giving yourself to the building of Christ’s church. And this is how you’ll grow genuinely. You will grow as you give yourself to the church and the church gives to you. Striving for one another for the well-being of one another!

-the life that flows from sound doctrine is selfless and corporate

-our culture desperately needs to see this selfless and corporate mentality!

*”that the word of God may not be reviled.” (2:5)

*”so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (2:8

-have the life that flows downstream from the gospel be so in sync with what the gospel frees you to do, that when someone wants to do damage to the gospel there are no holes or cracks & they look like fools

*”so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.” (2:10)

-”Adorn”: a phrase that gets used for decorating a house or putting on jewelry or nice clothes. Taking a space and enhancing it, or putting things into it that fit. When we live a life downstream from the gospel that fits with the gospel, it shows the gospel’s beauty and draws others in. Our sound living is like a frame for a painting. The gospel is the painting, but a good/fitting frame of our living draws your attention into the painting. It accentuates it. It draws your attention into the painting. It does the painting credit. It points people to the gospel personified (Jesus Himself).

-there should always be a low-grade apologetic (defending the faith) to the way that we relate to one another as a church community.

*John 17…”by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

-what points people to the face that we belong to Christ and that the gospel is true? When we love each other the way Christ loved us. When the love of Christ that we have received then flows out of us to our family in Christ.

*this is such a great apologetic in such a self-centered world

*the church is an unnatural, miraculous community that would not exist apart from the work of Christ.

*love the people that God has loved! Give yourselves over to loving Christ’s Church. If you invest yourself, your gifts, your time in the building up of God’s Church in caring for the brothers and sisters He has joined you to, you will not regret it! Because God has defined this as good!

-More Detailed View of Titus 2:1-10.

*Paul was not only calling on Titus to teach the right things, but to help people see what kind of life flows out of that teaching.

-stark contrast to the false teachers: false teaching, and out of that teaching was flowing corruption (not always obvious to see, and some of it seemed appealing)

*At the core of this sound doctrine is the gospel…the good news that we are made right with God as a gift of grace, completely apart from what we do, trusting in the finished work of Jesus.

*One of the ways that Scripture talks about the work that Christ has done for us is in terms of citizenship. Like the different values of different nations, the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ has a certain set of values. Christ has transferred us into this kingdom out of the kingdom of darkness (with dark values).

*So Paul is charging Titus to ground them in the gospel AND help them to understand what life in this new kingdom is like.

*Life in Christ’s Kingdom can be challenging because even though our citizenship has been transferred to this new kingdom, we still live in our old kingdom! Scripture essentially describes us as an embassy (a sovereign territory in the midst of another country). Local outpost in the midst of America. Ambassadors of Christ working out of our embassies around the world.

*While generally speaking, living selflessly is the common call for Christians (common thread of self-control, submission, and sober-minded), Paul is helpful in terms of getting specific instructions to specific Christian demographics in Crete. The station you hold in life and your unique calling affects the way that loving your neighbor actually plays out!

*Paul interestingly uses a Roman Household Code. This was very common code in the Ancient Roman World, and it was where the household was broken up into different groups and then there was wisdom given to these distinct groups. So Paul is taking this form and applying it to the church by breaking the church into distinct groups that have particular areas in which the culture/kingdom of the world might break in and affect the way they live, and he’s going to counter it with the values of Christ’s kingdom.

*Summary: we are to live in such a way–within our embassy-that we bear witness to God’s goodness and faithfulness. And we have the privilege of pursuing this regardless of our circumstances.

*Older men: Titus 2:2 “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”

-the Roman household was almost like a political entity, and the father of the family had legal authority over the household. Basically could do whatever he wanted. Power and authority.

-Paul calls the older men to fight the temptation of abusing their authority by being sober-minded (proper assessment of reality, wise), dignified (respectable), self-controlled (controlling impulses for the sake of others). This is the biblical way that authority is to be used, and this went against what was going on in culture.

-sound in faith (trust in Christ), love (flows from faith), and steadfastness (persistence in faith and love)

-the church needs older men who are sound in faith, love, and steadfastness!

*Older women: Titus 2:3–5 “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

-”likewise”….meaning that all of these groups are tied together in spite of their uniqueness

-at some point in life, the station of life for women changes. From raising a family and releasing them. This leaves women with more time on their hands, possibly for drinking a lot of wine and doing a lot of gossiping. Paul says you aren’t done raising up children in the church! Utilize your own challenging life experiences to pour into others (pointedly younger women). This does not require extensive theological training!

*Younger women: Titus 2:4–5 “and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

-”love their husbands and children”. The world will say so much about what being valuable is all about. Doing the simple things and loving the people right in front of you is honoring to God! It’s a good thing to love your husband and children!

-”self controlled” controlling their impulses for the good of others

-”working at home”. This does NOT mean being tied up at home. This misunderstands the culture of Paul’s day. We have this very tight distinction between home and the business world. That’s not how things were in Paul’s day. Most of the economic activity happened from the home. You produced things and ran a shop or something at home. Women were typically very involved in the economic activity of the household. But this does encourage women. How? To put value on what goes on in the home, which is something that culture doesn’t necessarily do! And to Be diligent with your home because they are so valuable!

-”submissive to their own husbands.” This is voluntary submission of one equal to another equal. Not to other husbands or all men in general. Not a call to submit to anything other than God. Submission is not something that is seen of as “less than” in Scripture. We are all called to submit to others in the church.

-beautiful picture of older women training younger women because the church is where training and building up is to happen!

*Younger Men. Titus 2:6 “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

-one exhortation, but all encompassing! young men are known for being impulsive with a lot of vigor, which can cause a lot of damage! All kinds of temptations and impulses toward wealth, power, lust, achievement. But the most important thing is to know how to curb these desires & drive…not to indulge for the sake of yourself, but to curb and channel your drive for the good of others. Cretans were known for exploitation! But Paul is saying that this is not the way we do things.

*Titus himself. Titus 2:7–8 “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

-Paul addressing Titus for his own role and part in the economy in the church

-He’s calling on him to be very different from the false teachers there. He was to be a model of good works!

-His teaching was to have certain character to it: integrity, dignity, sound speech. He was to shape and build up the church and to do it in the right way that accorded with the gospel

*Bondservants. Titus 2:9–10 “Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”

-slavery in the Roman world was not grounded in racist ideology. Anyone could be a slave and for various reasons. Sometimes voluntary for social welfare reasons or to pay off debts. Often temporary and could be freed and work toward freedom.

-If anyone had reason to break from their exhortations, bondservants did. People were not meant to own other people. Think about not having any authority over your own life. It would be very hard to desire to please your owners or resist being bitter or argumentative.

-This is not an approval of slavery! Slavery is abominable to God. Scripture deals with the world as it is and helps us navigate a world that is broken and fallen.

-Though this is focused on bondservants, this applies to us all! Aren’t we all prone to want to change our circumstances? We can have joy, purpose, and peace amid tough circumstances. Bearing witness well to the reality of the gospel and what it has brought us into (kingdom of light, eternal inheritance). How we live amid poor circumstances can be a great witness to the watching world! Our identity is not tied to our circumstances in this world. It is tied to Christ!

*Ultimately what these 10 verses do is frame our pursuit of virtues. We aren’t doing it primarily for ourselves but for others. Our pursuit of virtue is an act of love for our fellow citizens of the kingdom of light. And it also bears witness to the kingdom of this world that is watching. When we live in a way that fits with the gospel, it makes it hard for the world to attack the gospel and argue with it. It adorns the gospel and draws people to it…and God uses it to deliver more out of the kingdom of this world and into the kingdom of light!

*none of this we do to earn righteousness. This is what flows out of us because we’ve been made righteous by Christ. It is such a privilege to pursue a life like this. To lay ourselves and our desires down. chasing our selfish desires is never truly satisfying. We get to skip this rat race because of Jesus, and we get to lay our lives down for one another.

Sermon on Titus 2:11-15.

*the kind of gospel-adorning life of humility, self-control, and a submissive spirit is not natural. this is our natural bend being enslaved to sin

*how is this live of sacrificial life formed in us? how does it come?

1 ) Looking back on the grace that has appeared

-Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”

*Paul is referring to the incarnation of Jesus and his entire earthly ministry that followed it

*grace is not an abstract concept. It is God’s disposition and actions to give the best to those who deserve the worst. This is how remarkable grace really is!

*God is perfectly holy. He does not and cannot accommodate evil in any way. This would make him unjust. He cannot overlook our sin. Grace does not overlook sin. He must deal with sin. This is where Jesus enters…He is the mediator. Light broke into the darkness! He was born under the obligations of the law to redeem those who were under the law, by perfectly fulfilling the obligations of God’s holy law. We not only need the righteousness that we can’t provide, but we need a death that serves as our penalty for sin. Jesus provided that as well. Jesus Christ objectively changed the way that sinners can relate to a holy God. Our sin was paid for. Righteousness was account to us. God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Because of what Jesus has done, God can be perfectly just and holy, and at the same time He can justify wretched sinners like us. Those things are no longer in conflict because of the incredible work of Jesus on our behalf. This was the only way that our salvation could happen, and He did it!

*this salvation is for all people…for all classes, from the heads of households (“older men”) to the slaves that serve the households (“bondservants”). Because it’s grounded in the work of Christ rather than in the status, ethnicity, or work of man. God is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him (Hebrews). The only thing that qualifies us for this grace is to be attached to Jesus Christ by faith.

*when we are adopted into God’s family, that is not the end of His work for us! He doesn’t adopt us and then leave. He doesn’t leave us as orphans. He is continuing to work for us now!

2 ) Looking at how grace trains us now

-Titus 2:12 “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,”

*”train”: the word used for “raising kids”

*the same grace that birthed us into spiritual life is the same grace that trains/raises us as God’s born again children!

*the same way that we were brought into the family is the same way that we are raised up in it!

*Paul is guarding against 2 errors that were prevalent from the false teachers in Crete and that have always plagued the church: legalism and antinomianism. These 2 are often held out as opposites, but they are more alike than they might seem!

-legalism: a rejection of grace by the mentality and teaching of earning or maintaining your standing before God. The legalist sees God as Father and they see a harsh taskmaster. A God who is constantly judging and condemning. A Father for whom you have to perform in order to keep is favor and love. His law’s purpose is to make you prove yourself and your standing. The motivation to obey the Father is the threat of punishment and getting kicked out or making Him mad. This fear ends up making you do weird things in regard to what He does command. Instead of soberly recognizing the reality of your failure, you start to change and play with the law He’s given you. You relativize it and start to tailer it to what you’re doing so that you don’t have to fear the threat. You make the Law smaller and less harsh and more attainable because you can’t live under that weight of failure, and it’s the only way you can get relief. It also leads to a misunderstanding of grace…and it essentially says that grace gets you in the door, but now you have a chance to perform, earn, and maintain this grace and your place in the family.

-antinomianism: an abuse of grace in that grace functions in a such a way that it doesn’t matter what you do. The antinomian sees God as a wealthy absentee Father. He sets you up with a nice trust fund, but He doesn’t actively engage you, train you, or shape you. So the antinomian sees His law as irrelevent because He’s got the wealthy Father who takes care of everything! In turn, the antinomian sees grace as a blank check! All grace does is wipe away the cost of sin. All it does is pay for all of your sin debt. It doesn’t do anything to actually move you out of the damaging things you’re doing.

-The Legalist’s Father is painted as Abusive, and the Antinomian’s Father is painted as completely Negligent.

*we can so easily fall into looking at our Heavenly Father in the exact same way

-Paul presents us with the accurate picture of our True Father. A father who loves us and has permanently (no probation) brought us into His family.

*In the Roman world, Adoption secured your place in the family more firmly than even being born into the family did. You could disown a biological child. You could not disown an adopted child.

*You are permanantly placed and fixed in our Father’s family by grace through the work of Jesus Christ. Our place is as secure as Jesus’s place Himself because we are united to Him.

*As a member of our Father’s family, He doesn’t just leave us. He cares about us and trains us, shapes up, and leads us to what is good and life giving. Earthly parents even desire to do this. Think about how much better our Heavenly Father loves us and is actively involved in raising us up! “Crandalls don’t do this”. This is what God does with us. “Christians do this.” Not so that you can become a Christian, not so that you can stay a Christian, not so that you can hit a higher rank as a Christian, but because YOU ARE a Christian. God disciplines those whom He loves. He trains those who are His. We as parents don’t train other kids.

*Seeing our Father as He should be seen changes the way we should see His Law. His Law is not a litmus test for us. It’s not a proving grounds. If it was, we would fail! If our place in God’s family depended on us maintain or keeping God’s law, our pursuit of this would be useless! Instead, we see that God’s law is objectively good. It’s God telling us what is good for us and what is harmful for us. He redeems us from lawlessness (v14)! He brings us out of being people zealous for sinful, damaging lives. God’s Law is there to lead us to light and life. The Law is not good for us in terms of earning or maintaining our salvation because we are not good. Not because the Law is not good. The Law is wonderful! We are sinners and that’s why we need Jesus to keep it for us. But Jesus has taken away the Law’s threat, so now we can se it for the beautiful good thing that it is! The things that our Father calls us to, He always calls us to for our good. We are moved by His indwelling Spirit to want to begin to choose the right things! Our desires start to shift as His grace works in us through His Spirit. We start to love the things that He loves and hate the things that He hates. Our flesh is still there, so it’s a battle now. But it didn’t used to be a battle! The fact that there’s a battle is a really good thing. There’s something in us now that wants to agree with God about stuff. There are now competing desires that lead to life.

*Seeing our Father as He should be seen, and His Law as it should be seen, changes the way we should see His grace. Grace is not the mere starting point for the Christian life. The Christian life is not a relay race, and God hands the baton off to you after the first lap and says “go get em” (legalism). Nor is it a blank check to just go do whatever it is you want to (antinomianism). Both of those are lesser views of grace than the real thing. Grace covers all our sin. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient and we are clothed in His righteousness, so the threat of damnation from God because of our sin is stripped away. But grace also trains us, shapes us, and moves us toward what is right and good. It doesn’t leave us. It doesn’t just forgive us and leave us chasing death and destruction. For the believer the Law works like a map, but it doesn’t propel you anywhere. It can show you your guilt and failure, and it can also show you want good looks like. But the Law cannot actually fuel you to walk that road. That is propelled by the grace of the gospel alone through Jesus Christ.

*embracing legalism is like an addict who insists that they can get themselves clean. embracing antinomianism is like the addict who wants to keep his addiction and not go to jail for it. God doesn’t work like this! He doesn’t harshly demand that we fix ourselves or clean ourselves up (legalism). Nor is He content with looking the other way and letting us destroy ourselves (antinomianism). He saves us from the punishment that our sin deserves, and He graciously & lovingly trains us out of it. He doesn’t redeem us out of our slavery to leave us at the plantation doing the same stuff all over again.

*Is raising kids fast? is it linear? It is up and to the right? Progressing nicely? Smooth sailing? Just like kids…we can go from feeling self assured and invincible…to the next minute scared of how weak and small you are….you’re learning things yet frustrated about what you don’t know and can’t do yet…one minute you’re thankful for your parents and the next minute your thankless and oblivious to all they do for you…you make so many decisions that are so bad for you throughout childhood. The Christian life is not some onward and upward march. We stumble and bumble often. Human children are so dependent on their parents. May the same be said of us. Maturing as Christians is growing in dependence on God and His work in your by Christ in His Spirit. Grace has to train us! We can’t do it ourselves! God will not fail in raising us up from our spiritual infancy, no matter what the snapshot looked like this past week. Trust your Father who is raising you by Grace!

3 ) Looking forward to the grace that will appear

-Titus 2:13 “in this present age”…..”waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

*our time of training is between his first and second appearings

*Christ’s 1st appearing was in grace, and His 2nd appearing will be in glory

*Paul calls Christ’s 2nd appearing our blessed hope! Because when Christ comes, our training is finished. We long to be finished and fully matured. It can be frustrating as we wait for glory. He who began a good work in you will complete it at the coming of Christ! You may not be happy with the progress you’ve made, but you can trust your Father. His grace in Christ will train you! He will faithfully bring you home. While now we taste some rest, someday will taste rest in full. We will only want what is good for us. There will be no more danger or threat. We will have our glorified nature. Fully mature and incapable of falling.

-Titus 2:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

*Paul is driving home to Titus how essential all of this is. God’s sufficiency to save and to train them by His grace to adorn the gospel. Good news that grace has come to sinners because of Christ. And the salvation that is given by grace is a full salvation that takes us from dead sinners to glorified saints, fully conformed into the image of Christ, grown up completely into Him who is our head.