Sermon Tone Analysis

Good and Godly Deeds

Titus 3;8

My Worth is Not in What I Own

Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed - my ransom paid

At the cross

To realize that your worth is in Christ radically changes the way in which you live.

It motivates you to live for Christ, to live Good and Godly Lives for the King.

Read more: Keith & Kristyn Getty - My Worth Is Not In What I Own Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Titus is very similar to the two letters to Timothy.

Paul had a similar.

Titus is the next to last letter Paul wrote.

Titus is very similar to the two letters to Timothy.

Paul had a similar.

Titus is the next to last letter Paul wrote.

Timothy, if you remember, was in Ephesus, trying to straighten out the church at Ephesus.

Titus is in a different location.

He’s in Crete.

And he is there to straighten out the church at Crete.

Both of them Paul looks to strengthen and give them some apostolic authority for the task they faced.

The letter to Titus is only 3 brief chapters, but they are super enriched with doctrinal treasures and amazing calls to live Good and Godly before God, the church, and the world.

Paul begins this way in verse 1: Read it with me.

Titus 1:1

To build up the faith of God’s elect

And their knowledge of the truth

That leads to godliness.

To set right or to set in order is the Greek word ἐπιδιορθόω, which meant “to set straight.”

In ancient times, the term was used of setting bones or straightening bent limbs.

We derive from orthos orthodontist, who is a dental specialist who straightens and aligns crooked teeth.

Paul sent Titus to Crete to correct and set straight certain doctrine and practices in the the churches in Crete that had become defective.

What remains indicates that Paul and perhaps others, had done some of the correcting already and Titus was now to complete the task.

And that’s the goal.

Paul looks to write Titus that the church will be built up in the faith, and their knowledge of the truth, And in everything he instructs Titus is to lead to godliness.

And in everything he instructs Titus is to lead to godliness.

So, three areas in which he seeks to instruct Titus in Good and Godly Deeds: First, in the Character and Conduct of Leaders, then in the Character and Conduct of the Church, and Finally, in the Character and Conduct before the World.

I.

The Character and Conduct of Leaders

Titus 1:

Richard Baxter wrote in his classic book The Reformed Pastor these words to pastors.

When your minds are in a holy, heavenly frame, your people are likely to partake of the fruits of it.

Your prayers and praises and doctrine will be sweet and heavenly to them.

They will likely feel when you have been much with God.

O Brethren, watch therefore over your own hearts; keep out lusts and passions of worldly inclinations.

Keep up the life of faith, of love, of zeal.

Be much at home and much with God….

Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine...

God’s standards for leadership in the church are high.

All too often Biblical standards for pastors are lowered, selectively applied, or simply disregarded.

One of the most harmful trends in the church is the failure to discipline and permanently disqualify pastors who have committed gross moral sins.

No matter how gifted, popular, formerly effective, or repentant, the Lord makes it clear not to accept such a man back into the position of leadership.

The Lord requires that the Character and Conduct of the leaders in His church are to be pure, holy, and above reproach.

Anything less is unacceptable to Him and it should be to His people.

Paul’s central theme in is that only a man whose character meets divine standards should be allowed to enter or remain in the ministry.

Paul commissioned Titus to select such men for leadership in the churches of Crete.

And his charge specifically was “to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town:”

To appoint elders...

ἐπιδιορθόω

L

5 Areas of Qualification for Eldership

Godly Reputation — verse 6

Sexual Morality — verse 6

Family Leader — verses 6

General Character — verses 7-8

Teaching Ability — verse 9

Godly Reputation

— “One who is blameless”

Blameless — This is someone who is completely blameless.

This is someone who is not subject even to indictment.

Being Blameless is so important that Paul repeats the qualification in verse 7. It’s also required of deacons in .

The word means “to call into account,” and it has a negative prefix which makes the meaning “not to call into account.”

In other words, an elder or overseer, should be subject to being called to account.

Paul is not talking about sinless perfection, but that the leaders of Christ’s church must have no sinful defects in their lives.

There must be nothing in their lives to disqualify them as models of moral spiritual character for believers under their care to emulate.

They not only must teach and preach rightly, but they must also live rightly.

The Lord calls ALL elders to be godly men with exemplary lives and to set a pattern of virtue and devotion to the Lord for other believers to follow.

Every elder needs the Lord to say of him like Job:

Job

Sexual Morality

— “The husband of one wife...”

He is to literally be a “one-woman man” or a “one-woman husband.”

Because this qualification is so often misunderstood, it would do us well to note what Paul is not talking about.

It’s unquestionable that he is not a polygamist, but that is not Paul’s point here.

Being married to one spouse is not exclusive to elders — all members are to have only one spouse.

1 Corinthians

Neither is Paul referring to a widower who has remarried, since that is permissible.

Nor is Paul saying an elder must be married since he was not married.

Also, and this is probably the most misunderstood aspect — he is not referring explicitly to divorce — he would have made that clear.

Although he may be including unbiblical divorce.

And though God hates the putting away, He graciously permits under certain circumstances, divorce because of adultery.

And we read in that if an unbelieving spouse leaves, “let him or her leave, the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases.”

What Paul is getting at is the singularity of a man’s faithfulness to the woman who is his wife.

This means inner as well as outward concerning sexual purity and desires.

It’s possible, and all too common, for a husband, while outwardly married to one woman to not be a one-woman man.

He can have sexual desires for another woman besides his wife or engage in improper behavior with another woman.

Therefore, he is not a one-woman man, and then unfaithful and disqualified.

Therefore, he must be completely free of fornication, adultery, unbiblical divorce, and remarriage (except as a widower), free of mistresses — all moral stains tarnish the reputation of Christ and His church.

Only a sexually pure and faithful man is qualified to be the pastor and example in Christ’s church.

Family Leader

— “Having faithful children not accused of wildness or rebellion.”

If a man cannot spiritually and morally lead his own family, he then is not qualified to lead the church.