Looking For That Blessed Hope
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· 13 viewsKey Text: Titus 2:13-14; Hymns: 557, 306
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Introduction
Introduction
Adorning the Doctrines
Adorning the Doctrines
Titus 2:
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Previous to this statement, the Apostle Paul gives instruction as to how various members of the church should behave.
The aged men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and steadfastness.
The aged women to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and to 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 be not reviled.
The young men to be self-controlled, show themselves in all respects as a model of good works, and in their teaching to 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.
Servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not purloining (to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust.), showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.
After giving all these characteristics, the apostle Paul gives makes a point, and that is, that “they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.”
What is the doctrine of God, and what does it mean to “adorn” it?
The doctrine of God is simply the gospel and all its teachings.
What does it mean to “adorn” the “doctrine of God our Saviour”?
What does adorn mean?
It means to make something more attractive by adding ornament or colour.
So to make more attractive the “doctrine of God” or His teachings is for the Christian to live the gospel, to perform the righteousness of the law, to be a living embodiment of the gospel.
Who does that sound like? Christ
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
He bore witness to the truth by the fruit of it being seen in His life and in the life of those whom He ministered to!
The truth had been adorned by the life of Christ when it was seen what righteous words and actions were spoken and done by Him.
He could say, “I AM the TRUTH.”
The Bible Echo—Bible Echo and Signs of the Times October 1, 1889 God’s Estimate of Character
The officers who were sent to take Jesus reported that never man spake like this man. But the reason of this was, that never man lived like this man; for if he had not so lived, he could not so have spoken. His words bore with them a convincing power, because they came from a heart pure, holy, burdened with love and sympathy, beneficence and truth. How rejoiced are those who hate God’s law, to find spot and stain of character in one who stands in defense of that law! They are only too glad to cast a reproach upon all the loyal and true, because of the faults and impure practices of a few. There is eloquence in the quiet and consistent life of a pure, true, unadulterated Christian. We shall have temptations as long as we are in this world. But instead of injuring us, they will only be turned to our advantage, if resisted. The bounds are placed where Satan cannot pass. He may prepare the furnace that consumes the dross; but instead of injuring, it can only bring forth the gold of character purer than before the trial.
In we read the same truth as in but Paul to Timothy gives a reason of why to adorn the doctrine of God, and that is so that it is not blasphemed by unbelievers.
If the teachings of Christ do not transform the life and lead to fruits of righteousness, then the worldly person is inclined to reject the truth; for they will say, “What need have I of the gospel if the one who professes it is no better than I and it has not led him to live a more righteous life than before?”
It’s in this way that the doctrine of God is blasphemed.
On other hand, to adorn the doctrine of God is to make the truth beautiful by seeing it lived by a godly life.
Adorning the teachings of Christ is to feel and allow the power of the truth to take possession of the soul and transform it to bear fruit unto the gory of God.
We profess to be believers in the three angel’s messages, and yet we must not forget what part of the 1st angel’s message is:
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
We are to give glory to God. But how do we give Him glory?
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples
Fruits of what?
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
9
jn 15 8
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
We too, just like Christ, as followers of Jesus Christ, are to become a living embodiment of the truth.
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Our lives are an epistle, or in other words, they are letters addressed to the world making known what is the gospel and the power of God unto salvation.
The purpose of receiving the gospel is to become a LIVING gospel, “known and read of all men”.
The gospel is no longer to remain as ink on paper, but the gospel is to be written by “the Spirit of the living God” in the “fleshly tables of the heart.”
“The requirements of God are plainly set before us in his word, and there are also presented before us great and precious promises. The question to be settled is, “Are we willing to separate ourselves from the world, that we may become children of God?” This is not the work of a moment, or of a day; it is not accomplished by bowing at the family altar, and there offering up lip service. It cannot be accomplished by merely uniting in the services of the prayer-meeting. It is a life-long work. Love to God must be a living principle, underlying every act and word and thought.” Review & Herald, October 23, 1888, par. 5
The requirements of God are plainly set before us in his word, and there are also presented before us great and precious promises. The question to be settled is, “Are we willing to separate ourselves from the world, that we may become children of God?” This is not the work of a moment, or of a day; it is not accomplished by bowing at the family altar, and there offering up lip service. It cannot be accomplished by merely uniting in the services of the prayer-meeting. It is a life-long work. Love to God must be a living principle, underlying every act and word and thought. RH October 23, 1888, par. 5
Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 Chapter 79—Transferring Earthly Treasure
You do not take a right view of the preparation necessary for the kingdom of God. Your ideas are altogether too meager. Talk is cheap stuff; it does not cost much. Works, fruits, will determine the character of the tree. What fruits have you borne?
Now, coming back to the epistle to Titus, we see that Paul, in the first chapter gives a description of the characteristics of a bishop (elder).
He contrasts what a true leader’s character should look like, compared to those “of the circumcision” in Titus 1:
Paul in the first chapter of Titus highlights the character of a bishop (en elder) what that looks like. .
Blameless (above reproach);
Husband of one wife;
Husband of one wife
Has faithful children not accused of riot or unruly;
Blameless (above reproach) as a steward of God;
Not self-willed (arrogant);
Not soon angry (quick tempered);
Not a drunkard;
No striker (voilent);
Nor given to filthy lucre (greedy for gain);
Lover of hospitality;
Lover of good things;
sober (moderate; sense: wisely keeping self-control over one’s passions and desires.)
Just (upright)
Holy (Moral purity)
Temperate (self-controlled; sense: resolutely controlling one’s own desires [which would produce actions]; especially sensual desires);
Holds firm to the trustworthy word as it was taught him (to be devoted or give one’s self entirely to the cause of teaching the word with balance and rebuking those who contradict it), so that he can give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
He contrasts what a true leader’s character should look like, compared to those “of the circumcision” in
But look at what the problem is. And this is the tenor of the book of Titus.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
16
They profess to know God [to recognise, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind. Amplified Version
Albert Barnes quotes this, “The way to heaven is blocked up by dead professors of religion.”
Why are they unfit?
Because while they profess to know God, in reality, they don’t. They have never brought God into the secret place of their minds and hearts for Him to abide and transform them.
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
The Grace of God Teaches
The Grace of God Teaches
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:
The grace of God has appeared to all men. It addresses every person no matter where they are from or what office or occupation they are called to bear in life.
The grace of God appears to:
Unruly Jewish Christians
The Cretans who were liars, evil beasts, gluttons, and lazy.
Aged men
Aged women
Young women
Young men
Servants
Masters
It appears not only to ALL men, but all men of varied backgrounds, occupations, responsibilities.
What does the grace of God teach?
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The sense of the word of “teaching”:
To instruct and shape (a child) through teaching and discipline in the knowledge, skill, morals, social behaviour, and other necessary facets of becoming a well-rounded and productive citizen.
Denying ungodliness:
Ungodliness is impiety. It’s the practice of unrighteousness. It is the opposite of everything that God instructs is good. Ungodliness does not give any heed to God nor respect to His ways.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
col 3 5-
Worldly Lusts:
To deny worldly lust is to deny it’s the world’s desires, pleasures, amusements, spirit.
The opposite of worldly lusts is the will of God.
So to deny worldly lusts, one must understand what the will of God is and strictly follow it, not deviating to the right or to the left.
32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
What is the will of God that we should “not turn aside to the right hand or to the left”?
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
Anything that would impair the work of sanctification in our lives is to be strictly denied that it may not hinder the work of reproducing the character of Christ in our lives.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
15-
Live:
Soberly:
The sense of the word is to be moderate.
To live soberly means in a wise manner, keeping self-control over one’s passions and desires.
To be sober means to be characterized by self-control, seriousness, and sound moral judgment.
Righteously:
That our lives are in harmony with the standard of righteousness.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look upon the earth beneath: For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, And the earth shall wax old like a garment, And they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: But my salvation shall be for ever, And my righteousness shall not be abolished.
7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, The people in whose heart is my law; Fear ye not the reproach of men, Neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Isa
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing “Blessed Are They Which Do Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness: For They Shall Be Filled.”—Matthew 5:6
Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and “God is love.” 1 John 4:16. It is conformity to the law of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172), and “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). Righteousness is love, and love is the light and the life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ. We receive righteousness by receiving Him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1 jn 3 7-
What does living righteously look like?
5 But if a man is righteous and does that which is lawful and right,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains; nor has he lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor has he defiled his neighbor’s wife, nor has he approached a woman during her impurity;
7 and he has not oppressed anyone, but has restored to the debtor his pledge; has devastated no one by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 if he has not lent at interest, nor has taken any increase, but has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man;
9 has walked in My statutes, and has kept My judgments to deal truly, he is righteous and shall surely live, says the Lord God.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Ezek 18
Godly:
This is the opposite of ungodliness.
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Godliness is the outflow of the principles of righteousness in the life.
What leads to godliness?
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness,
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The effect of acknowledging and receiving the truth into the inmost parts of the soul is godliness.
To live in harmony with the principles of truth is freedom, because we no longer are condemned by the law.
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
All this is in preparation for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
God gave Himself to redeem us from all iniquity.
What does that mean?
This is not really talking about forgiveness.
This is talking about being liberated from lawlessness.
Liberated from living in a state of open defiance against God and His ways.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus gave Himself to us not to just offer forgiveness, but to save us from transgressing the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
God was manifested in the flesh to “take away” to “eliminate”, “to terminate”, “to destroy” the sinfulness of our nature and lift us up out of our degraded, disobedient state, into a state of purity and obedience.
The Bible Echo—Bible Echo and Signs of the Times October 1, 1889 God’s Estimate of Character
There is to be a people fitted up for translation to heaven, whom Enoch represents. They are looking and waiting for the coming of the Lord. The work of preparation for this event will go on with all who will co-operate with Jesus in his efforts in their behalf. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. God has made every provision that we may become intelligent Christians, filled with a knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. A theoretical knowledge of the truth is essential, but such a knowledge of even the greatest truth will not save us; our knowledge must be practical. God’s people must not only know his will, but they must practice it also. Many will be purged out from the number of those who know the truth, because they are not sanctified by it. The truth must be brought into their hearts, sanctifying them, and cleansing from all earthliness and sensuality in the most private life. Every secret act is as if we were in the presence of God and holy angels, as all things are open before God, and from him nothing can be hid.
There is to be a people fitted up for translation to heaven, whom Enoch represents. They are looking and waiting for the coming of the Lord. The work of preparation for this event will go on with all who will co-operate with Jesus in his efforts in their behalf. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. God has made every provision that we may become intelligent Christians, filled with a knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. A theoretical knowledge of the truth is essential, but such a knowledge of even the greatest truth will not save us; our knowledge must be practical. God’s people must not only know his will, but they must practice it also. Many will be purged out from the number of those who know the truth, because they are not sanctified by it. The truth must be brought into their hearts, sanctifying them, and cleansing from all earthliness and sensuality in the most private life. Every secret act is as if we were in the presence of God and holy angels, as all things are open before God, and from him nothing can be hid.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
These things the Lord has commanded Titus and me as a preacher of His word to speak or express
To exhort: To earnestly support or encourage a response or action.
To rebuke will all authority: To sternly or strongly admonish.
How can we help no man to despise us?
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.
The Bible Echo—Bible Echo and Signs of the Times October 1, 1889 God’s Estimate of Character
There is to be a people fitted up for translation to heaven, whom Enoch represents. They are looking and waiting for the coming of the Lord. The work of preparation for this event will go on with all who will co-operate with Jesus in his efforts in their behalf. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. God has made every provision that we may become intelligent Christians, filled with a knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. A theoretical knowledge of the truth is essential, but such a knowledge of even the greatest truth will not save us; our knowledge must be practical. God’s people must not only know his will, but they must practice it also. Many will be purged out from the number of those who know the truth, because they are not sanctified by it. The truth must be brought into their hearts, sanctifying them, and cleansing from all earthliness and sensuality in the most private life. Every secret act is as if we were in the presence of God and holy angels, as all things are open before God, and from him nothing can be hid.