Titus 2:11-14 Learn how to live
Notes
Transcript
Church of Christ Dapto
The Letter to Titus
Lesson 5 -Learn how to live
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Why must we teach sound doctrine and be and example of it?
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Titus 2:7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good.
Titus 2:10b in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.
The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men in the person of Christ Jesus.
God has made plain His grace in Christ, and His plan of salvation of all those who believe through Him.
Only God’s grace, in Christ, brings salvation.
Only those who hear, and respond to the teaching about God our Saviour will be saved.
What is God’s grace?
God’s Grace means His unmerited favour. We did not earn it. We cannot earn it. God gives it because He is God.
(The word used) implied a favour freely done, without claim or expectation of return. … it is conferred freely, with no expectation of return, and finding its only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver. The favour God did at Calvary’s Cross, He did, not for a race that loved Him but which hated Him.1
God was prepared to forgive us and give us eternal life, despite the fact that all mankind, including you, did not love Him or seek Him.
What does God’s grace do to you?
If God has given us forgiveness in Christ because of His grace, there must be a change in our lives.
God does not give His grace, at great expense, for us to continue to live the life of the world which hates Him.
Titus 2:12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
The daily effect of God’s grace of salvation in Christ is that you are taught how to live.
The Grace of God shown in His Word teaches you.
“Teaches us” means shows you how God wants you to live because you cannot find it yourself.
God’s Word “teaches us” by clear statement, repetition, explanation, reasoning and showing purpose.
We need to be taught because saying “no” is not our normal reaction, nor is it something we can learn on our own.
You are only truly taught when you permanently put into practice what you are taught.
God’s grace teaches us to say “no”!
Say “no” once and for all.
Saying “no” is the essence of repentance. When you repented of your sins before your baptism you said it was permanent.
The teaching is not that you will not be tempted, but that you will not submit to the temptation.
You may need to say “no” many times, but your commitment of repentance is that you will always say “no”.
When you hear the voices of temptation from within or without you are to refuse their offers.
2 Peter 2:18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
James 1:13-15 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
When you hear the voices of temptation you are to know that God gives you the power to say “no” and expects you to use it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
What you are to say “no” to
Ungodliness
Godliness means irreverence, not giving God His right place, and remaining committed to your sin.
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
2 Timothy 2:16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Jude 1:18-19 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
Worldly passions
Refuse to involve yourself in the passionate desires of the world.
Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Colossians 3:5-10 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
You are to say “yes” to
Self-control—your relationship to yourself
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and Honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
The alternative to self-control is passionate lust.
Uprightness –your relationship to your neighbours
Uprightness means living righteously all the time.
1 John 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Godliness—your relationship to God
Despite the pressures and dishonesties of this present age you are to live like Christ!
1 Peter 4:2-5 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Our hope gives us motivation.
Titus 2:13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
The battle is not permanent or eternal!
You are to wait patiently for its end while still battling this present age and hope for the end of this present age.
The end of this age will be the day that Christ returns in His glory to take us to Himself.
Our God and Saviour Christ Jesus will return to complete His work on earth for us.
Who makes this all possible?
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
It is Christ Jesus who died for you.
He died for you to buy you out of sin and disobedience, not so you can continue to indulge your lusts, because that path leads to death.
He died for you to make you pure for himself so that you can be one of His people.
He died for you so that as one of His people you are always looking for doing what is good, as He did
It is Christ Jesus who you are to believe in and serve. It is Christ Jesus who you are to wait for.
What are you to learn?
God sent Christ Jesus to die for you to save you from your sins only because He showed you His grace. You did not earn your own forgiveness nor can you ever do so.
The grace which God gave you in Christ is aimed at changing your life from the world’s way to the Way of Christ.
The grace that God gave you has at its heart the teaching that you are to say “no” to all the temptations to sin that the world presents.
The grace that God gave you teaches you to say “no” to all the temptations that come from within you.
Saying “yes” to temptations and worldly passions shows that you do not accept God’s grace, or you deny His power to forgive and condemn. You love yourself and the world, not God.
If you believe that God’s grace extends to the promise that Christ Jesus will return to earth to take all His people to Himself, then you have the motivation to say “no” to temptations and worldly passions because saying “yes” to them will cause you to lose your place as one of His and not be among those who He will take to His Kingdom.
What excuse will God accept from those who refuse to be taught by His grace?
What is more important to you:
The knowledge of God’s forgiveness and His grace that brings you hope for eternal life in Christ,
or the temporary satisfaction you will gain by wallowing in your sin?
From the past you remember His grace in Christ, for the future you look forward to His return, in the present you live as you have been taught by Him.
Be taught the facts
Ephesians 2:3-5 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Romans 6:12-13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
Next Lesson: Know what to teach Titus 2:15
Focus Verse: Titus 2:15
