Titus 2
Titus 1:1-4.
Intro: Titus was from Antioch where he came to the Lord through Paul (Tit 1:4). He was a Gentile who was converted some 14 years after Paul. He was a traveling companion of Paul, going to the East with him after his first imprisonment in Rome. They came to Crete and evangelized several towns. Paul was unable to remain any longer so he left Titus behind to appoint others and to complete the organization of congregations in that region. Titus found considerable opposition, especially from the Jews and a strong tendency toward insubordination. Quite possibly, Titus had written to Paul to report this and to ask for his spiritual advice. Consequently, Paul wrote a short letter pressing him to complete the process of organization, to ordain elders, to teach sound doctrine and avoid empty disputations, and to exercise his own authority firmly. The letter was probably delivered by Zenas and Apollos. Read Titus1:1-4 Zip files – compressed truth
In the year 35 AD a zealous young rabbi by the name of Shaul was on his way to Syria. He had a burning passion for the truth, to wipe out heresy. The particular object of his attention was a new Messianic group following the now deceased Jesus of Nazareth. He had authority from the high priest himself to wipe out this sect – that is why he was on his way to Damascus. He was just approaching the city around midday when he was literally struck down by a brilliant light which outshone that Middle-eastern noonday sun. Paul met up with Jesus! Paul said, "Who are you, Lord?" He said, "I am Jesus who you are persecuting." From that time Paul's life was turned around. The Messiah Himself commissioned him for service. Paul had previously served God, now he was His slave. Jesus commissioned him as His representative to preach the Gospel. (Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him, “he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”). Paul was now an apostle – one who is sent as an official representative on a special mission. This commission to proclaim the Good News of Jesus now burned within him with a passion that made his former zeal pale in comparison. Paul describes himself as a "slave" - a humble position, the lowest of the low; and an "apostle" - yet with a high calling - a commission as the official representative of Jesus, the Messiah.
We, like Paul, are slaves of God – we have a mission: we are ambassadors of Christ with the task of making Him known.
What was it that so motivated Paul? Paul had been commanded by God to proclaim a message. He had been entrusted with the proclamation of this message – what was it? [OHP]
Faith – It was a new way – he had been trying to do all the Law required, now there had been revealed a new way – not doing, but relying on what Jesus has already done for us. The way to God was not by way of the Law but by faith. The two are mutually exclusive (Galatians 3:10-12 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”). Paul wanted things to be right between him and God – this righteousness comes by depending on Jesus' righteousness, not our own. Faith is the basis and is essential to all we are as Christians.
1.We please God by faith (Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.)
2. We are saved by faith (Acts 16:30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,).
3.We are made righteous by faith (Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; Rom 10:9-10 If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.).
4. We live by faith (Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”).
5. We walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight).
Faith is absolutely essential, without faith we have nothing. What is faith? – some definitions:Self renouncing, trustful reliance upon God – the attitude of heart of which faithfulness in life is the natural expression. Faith is the attitude whereby a man abandons all reliance in his own efforts. It is the attitude of complete trust in Christ alone. The nature of faith is to live by the truth it receives, rests on God's promise, gives thanks for God grace by working for God's glory. Faith is the only way of salvation. Faith in God involves right belief about God – it is not giving assent to Divine truths, one must base one's whole being upon them. Faith is SURE (Hebrews 11:1,Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.) - not risky, it is more certain than knowing. Faith rests on Divine testimony that Jesus is the Son of God, He is the Messiah, that He died, was buried and rose again and ascended to the Father's right hand. Faith is a supernatural, Divine gift (Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God)
The elect – Faith is given to the elect – how wonderful to be the chosen of God! God chose Paul out, picked him out while he was bent on persecuting Jesus. It had nothing to do with Paul but all to do with God's grace – His gracious choice. We sing (or used to) "I have decided to follow Jesus" but really it is God who decided that we would decide to follow Him (John 15:16, 19 You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, .... but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.) It is the chosen who have faith – God gives it to them. God picks an individual or group for a purpose or destiny of His own appointment. It is God's gracious choice. It is by grace that we are saved because God chose us to be saved so that His purpose may be accomplished. (1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light). God has a purpose that He will fulfill and He chooses people in order that His plan can be carried out and His nature and glory displayed in men. (Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Ephesians 1:3-5, 9, 11 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ... He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him .... also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 1 Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.). So Paul proclaimed a faith for those chosen, those appointed to believe.
Knowledge of the truth – This faith is not irrational - it is based on knowledge, a mental understanding, a recognition of the Truth - the realisation of who Jesus truly is. (John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”) Jesus is the truth (John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.). Faith is based on knowing the truth, knowing Jesus. (1 John 2:20-21 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.). Not just knowing facts, knowing doctrine, but knowing a person. Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (the day I met Jesus in person – you are never the same again). God wants us to know the truth, to know His Son (1 Timothy 2:4 God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.) To know the truth we must turn from our own way of thinking – we only come to knowledge of the truth through repentance (2 Timothy 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth). The truth is certain, sure, that which you can base your life upon – unchanging. Truth came with Jesus (John 1:17-18 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.). He made known the truth about God, the Ultimate Truth. Jesus was the only One who could, because He was the only One who knew Him.
Godliness – Knowledge of truth is not just having correct doctrine, being able to give right answers to questions about God – it is life-changing, effective. It is a personal knowledge of the person of God. This true knowledge, this personal encounter and relationship with the Son of God produces godliness, leads to the furtherance of reverence for God. As we get to know Him more and more, we become more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.). We become like God by seeing Him as He really is (1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is). Knowing Him, we become partakers of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-7 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.). Partakers of the Divine nature – let the truth of that sink in! We become like God! Share His nature! This is not religion, this is the most stupendous miraculous transformation! Through faith, the chosen, through their knowledge of Jesus become like God! We die with Christ, now it is Christ who lives in us! His life is manifested in us! (Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Romans 6:3-4, 6, 8 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,)
Hope of eternal life – The life of Christ, godliness is manifested in our lives in this present age, but that is not all. It is not just in this life (1 Corinthians 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.). What sustains us in the present world of trouble is the hope of eternal life. Christian faith is founded in the hope of eternal life - receiving the very life of Christ Himself which is eternal! Hallelujah! (John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.) We have eternal life now but it will not be fully realised until Jesus returns – when our bodies that are subject to the effects of sin, disease, decay, are set free into the glorious liberty of the sons of God – this is our great and certain hope (Romans 8:17-25 heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.) The hope of the age to come was integral in the message that Paul had been entrusted to proclaim. Today emphasis on the hope of the age to come seems to have been dropped. We tend to focus only on the present life. We have life through faith in Jesus – life in all its fullness (John 10:10 I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.) – eternal in quality and in endurance. Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the life that is in Him. Eternal life is in Him alone. Now He had been revealed, eternal life was available through faith in Him (John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 6:40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 17:3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.1 John 5:11-13, 20 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.). Hallelujah! In Him we have eternal life! This is GOOD NEWS! A message worth proclaiming!The object of faith, knowledge and hope is the same: Jesus Christ and the life that is in Him This hope is sure, passing through to eternity (Hebrews 6:17-20 God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil (into eternity), where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.)
The promise – What made the hope certain? God's promise! (2 Peter 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature). God doesn't lie, so His promise is sure. Paul proclaimed a faith in Jesus that resulted in salvation, righteousness, eternal life, godliness to God's chosen – this seems too wonderful to be true – what is it based on? How can we know that it is true? It is based on God's promise. We are not children of slavery but of the promise (Galatians 4:23, 28, 31 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. And you .... are children of promise. So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. Romans 9:8 it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.). Paul preached (Acts 13:32-33 And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’ Romans 4:13-16For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, Galatians 3:17-23 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.) God promised to give this salvation, redemption, life from the very beginning and He cannot lie. Praise His Name! (Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?). Therefore the possession of this eternal life is assured for God’s elect. (1 John 2:25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.)
The revelation of His Word – Where do we find the promise? - in God's Word – we have the revelation of God's Word. But not just the Scriptures – the Word was manifested – became flesh (John 1:1-5, 14, 16-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.) Jesus, God's Word, became a man, lived as a human being! This happened at the proper time (Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.) Proper time" - ἰδιος also means "one’s own" - it was revealed in their very own days. Everything depends on faith – this is the message of faith that Paul proclaimed by direct commission from God. But how do we get this faith, how does faith come? (Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.). As an apostle Paul had received a commission from God Himself! He was commanded with the stewardship of the Gospel - entrusted with the proclamation of the message of eternal life. God had promised this life from before time eternal but it had remained hidden. The promise of it was there but it was not available, no one knew how to obtain it. But now it had been revealed, made manifest! This is why Paul was so excited by the Good News he had been given to proclaim - for the very first time eternal life was available to all! " This mystery, long hidden, was made manifest in God’s Word i.e. Jesus (cf. Colossians 1:25-27 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.). This eternal life was revealed in the word that Paul preached - but what Paul preached was: JESUS CHRIST! (1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, 1 Cor 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.).
This is the message Paul proclaimed – the message with which he had been entrusted and commissioned as an apostle to proclaim. Paul is writing to Titus who is in Crete with the responsibility of setting up a viable, self-administrating, self-sustaining church there. Christians are a widely diverse bunch, but one thing we have in common: faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour - called common because it was meant for all sinners to embrace and enjoy . (cf. Ephesians 4:3-6 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours,). Paul blesses Titus with grace and peace: we are in constant need of God’s grace - His undeserved favour from heaven, to continue in our Christian life (Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand) Grace and peace are Jesus’ gifts that are essential for our Christian walk to be maintained (John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.). Grace and peace are only found in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our Saviour - there is no other source except the One in whom we have a "common faith" .
This is the message that Paul had been entrusted to proclaim and the one Titus was to uphold in Crete. We are entrusted with it too – a message of faith, utter reliance upon Jesus alone. Faith for those God has chosen, based on a knowledge of the truth: Jesus. Through faith in Him our lives are transformed, we become godly. We have the life of Jesus Himself that is eternal. The hope of eternal life is based on God's sure promise that cannot fail. It has been manifest by His Word: Jesus coming to us as a man! Praise His Name! It is Him, and life in His Name through faith, that we proclaim.