Titus Study 5

ESVDeclare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

• Minimize your conversations about temporal things.

Declare—speak about freely,

Exhort—ask for earnestly, plead and beg, call together to encourage

Rebuke—expose, refute, show one’s fault, implying that there is a convincing of that fault

All authority—Paul, because of his apostolic status and commission has the authority to give another authority. Titus has Paul’s authority and also because this is Truth, He has Jesus’ authority

Let no one disregard you—let no one treat you as unworthy of regard or notice, let no one despise you or look down on you, either because he’s a Greek or because he’s young or unlearned in Jewish law. Truth is God’s truth, declare it freely

Remind them—bring to remembrance, call to mind or to one’s attention,

To be submissive to the rulers and authorities—Nero was running the world then, a wicked, evil, murderous, immoral leader, whom Paul was telling Titus to remind the people to be obedient to the laws he has put in place, unless they contradict the laws of God. Why do we need to be reminded to be submissive? Because our nature, our sinful nature, is one of rebellion, to come out from under authority and be our own authority. Even as a follower of Jesus, this is an issue

to be obedient—why do we need to be reminded of this? Because our sinful nature is one of disobedience, we don’t like to be told what to do and what we can’t do. But we show our love for Jesus by being obedient to His commands.

• Maximize your conversations about eternal things.

​ ESV“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

• Talking about responding to the Gospel. The 4 B’s

to be ready for every good work—why do we need to be reminded of this? Because we are lazy, we are sleepy, we are not preparing ourselves, we are not looking for opportunities, we are not hoping for opportunities, asking for opportunities. We are selfish, self-serving, looking out for our own best interests.

to speak evil of no one—who is no one? Is it everyone? Why do we need to be reminded of this? How easy is it for us to speak evil of someone, to criticize someone, to call someone a moron, or idiot. The idea here is to blaspheme, insult slander or curse. Are not all made in the image of God? Are not all, ourselves included far from perfect? Are not all those who don’t know Jesus blinded by the enemy, deceived by Him, perpetrating evil and wickedness because they are separated? Broken people in a broken world, hurt and wounded therefore acting out of that broken place? We we not once them? See V.3

to avoid quarreling—don’t be contentious or an arguer

to be gentle—considerate, I think meek, power under control. How would we handle a fragile item that has extreme worth? With great care and gentleness, that’s how we are to regard others and treat them.

and to show perfect courtesy toward all people—to demonstrate blameless and complete gentleness, meekness, humility and consideration towards

all people, even those who are “undeserving of being treated this way, This is the law of love, love your enemies, do good to them expecting nothing in return, especially no good thing from anyone, with pure motives that the good you are doing is for God and not that person, and maybe, your goodness will draw them to Jesus.

1. Be clear

​ ESVFor we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

For we ourselves, all of us, were once foolish—without understanding, senseless.

a. Trust the power of the Gospel.

​ ESVAnd you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

2. Be Christ—centered

disobedient—not obedient, not obeying, rebellious

b. Point people to an encounter with Jesus.

led astray—we followed the course of this world, followed the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

slaves to various passions and pleasures—doulos, to serve as a slave, epithymia—deep desire or longing, over desires, good things gone bad, lust and covet, pleasures of the sensual nature and sexual nature,

passing our days in malice and envy—behaving with a desire to cause pain, cause injury, or distress to another. and with jealousy over the good fortune of others.

3. Be confident

​ ESVNow the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

c. Trust the work of the Spirit as you invite people to respond

hated by others and hating one another—a miserable existence

4. Be careful

​ ESVBut when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

But—one of the great words in the Bible, But God

d. Remember the goal is not decisions; the goal is disciples.

goodness and loving kindness—two great qualities of God. His deliberate desire for benevolence towards us because of His affection for us. His love and goodness directed towards us.

of God our Savior appeared—who? Jesus, He is the expression of God’s loving kindness and goodness

He saved us—He, Saved, Us. We needed rescue and He provided it. We did nothing except have desperate need of saving.

not because of works done by us in righteousness—religion, even the good we do is like filthy rags to God, especially pre-salvation.

​ ESVFor by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

· Talking about Hell…

1. Speak about God’s judgment with humble fear.

according to His own mercy—not giving us what we deserve. What do we deserve? Death, eternal separation because of our disobedience and rebellion.

by the washing of regeneration—what is this? The internal cleansing of the Holy Spirit, changing our nature from sinful to spiritual rebirth and being made new, a new creation

Whom He poured out on us richly—I love the word lavished, the story of the prodigal son is really a story about a prodigal father who lavishes love, mercy, and grace on an undeserving son.

through Jesus Christ our Savior—the great display of love, lavished love on an undeserved humanity.

so that being justified by His grace—justified? Just as if I’d never sinned. Legal term, record wiped clean, imputed righteousness, His record put over ours, now right with God

So that we might have the opportunity to become heirs according to the hope of eternal life—might become,

​ ESVThe saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

2. Speak about God’s wrath with honest compassion.

What saying? It is what he has just said, verses 4-7

· Talking about Heaven...

​ ESVBut when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

1. Take advantage of every opportunity to talk about the hope of being with God.

We can count on this saying, and Paul wants it insisted upon? To strongly affirm and defend, this is truth we need to know. Why?

2. Take advantage of every opportunity to talk about the fact that dying is gain.

So that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. Remember from 1 Thessalonians, works of faith, labors of love,

​ ESVWhat good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

​ ESVSo also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

​ ESVBut someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

​ ESVYou see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Works as an evidence of salvation, working from who we are and who’s we are and not for it, not to earn but to say thank you.

These things are excellent and profitable for people—this will serve them well, to know these things and to put them into action, to apply

​ ESVBut avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Final warning—but avoid—things now to stay away from, not to debate but to steer clear of

foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions and quarrels about the law—Judaizers and others who tried to stir up controversy over trivial matters like families of origin and unnecessary parts of the law. These are all now brothers and sisters in Christ, it’s not Jew or Greek, and it’s faith in Christ not strict adherence to the law.

Three strikes and your out, these people are not truly following Christ, weeds among the wheat, they are proving themselves to be of the “unsaved”