How Sanctifying Grace Works through You to Unbelievers
Notes
Transcript
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
As Reformed Christian we believe that salvation is not just a narrowly spiritual thing, on this day of all days in the church calendar we are reminded that Christ didn’t just rise in Spirit, and he doesn’t just save spirit. He raised bodily, and he comes with a salvation for body and soul, and this saving work of Jesus, is the birth of a new humanity, a new self, but also a new creation. And though we often here of the grace of Jesus forgiving sins, cleansing conscience, giving a new heart and mind, in our individual sanctification, the ongoing salvation from the actual sin in your life, from all that corruption, we don’t often think about how Christ's sanctifying grace change the way you and I do public life. Are you a good citizen? Are you a good neighbour. And by this I don't just mean obedient, by like our passage are you a useful citizen, and a useful neighbour. This too is a result of God’s grace transforming you, and it is a very important part of our witness, our evangelism to the world.
These people on the island of Crete had a reputation of resisting Roman authority, they had a reputation in there relationships of not on lying but being evil beasts to one another - being quarrelsome and self serving. And in the same Paul has said the gospel changes the way we do relationship within the church and family - people see a manifestation of the grace of God appearing in our family life,
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
So too, Christains on the island of Crete now part of a new people a new society that others are to see operating doing citizeship ad doing neighbouring - we now do that as heirs of God’s kingdom with all the resources of the living Christ.
We;; congregation, over the years - with digital revolution, with industrial revolution, with individualism - measures of neighbourlienss show - we’ve become a self-serving people. Measures of citizenship - public serve also shrinking in generation since the 1960’s. But we are living in interesting times - were surprising neighborliness, even among family members don’t talk to often - a pandemic. Interaction between our prime mister and you and me as citizens has happened daily. I hope as we’ve been more vocal about our government’s policies regarding abortion, assisted suicide, .
The other area environmental issues pulled each one of us to make changes that help rather than hinder stewardship of God’s green earth!
Well in the same way that Paul pulled out all the stops to undergird his Holy Spirit instruction on citizenship and neighborly ness not - in doing good works, but in good works flowing from Jesus by the Holy Spirit working in you. It is at this point in the letter Paul delivers - the trustworthy the faithful saying - - all this teaching of grace - the kerygma the gospel insist on this teaching of how grace works so that - we will devote ourselves to being Christian citizens and being Christian neighbours to unbelievers around us! Listen to Paul after he gives the instruction and the basis of grace for following it:
and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
The 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.
Is your living as a citizen and your living as a neibour a benefit to our nation to your neighbours? By living in the grac eof Jesus it ought to be.
Key Truth: Christian citizenship & Christian neighbourliness are part of the new life we share in Jesus with.
We begin with the behviour and attitude that we are to shoot for. You are going to need more than instruction to attain this, going to need the spiritual fuel and motivation of grace to get there, you can’t just become a Christian citizen and Christian neighour by trying a bit better to be good. But for that grace to work in you, you need to know what behaviours and attitudes we’re shooting for.
A. Christian citizenship & neighbourliness demand our devotion to helpful works
Paul had been on the island briefly before and he also had taught these behaviours and attitude in earlier letters like Colossians and Ephesians were we find those household codes. Like the 13th chapter of Romans, where Paul says that governing authorities are instituted by God, not just negatively to punish the bad and make this place a good place of peace and order, but positively the governments instituted by God are there for our good!
for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
So Paul calls Christians to be submissive - that there is an order in very institution of creation, the family, the church, government, companies - and a Christian - is not merely to obey in some sort of subservient way, with the government being a despot. No, submission in the Bible is voluntary recognition of God’s good order and you put yourself under the mission God’s given that leader for that par tof life. Of course when a leader like the Jerusalem establishment imprisoning Peter And James, must obey God , and the civil leader has usurped his authority. Paul neither here nor else where would be saying, take part in the sinful Cult of the Emperor, but that doesn’t seem to be going on here in Crete. Paul was not persecuted with Christians by Rome yet.So Paul is saying, it is counter productive to our Christian witness if we don’t do our part civilly in respecting the common law and task of our nations. We are to be obedient, that’s part of our public witness and service in Christ.
But it is more than passively being a good citizen and not being disobedient and dismissive to our nations rules. Look at the end of
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
The word good there is not like nice, but it is like useful, helpful. No think of your neighbours need for grocery shopping while they are in isolation and you are not. Or think of our government asking you to stay 2m a apart - Paul says you and I are to be ready - we are make ourselves ready, to have the ability and the resolution -I am going to do this useful thing. It is remarkable what not the church as a institution, but Christian citizens in the world has don - India - woman particularly widows, lepers, child labour, plight of industrial poor, slavery , yes even animal cruelty, restorative justice practices. Our calling, and part of what Jesus means when he says, you and I have got to be Salt and Light in this World for him. And as a bare minimum this would certainly mean praying for and seeking and serving for the nation’s welfare,.ii . But then Paul says, not just in regard to your citizenship activity, but people have got to see us operating by a new and refreshing self-giving love not just citizen, but self-giving love as neighbours! In he unpacks four more passive attitudes that climax in a positive active initiative we are to have to be conciliatory, to be truly gentle peacemakers with our neighbours. Clemency, to be just with our neighbors, reasonable moderate and offer them a kindness. That’s what that climactic phrase means a - courtesy - not a politeness, but they treat me like I’m a rel person with needs and wants, they care for my condition the way the living God has for their own condition!
B. But then Paul says, not just in regard to your citizenship activity, but people have got to see us operating by a new and refreshing self-giving love not just citizen, but self-giving love as neighbours! In he unpacks four more passive attitudes that climax in a positive active initiative we are to have to be conciliatory, to be truly gentle peacemakers with our neighbours. Clemency, to be just with our neighbors, reasonable moderate and offer them a kindness. That’s what that climactic phrase means a - courtesy - not a politeness, but they treat me like I’m a rel person with needs and wants, they care for my condition the way the living God has for their own condition!
How do you speak of your neighbours? We are to speak as if they were listening to our every word. Our words even when they must be hard ones from time to time, must be seasoned with grace and must be designed to build u p and not destroy. How often without Christ, we elevate our selves above others and a their expense. Why we judge them and make harmful talk about them - insults, abuses, gives them a bad name. We even spread rumours to cast them in a bad light. Grace needs to touch this. We are not to be like the false teachers corrupting the congregation, were not to be quarrelsome and always looking for a fight and prickly! Through out the pastoral epistles this is a key marker - leadership can’t have this quality, but the false teaches live on these disputes and shipwreck nominal believers with them.
But just refraining from blaspheming the ring bearers of God is good enough. How are we positively to engage our neighbours? The heart of it is to elevate others at expense of yourself. Rejects aggressive and violent methods of getting personal advantage - now you guard the relationship. Had cops between Italian and Ukrainian neighbours on more than one occasion, that’s what happens when we think our fight is against other people, rather than the spiritual forces of darkness. Even when we have issues with someone, not enemies first but a person to be loved in Christ. Our fight says isn’t against flesh an blood but against spiritual authorities and powers in heavenly places!
So we don’t come with competition and comparison - we come with peace and gentleness of Jesus. When you experience Jesus patient Meekness with you, His grace transform you to be that to your neighbours:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
There is to be a heavenly and majestic character to our neighbouring as those who meek, gentle pointing to this greater rest in Christ. We are are to be generous and eager in a hospitality toward all people. Paul has used a Cretan poet to say, there are nasty people on Crete but our citizenship and our neighbouring with them, even when they are t there worst is to be this high and heavenly calling! Christian ethics, Christian living is an outward looking activity, not just my mere private morality.
But perahps you are asking how can I get that kind of attiude let alone behaviour, so that my civil public action and my neighbouring speak to the world of Christ? Well, we could all try to be more disdciplined, be good citizens and neigbours, but Paul says, that’s not going to tranform your relatioing. No something more drastic must be experienced within you, to chagne your attidue and action like tha. And this it the radically new basis Paul set out in v.3-7
B. The Basis for our Citizenship & Neighbouring is the Mercy We’ve Received & Others Need
Our efforts without Christ as citizenship and neighbouring have nothing to push and launch without this basis, foundation stone. Paul gets traction for us to be doig these things, by first of all getting ane eseential perspective on two things. One is our fallen human nature, and the other is the mercy of our God and Ssaviour saving in this world! One of these must appear huge in your life and the other astronmically gargenatuinely huge.
How large do these realities loom in your daily life? is one of the most devestating vice lists in all literature. I wonder if you see yourself a part from Christ in this psycholyg this dynamic of sin works? And Paul says it applies to WE WOURSEVLVES. We all of us at one time outsdide of Christ begfore His grace saved us. The whole mass of humanity. Let’s see how this dynamic of sin works in our pysche -
For 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.
It begins with foolishness - practically going our own way, refusing to admit the truth, we dig in our heels against God. But that leads to real disobedience - a decided rejection of God’s ways. But look at the thrid step its the conclusion of the folly and disobedience in us - led atray - this has been a major point of the probelm Paul describes in these pastorals - pagan philophsies that people are living by in Crete and hear, as well as false teaching iwthin thin the church - they let people stay in their folly and disobedience - they don’t change that situation and they not onlylead astra. Paul said in the last days this would especially be a t church problem.
But here is the hear tof the problem ith sin: they enslave us, as even the pagan phiolosphers taught - this living means that we humans without grace are trapped and slaves to fallen human desire. Human beings prior to conversion are regarded as being held captive by all kinds of powers such as sin, lawlessness, uncleanness, false gods, the elements of this world, and even the law.
Now its not wonder that loving people like that would be tough - why society is a mess despite its best intentions. Why so little progress morally has been mad einthe history of the world. And it is why the last 3 in this vice list are just symptons of this slvarey - here are the social sins: malive and envy, hated by other and hating one another (and even ourselves). Whether mild or strong forms of these fruits of selfishness and anti-God behviour - this is what is at work in our world dstorying true fellowship!
So Paul says, get a perspective on this - you before conversion just as trapped in sin, you can put yourself in theire place, don’t write them off, or expect perfection from them. Don’t let our fallen condition outside of Christ, stop you from lving supernaturally. And that brings us to the scond and large perspective giving reality in our lives. We used to be just like that, and it would’ve developed worst sand wrse for you and me, but here is the real baiss of Chrstian living:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
But 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,
God didn’t work this goodness and kingdness in our lives because we reached some sort of credit with hi, and you can’t let that be the basis by which you treat all peple either. BUT WHEN MERCY. And how did that work on us? God sent Jesus to us, in his incarnatioon, death, resurrection, but also ito your own life an dmine by His Gospel preached, He appeared to you and he saved us in mercy, and by what means how? Listen to the explanation:
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,
LIsten carefully and you will have a new basis for being a good neighbour and a faithful helphul citizen. You’ll have anew basis for doing good works. Here is the explanation for yhow you can love unlovely broken and imperfect peole like you and me and your neighbours and this nation. That same mercy he worked that saved you, now justified and regenratied and washed regenerated and renewed. - this is what happens to a bleiver. The Holy Spirit betgins a new rea, the new world. Bbaptism oured out , not of water that just the sybmol, but this washing of regeneration is - is the cleansing of your soul the Holy Spirit performs giving you a new heart, and its described at the same time as the renewal of the HOly Spirit. That word renewed, isn’t just like there’s a dead battery and you rechatrge it so it has the same juice as before. The word comes from new -genesis. renewal to a higher existence,”
But its the birth of a new world, new ablitiyes, new captacties and callings. This is how we can really love our neighbour and be civiliuselfulyy - the Spiri tof HOliness that empowered and edirected Jesus that Spirit, he is now pouered out on us. Yes there is salvation past, forgiveness and and there is salvation present that driving out othe ocorrutpn and power of sin - sanctfiiyin Grace of GJesus. But here is also future salvation, baptism is a picture of that - new era only begun in part and as we live in Christ, we live in that eternal life, but coming a day when fulness of the kigndom come. And this is the goal of God working mercy in us like this
so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
When Paul said when Christ appeare din your life it was the goodness and loving kindness of God, do you understand that -
very special word used only once in the NT, phila -anthropia - Love for makind” - that was a special word the Greeks used to describe the gods, thhy were gernereous and doing good to us. IT was used by extension to to be a standard for the character of monarch like our Queen - yes the queen is to imitate God in her love for all mankind. It was even found to be used of people in Roman soiceity who would genreouly redeem a slave, ransom a captive. And Paul is saying in the very same wayyou have been redeemed by this loving kindness of God, now its not just kings and queens and slave-liberators who can pactice this divine virture, it is you church of God in Crete, in Barrie!
Plwease understand if you hvae the mercy of God in Christ, that you are not just saved for etneity, you have become an heir with Christ. An heir adopted into the family of God. And God wants those heirs of his family , his kingdom, to get to work on this isalnd of Crete. in the city of Barrie, across your street, and her in 21st century Canad. God’s kindness to you ,equips you to be a Christain citizen this week and a good neighbour. THat’s how Christ’s grace works God’s kindess into our lives!
Saving Grace, Justification results in your sense of acceptance by God, forgiveness, adoption, hope of life with Him now and forever. But sanctifying grace also from Jesus but requiring your participation and walking in the Spirit and in his kindess., sanctifying grace results in you living as God’s heir in town, in the world. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we have been re-birthed into the Messiah community, his church and we do our citizenship and our neighbouring out of this new existence in the Spirit. We say often around this time of year, Justification means Just as if never sinned. May be cture and clever, but its incomplete. Justification doesn’t mean you’ve be found guiltless, it means because of Christ’ work you have been released from guilt and your offense has been paid. But justified, now you have become an heir, each family member equally given His goodness and Spirit so that now devoted to loving as he loves.
This life won’t come automatidally, but it most certainly is attainable by any Christain, and now that Paul has expalinned the attidue and the behaviour, now that he has expalined the dynamic and basis, he says of this trsutworthy saying about trnasforming grace:
The 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.
These days are a calling us to carefully and devotedly be serving ctizens and kind neigbours - to show as a professoin of our faith that we seek the good purpose of our nationa dn teh good purpose of God for our neighbour. We don’t just give a shot a tneighbouring from time to ttime - Christianl livign to obey constantly and continuosly - citizenship and neighbouring is par tof our sanctification. Louis Berkhof wrote, “Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he delivers the justified sinner from the foolishness of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works.” God does enable us. But we must partner with his Spirit to produce the goodness he intends, putting faith into practice through the commitment of our wills.
The Gospel COmes with A HOuse Key: Mean neighbour with mean dog - befriend and the neighbour s didn’t like that. Turns out whole neighbourhood shut down for over a year - lock down - meth lab
Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol. 9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 384.
I. Howard Marshall and Philip H. Towner, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, International Critical Commentary (London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004), 310.
Regeneration: πάλιν and γένεσις and thus means “new genesis”2 either in the sense of a. “return to existence,” “coming back from death to life,” or of b. “renewal to a higher existence,” “regeneration” in the usual sense. used of the renewal of a race (CH 3:3); and of renewal into a higher form of existence by means of an incantation (CH 13:1, 3 et al.; cf. Plutarch, Mor. 998C for transmigration of souls). In the one other NT reference it expresses the renewal of the world in the time of Messiah (; for the thought cf. ; ; ).
Good works = down. The older rendering ‘honourable occupations’ (RSV mg; NEB) arises in the context from the use of the governing verb, but it rather narrows down the meaning (Fee, 209). The term describes acts of service (demonstrating God’s kindness) resulting from faith throughout the PE.
I. Howard Marshall and Philip H. Towner, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, International Critical Commentary (London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004), 331–332.
I. Howard Marshall and Philip H. Towner, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, International Critical Commentary (London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004), 319.
Friedrich Büchsel, “Γίνομαι, Γένεσις, Γένος, Γένημα, Ἀπογίνομαι, Παλιγγενεσία,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 686.