The Truth After Godliness
Notes
Transcript
What does it mean to live Godly?
What does it mean to live Godly?
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Paul’s description of himself
Paul’s description of himself
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Paul is
++A servant of God
++An Apostle of Jesus Christ
Paul knows who he is
Paul knows who he is
His knowledge is based upon
++A Common Faith
It was the faith of God’s elect
God’s elect are those believers past or present who’s testimony of faith is validated today.
In Hebrews 11 we see the hall of fame of faith
In it are the named
++Abel
++Enoch
++Noah
++Abram
It also include the unnamed
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Faith is
++not just about now
++not about receiving
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Faith is
not just about now
not about receiving
++believing in spite of what we see
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Why must our faith stand the test of time?
Why must our faith stand the test of time?
Faith continues
++beyond the limits of our earthly life
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Faith continues
++beyond the limits of our earthly life
++is made perfect in those that catch it
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
We will never be a success on our own.
We will never be a success on our own.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Godliness is not about where we are going.
Godliness must be made plain in the flesh before it can be received unto glory.
This truth
++doesn’t comes after one is godly
++is declared in godliness
You cannot say God is in control without knowing God’s ability to control
What you know about God will be reflected
++In what to believe
++In what you say
++In how you live
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
His knowledge is based upon
A Common Faith
++An acknowledged truth
Truth is powerful
Truth is powerful
By truth
++We are sanctified
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
By truth
We are sanctified
++We are made free
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Jesus describes himself as the truth.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
By truth
We are sanctified
We are made free
++We are approved as Ministers of God
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Truth must be acknowledged to work in our life
Truth must be acknowledged to work in our life
His knowledge is based upon
A Common Faith
An acknowledged truth
++A truth that leads to godliness
What is godliness?
What is godliness?
Godliness is
++Respect for God that affects the way a person lives.
Paul uses this term frequently in his writing in the pastoral epistles
Pastoral Epistles
Pastoral Epistles
Letters Written by Paul to
++Timothy
++Titus
The letters from Paul to Timothy and Titus have been called the Pastoral Letters since the early 18th century (Harrison, Problem, 13–16). However, as early as the second century, they were recognized as a group within the larger Pauline corpus (Towner, Letters, 1). The label “pastoral” derives from the recipients, Timothy and Titus, and their roles as leaders (pastors) in the church communities where they ministered. These letters are distinguished from most other Pauline letters because they are written to Paul’s associates and not to entire congregations.
Unlike the letters to the churches that celebrated the general testimony of faith, these letters allow us to see that the chrush was not without it’s issues.
These letters addressed
++Loyalty
++Authority
++Faithfulness
1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Paul connects our response to authority
++effectiveness of our teaching
++The quality of our work matters
Don’t take advantage of a believing employer
++Do a full days work
++Don’t make faith a matter of work
++Make them glad that they hired you
Godliness is
++Not a benefit
++An expression of faith
++lived out in everyday situations