The Grace to Grow
Notes
Transcript
Pursuing grace instead of godliness
Pursuing grace instead of godliness
Last week we charted the course for our study through Paul’s letter to Titus. This week we will dig into the depths of truth found in the greeting of Paul’s letter.
Paul gives a lot of advice and instruction throughout this letter of the things that Titus should do to help the church grow and become effective in evangelism. But before he launches into his instructions and recommendations, Paul wants to make sure that one foundational truth is fundamentally grasped by Titus in his heart.
As Paul sets the course for his letter, he writes a lot about how Titus and those in the church are to grow in godliness, but as one slave to another, as begins by explaining that nothing that he will advise… and nothing that Titus or any other believer can do will be effective unless they learn to pursue grace!
Let’s listen in as Paul begins his letter, as one slave writing to another.
I. From one slave to another
A. Understanding our Obligation:
As Paul begins his letter, he is basically sharing with Titus the importance of understanding his position. Paul wants Titus to understand his obligations.
Therefore, Paul begins by telling us his identity… what defines him.
“Paul, a servant of God...” (Titus 1:1a)
Let’s take a few moments and unpack that phrase to make sure we really understand what Paul is saying here.
The word “servant” or “bond-servant” in our text is translated from the Greek word “Doulos”, which is most accurately translated as “slave”. When the word is used as a verb, it means “to bind”. To be the slave of someone means that you are bound to them. Saying that you are a slave of someone is a much stronger statement than just saying that you are a servant.
There is a different Greek word for servant. It is the word that Paul uses in 1 Timothy to describe the office of “deacon”. So, why do our English translations say “servant” or “bond-servant” instead of slave here in Titus?
[Several sources I have read have suggested that in the 1700’s- early 1800’s when slavery was being abolished in England, I have read that Bible translators watered down the translation by using the phrase “servant” or “bond-servant” so that the Bible text would be associated with the economy of slavery of the day.]
Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit chooses to use the word slave. What is he saying?
Paul is saying that he is bound (tied) to Christ as a slave is bound (bound/ tied) to his master.
To most of us, if someone called a slave, it would be like calling you a bad name.
Most people believe that being successful in life means that you are served, not serving.
But for the believer, the idea of success is different from the worlds.
Paul would say that both he and Timothy were slaves in Philippians 1. Both Peter and Jude both call themselves “slaves” in their letters.
For the true believer the word “slave” or “Doulos”, says it all. It communicates ownership, possession, loyalty, dependence, and submission.
Saying he is a slave of God, Paul communicates that he has surrendered completely to Christ as his Master… his owner.
That is the very same position that you and I are in… those who have responded to faith in Christ. We have been purchased from the slave market of sin (1 Cor. 6:20, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2 Cor. 5:15)… Christ paid the penalty for our sins that we could never pay on our own and purchased us.
If you have responded to faith in Christ. If you are a truly born again believer… then the reality is that Jesus owns you. — He is your master… and you are His slave.
The reason many Christians are not able to apply the truths of the Epistles is because they have replaced the idea of the Christian surrendering to Jesus Christ as Master with the idea that… “if we just come to Jesus, He will give you what you want.”
Some people say...“Just come to Jesus and He will fix all your problems!” “Jesus is working for you!!!” That’s the way many people look at Jesus today.
Instead of Master.... people want Jesus to be their motivational speaker. People want Jesus to be their servant, not their master. --- When we adopt this idea in our minds.... we are essentially saying that Jesus is nothing more than a genie in a bottle whose purpose is to serve us.
For many who call themselves Christians, sadly Instead of being our Master, Jesus has become just an acquaintance that we call on when we are in need, or when we have a problem that we can’t fix on our own.
Friends, that is wrong! The Bible teaches us that Jesus is not our servant… but our Master who sits on the throne, to whom we must bow.
This could be one of the real reason why we see so many people who claim to be Christians falling away. A wrong understanding of what a relationship with Jesus looks like. When people have it in their minds that Jesus is supposed to serve them.... as soon as some kind of suffering comes they decide that Jesus isn’t working.... and they walk away. This response to Christ is bred by a lack of true understanding of Grace.
People walk away because in their minds, grace is cheap… and has no real value.
Friends, through Paul’s signature, being a Christian is an invitation to become a slave of God… and He will own you! — The true grace of God.... is that you are a slave of God. —
If you look at Scripture closely you will see that many of the ways we describe salvation come from the first century slave culture.
— You have been chosen (Ephesians 1)
— You have been bought out of the slave market and you no longer belong to yourself (I Corinthians 6)
— You are subject to His will and control (Philippians 2)
— You are called to give an account (2 Corinthians 5)
— You are regularly disciplined or rewarded by Him (Hebrews 12)
— And one day you will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful “doulos”/ “slave”/ servant (Matthew 25:21)
Today, the message of the gospel and the portrayal of the grace of God is being twisted to fit into our human idea of what it should be.
The gospel of grace that many people are preaching today is that we should “try Jesus, he will make your life better, He will give you what you want.”
Friends, that is not the gospel. That is not Grace.
The truth is, that we need to preach the freedom from sin for those who are slaves to sin, but then we need to also preach that becoming a Christian is really becoming a different kind of slave.
Christ has purchased us. When we respond by faith to the gospel, we become His. We belong to Him. Paul understood and is communicating to Titus and to us that as Christs’ possessions, as His slaves.... we are obligated to Him.
(illustration of how in the first century a slave could voluntarily become a slave for life.... they would place their ear lobe on a block and their master would drive an awl through it. Marking that person as their property. --- people did this because their loved their masters.... they loved them enough to obligate their lives to them… and joyfully bore the mark of their masters....)
Here’s the true reality that people don’t necessarily like to admit. Whether you know it or not, everyone is a slave to something.
Everyone serves some master. Everyone bears the mark of their master. You will be either a slave to your sin, or a slave of God. (Paul gives us that idea in Romans 3:16-22.)
The question is, Whose slave are you? Whose mark are you bearing? To whom (or to what) are you obligated?
True believers are obligated to Christ… He owns us! That is what Paul is expressing here in verse 1.
Titus, I Paul and writing to you and you know what the most important thing is about me? Do you want to know what the most important characteristic is about my life? Do you know what gives me value and drives me to get up every day? I am a slave of God! He has bought me… He owns ever square inch of my being.... He is my master! ---
If you looked at Paul’s Instagram profile… under bio… it would simply read… Slave of God!
In order to truly embrace the Grace of God, we must first understand our obligation to Him. He has purchased us with His blood. Jesus owns you. You are obligated to Him. You are a slave of His. That is your identity… that should be the most important thing about who you are.
Now, that Paul has helped us to understand our obligation to Christ, next he tells us that we are to recognize our occupation.
B. Recognizing our Occupation:
Paul knew who he was. He could have boasted about being the best Pharisee in the world of the highest pedigree with the best education. But, he didn’t . He considered all those things as garbage… compared to his true identity… the truth that defined him.... he is slave of God.
If a slave of God, was his identity (who he is), then what does he tell us was his occupation (what he does)?
“Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...” (1:1a)
What does Paul do? He apostles. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ.
So, what does it mean to “apostle”?
The word “apostle” basically means sent one. It carries the meaning of “messenger”. In the first century, the word was actually very often used of the lowliest person who carried a message on behalf of someone else. — “But the term was most often used to describe a special messenger, a type of ambassador, who was sent with a specific message and spoke with the authority of the one who sent him.” ( John F. MacArthur Jr., Titus, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), 4.)
The messenger… or apostle’s authority did not come from himself.. but from the one who sent him.
So, Paul is saying that his highest occupation in life.... is being a messenger boy for Jesus.
He may have introduced himself this way as he wrote, highlighting his calling as a slave of God to establish his authority with the Jews in the church on Crete. Then, he could have referred to himself as an “apostle” of Jesus Christ to establish his authority with the Gentiles in the church on Crete.
No matter the motivation for expressing these truths, Paul, the leader of the 1st century world-wide missions movement, was boldly proclaiming the reality that he was under the divine authority of the God-head.
One author was dead on when he wrote:
Every effective, fruitful, and genuinely spiritual leader in the church must have a deep awareness that they are under divine authority. This awareness should become the controlling reality in our lives. A godly leader does not seek to fulfill personal agendas, create personal fame, or build a personal empire. They are content and feel honored for the privilege of being wholly subject to the Master who has chosen and sent them. (Mac)
While the role of “apostle” was used greatly by God as the church was being established, that office ran its course and was phased out as the Canon of Scripture was brought to completion. If you do a study through the book of Acts, you will see that happen. We can illustrate the process kind of like when no more coal is put into the fire of a steam train, it slowly begins to slow down until it eventually comes to a stop.
Most of the people who call themselves “apostles” today… and claim to be able to do the same miracles and signs that the NT apostles did, are fraudulent. As God’s Word was completed… those sign gifts and miraculous abilities ran out of steam. Today, there is no office of an apostle.
But, the occupation of an apostle.. the role of being a sent one… one who is delivers a message bearing the authority of the sender is still very much for today.
Throughout the New Testaments we are given commands like “Make disciples of all nation” (Matt. 28), preach the gospel (Matt. 16), “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4), Teach the word (1 & 2 Tim.)
While the office of “apostle” is not for today… the occupation of an apostle must be part of our calling and daily lives today.
Each and every believer has been called to do the work of an apostle. We have been sent with the message of Grace… bearing the authority of Christ.
We are slaves of God sent with the authority of Christ to deliver His message of Grace.
As Paul opens his letter to Titus, he expresses the most important truths about who his is.... a slave of God and apostle, sent one, of Jesus Christ.
(What would it take (what would need to change) for those truths to be the most important things about who you are?)
Alright… we have now made it past the first 11 words! At this rate, we’ll be done by Valentines day!
Now, let’s shift to the message Paul is delivering. While Paul’s letter to Titus has a great deal of instructions about things to do that will help encourage each believer to grow in godliness, Paul make sure to begin his letter by expressing what must be focused on first.
Before we can truly grow in godliness… we have to first understand Grace.
Let’s continue looking at our text today as Paul shares that, while we are to love godliness, but first grace.
II. Love Godliness, but first Grace
As Paul continues his opening sentence, with each word he highlights several different aspects or dimensions of God’s grace.
The fact that Paul is able to call himself a slave of God and apostle of Jesus shows us the measure of God’s grace. Paul was at one time a persecutor of Christ’s church and a murder of Christ’s people. Paul was an enemy of Christ (Acts. 7:58; 10:1-4; 22:4-5; 26:9-11).
But now this persecutor of the church calls himself an apostle, a chosen messenger of Christ. The fact that Jesus would… and could use Paul helps to begin to understand the vastness of God’s grace. It’s so much greater than we could imagine. God will pardon the worst of sinners and will grant useful service to those whose sin is unspeakable.... and all the while there is no human reason why God would express such a divine love.... except grace.
Paul also reminds us of the means of God’s grace in verse 1 when he says, “for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness”.
Paul isn’t telling Titus what he must to qualify as one of God’s elect, but instead speaks of the faith that characterizes those who belong to God. Those who believe are “God’s elect”, meaning their eternal status is determined by the love of a God’s heart.... not the work of human hands.
The term “elect” used here and other places in Scripture reminds us that God chooses his people to be his own out of his mercy rather than because they have achieved some super high level of holiness. That is why Paul says, “the knowledge of the truth” leads to godliness.
(R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000), 277.)
The writers of Scripture are more concerned that we are in a committed relationship with God than having a bunch of head knowledge of religious facts.
The order here in verse 1 is absolutely crucial to pay attention to. Godly conduct itself does not lead to a relationship with God. But, a relationship with God (through a faith response to the gospel) leads us to righteous actions.
Listen… God is not waiting to love you until you get all the mess in your life straightened out. Paul makes that pretty clear here.... the means of grace is by mercy alone.
We are brought into a redemptive relationship with God through His mercy and by His Grace!
Now that Paul has introduced the idea of Grace and how he has embraced it, let’s look at the dimensions of grace in verses 2-4.
A. Dimensions of Grace
Let’s stop for a moment and read through verses 1-4 again and just reflect on the characteristics of God presented to us in this text.
To truly understanding the various dimensions of Grace we must first recognize and reflect on the Characteristics of God from which that Grace flows.
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Electing (for the sake of God’s elect)
Another way of wording that thought would be, for the sake of those who are chosen of God to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
At another time we’ll have to dig into the concept of divine election. Today let’s focus on this aspect of God’s character. He is a God who chooses.
He has chosen all those who have responded to the gospel by faith.
Paul wants Titus to understand this. It’s not about his eloquence or skill as a preacher. It’s not about how awesome Titus is as a counselor or community anchor.
It’s all about God! That’s why when Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 1:23- 2:2 he said, “When I came to you, brothers... I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you expect Jesus Christ, and Him crucified”.
The simple and yet powerful truth that Paul wants Titus… and each of us to grasp is that the gospel of Jesu sChrist and Him crucified will never faith to produce saving faith at the right time in those who are chosen by God.
This truth is woven throughout the New Testament and is foundational to our understanding of the gospel and of salvation. Like when Jesus told the 12, “You did not choose me, but I chose you...” (John 15:16).
If you are a believer today… if you have responded by faith to the gospel… then rejoice in the fact that God has chosen you!
He is a God who chooses.
Edifying (knowledge of the truth that accords with godliness)
Godliness is the manifestation of the Spirit’s work of sanctification in our lives. Our growth in godliness cannot be attempted apart from the knowledge of the Truth. Divine truth and godliness are totally interconnected. No matter how sincere your intentions might be, we cannot obey God’s will if we do not know what it is. We cannot be godly if we son’t know what God is like… if we don’t understand His character.... if we don’t know what He expects of those who belong to Him.
As Jesus prayed for his disciples in John 17:17 he asked the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth”! — There is no possible way to over emphasize the importance of sound doctrine… a solid understanding and practical application of biblical theology.
Peter shared with those to whom he wrote that God’s grace provides us with all that His righteousness demands.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Paul wanted Titus to remember and live out the reality that God’s truth produces godliness.
Hope giving - (hope of eternal life)
Paul encourages Titus and ever believer with this biblical truth. One day all of us who have responded in faith to Christ will be glorified, based on our divinely guaranteed hope of eternal life, which was perfected in Christ’s own righteousness.
Every one of us can encourage each other with this truth. The hope of eternal life is our deepest longing… which is guaranteed by God’s own Word. Jesus will call each and every born again believer to Himself. He has given us His Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:13-14).
Eternal life is the gracious gift that comes with salvation. The hope of that life gives believers encouragement in many ways. Because of the reality of our eternal life and relationship with God we are encouraged to holiness, service, and endurance as children of God. We are to long for the time that John speaks about in 1 John 3:2-3, … “We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
The God whom we worship… the Christ to whom we belong.... gives hope. He is hope incarnate!
Truth (which God, who never lies)
This characteristic of God is directly connected to the others. Paul is expressing our need to commit to God’s message… to divinely revealed Scripture.
Understanding of God’s sovereignty as our master and the mission to which He has called us comes directly through the pages of Scripture. We know about the hope of salvation, our responsibility, because God inspired men to write it down.
We can trust what has been written down because our God… is a God who does not lie. He is truthful… He is truth itself. Throughout the Old and New Testament, Scripture supports the claims that God does not like. 1 Sam. 15:29, “God, the glory of Israel, will not lie.” Because God is the source of truth it is “impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18).
God speaks truth from his own nature… He is the Father of truth.
Eternal Promise keeper(Promised before the ages began)
The God of truth initiated the promises of Salvation before time began. Because He is eternal, this is possible. Our gracious God “called us with a holy calling… in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9).
God’s plan of salvation didn’t happen as a reaction once Adam sinned. Before time began and before the world was created, God’s plan of salvation was developed and set into motion. That is why Jesus could pray these words in John 17:24
Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Planning/ purposeful (at the proper time manifested in his word)
Paul’s words draw a remarkable picture. Paul is expressing that the God’s mercy for his people extends eternally into the future but also, since God does not lie (as opposed to the Cretans who oppose him), God made the promise of eternal life “before the beginning of time”. Grace began in eternity, and it extends to eternity.
And at the proper time.... Christ came with a purpose… manifesting the Word of God to the world… and God in His sovereignty has chosen to include us in His eternal grace and mercy.
We never have to worry about using up or exhausting God’s supply of mercy and grace.... because they last forever
Entrusting, Commanding, Savior (I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior)
That truth that Christ manifested… has been entrusted to us. We are commanded to take that message to the world.... the message of the gospel that proclaims that Christ is our only hope and Savior
Unifier - (my true child in a common faith)
Grace unites all believers in our dependance on God regardless of our background or experiences.
As Paul, the Jew, addresses Titus, the Gentile, he looks past ethnic/ cultural lines and says that they both share the same faith and are part of the same family. They are united in “grace and peace” that comes from our “savior, meaning that they both share a mutual need of being rescued by the work of another… rather than being able to save themselves.
Grace Giver, Peace Provider (true son in our common faith)
Father and Promised Deliverer (God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior)
I was talking with one of the ladies in our church this week and she was telling me a bit about her testimony… and when the Lord saved her… was a point in her life when she cried out to God saying.... “Lord, I don’t have a loving father… but I know that you love me”
These are just some of the characteristics of the God to whom we bow.... the God whom we serve… the Master to whom we belong.
Why should we focus on and embrace the truth of all of these characteristics?
Because by a deeper knowledge and understanding of God will enable us to more fully embrace His Grace.
When we fully embrace His grace… the result is an overflow of Godliness.
B. Overflow of Godliness (The application of Grace)
What flows out of our hearts made visible by our actions.... is the practical application of Grace.
Our growth in godliness is rooted in and driven by our understanding of God’s grace
Remember that God is a the Grace Giver and Peace Provider?
When a person becomes absolutely convinced that their standing before God is based completely on God’s grace and not on any goodness in themselves.... true peace and contentment comes.
Fully understanding Grace also provides relief from the constant striving for status and affection that characterizes our natural human state.
A true understanding of God’s grace removes the temptation to argue over things like ownership, status in the church, some sense of entitlement that because we did this, bought that, donated this… that we deserve some kind of status or recognition or power.... No!
It is Christ’s church.... He is the head… He is our master… We are His slaves.
Grace reminds us that “all fall short of God’s glory” (Rom. 3:23).
Our “common faith” helps us recognize that we are all in need of a Savior. Racial prejudice, national hatred, competition for recognition and regard fade and wither when we truly embrace grace,
People all around the world are trying to be good and failing.
There are people in churches around the world trying to be “good” Christians… and failing.
Have you ever found yourself frustrated… saying… I’m trying to live the “good Christian life”… but I am so tired and frustrated… maybe because your not getting the results you wanted… or because life is hard right now. Do you know why many people get to this point?
Many get to that point because they are lacking in their understanding of practical application of God’s Grace.
In order to grow and be effective for the Lord… we first have to understand and embrace Grace.
Do you want to grow as a believer? You can do all the bible studies and christian service events in the world.... and ultimately it will add up to nothing unless you first come to the place where you understand the truth that without God’s grace.... its not possible.
Its like we sang earlier… though our sins, they are many… His mercy is more.
God’s grace and mercy enable us to be able to grow and serve. Without embracing grace.... our worship of.... and service to the Lord will be empty and misdirected.
That is why, as part of our Church vision moving forward, part of our strategic plan is to intentionally growing in our quality of faith and relationship with the Lord. Our responsibility is to grow in the depth of our knowledge of God, relationship with Him and obedience to and application of His Word. When do sincerely and whole-heartedly do that.... God will increase our numbers… He will add to our church.
Many churches are busy running around focusing primarily on quantity.... getting more numbers. When that is your primary focus and motivation… then the quality of your spiritual development and relationship with the Lord will suffer.
Our focus as WellSpring Bible Church is going to be focusing on the quality and depth of our relationship with the Lord ... and then prepare for quantity.
That is the key to practically understanding and applying what Paul is telling Titus here in these few verses.
In order to prepare for all that the world and ministry will throw at you… you need to first and foremost… understand and fully embrace God’s grace.
Our godliness, spiritual development as individuals and numerical growth as a local church is totally and absolutely dependent on and enabled by God’s grace.
Remember this main idea from today:
Our growth in godliness is rooted in and driven by our understanding of God’s grace
As you go home today and reflect on the truths given to us In God’s Word this week… use these three thoughts as a guide to help you pursue Grace first.... and then godliness.
Embrace grace: For the hope of Heaven it offers and the clarity of God it brings
Love godliness: For the beauty it gives our lives and the path to God it offers others
Share Christ with our community: through hearts that have been given a love for the lost
My prayer for our church is that God would multiply “Titus-like” leadership… and as we take steps forward that grace, godliness, and the sharing of Christ would be part of who we are and it would be what drives us as a local church assembly for God’s glory!