Reasons for Reminder, Pt. 1

Pastorals: Message Forty-Four

Titus 3:1-8

ETS: Paul instructed Titus to remind the believers to live in a manner that positively impact the pagans.

ESS: We should live in a manner that will lead unbelievers to Christ.

OSS: [Mo: Ethical] {SO: I want the hearers to live exemplary lives and to understand the reason behind their example.}

PQ: Why did Paul urge Titus to remind the believers to live in an exemplary way?

UW: Reasons

Intro.: Tony Evans was preaching and said, “The reason God has placed us in culture is to sustain culture (remember, you are to be salt and light, a preservative); yet so often add to the decline of culture because we do not influence it for righteousness.” The reality is that God has placed us where we are so that through us He might influence and transform the culture around us for His glory. In order to do that, though, we as believers have to comply in two ways: 1) we have to offer to Him our availability; 2) we have to realize that He wants to use us to do so. The past two weeks, we have talked about living life in a manner consistent with the Gospel. That idea and theme is continued into ch. 3. However, there is a distinction: looking back at ch. 2, the emphasis seems to be on our influence and impact on others within the believing community (discipleship, etc.) whereas in ch. 3 the emphasis seems to be the influence believers have on the pagans or those on the outside of the believing community. Today, I want us to observe the instructions given in Titus 3:1-8 (the instructions are in vv. 1-2) and the reasons it is necessary for Titus to remind the Cretan believers to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. This is a two-part sermon. Before digging into the reasons for the reminder, let us briefly examine the content of the reminder. Paul urged Titus to remind the Cretan believers of seven important actions. Notice, this is not new content. Hence, the word “remind.” The content of the reminder was as follows: 1) submit to rulers and authorities (notice the triad- 2:5 {wives submit to husbands} 2:9 {slaves submit to masters}; now, 3:1 {civilians submit to ruling authority}; 2) to obey; 3) to be ready for every good work; 4) to slander no one; 5) to avoid fighting; 6) to be kind; 7) showing gentleness (humility) to all people. These were behaviors that ought to or ought not to (in the case of not slandering) be present in the believer’s life. Now, why was it important that Paul urge Titus to remind them of this?

TS: Let’s examine together the reasons why Paul urged Titus to remind the Cretan believers to live in a certain way.

They were once lost. (v. 3)

The believers needed to be reminded of their own former lostness so that they might realize the importance of living in a specific manner to exemplify Christ and His power to those who were still lost in the world.

Regarding the description of the preconversion behavior, Donald Guthrie explained, “When the apostle says at one time we too were foolish (anoetos) he means that we were without spiritual understanding. Next in the list are disobedient, which is directed towards God, and deceived, which is related to man. The Greek word for deceived (planao) suggests a false guide leading astray. The metaphor of slavery is then used to illustrate the Christian’s former servitude to passions and pleasures. This combination is well known in Greek ethics, but for the Christian looking back on his pre-conversion state it would have greater meaning than for the Greek moralists (cf. the similar combination in Jas 4:1, 2). Only the freed man can appreciate to the full the abjectness of his former state of slavery. The words we lives in malice and envy reflect the essentially anti-social nature of the former life, for both words emphasize malignity. The climax is reached in the concluding words being hated and hating (hateful, detesting one another.). The former of these two words (stygetoi) is found only here in biblical Greek and means ‘odious’. Coupled with hating one another it shows how quickly hate can multiply.” (Guthrie, 224-225).

At any rate, the believers in Crete would deal with the unbelievers with more compassion and humility when they remembered their own lostness and pre-conversation behaviors.

APPLICATION: When we remember our own lostness and pre-conversion behaviors, we interact with those who are lost with humility, compassion, and grace.

They have been saved. (vv. 4-8a)

CONCLUSION: