Sermon Tone Analysis

Titus 3:1-8.

"The Christian's Responsibility in Society".

Safe Haven Community Church.

Sunday November 14th, 2021.

Titus 3:1-8.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

3 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.

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 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, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 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.

(ESV)

Ray Pennings co-founder and executive vice-president of the Canadian think tank Cardus.

wrote about how faith plays a big role in how Canadians see the world.

A majority of respondents - 52 per cent - told the pollster that personal faith or religious beliefs were an important factor in how they thought "about public issues and problems facing society."

Fully two-thirds of the religiously committed prioritized helping others.

Asked whether "rich people" should enjoy spending their money as they wished or should share the wealth with the less fortunate.

Almost 70 per cent of the religiously committed said that those with wealth had a responsibility to share it.

Only 54 per cent of non-believers said the same.

Religious faith has a role to play in Canada's public life.

It's key to personal identity for most of us and helps us to make sense of the world.

It doesn't push us to the extremes.

It impels us to care for others.

(http://news.nationalpost.com/news/religion/canada-is-not-the-secular-society-that-we-thought-it-was)

In Titus 3, the Apostle Paul moves from how believers are to live in the church (chapter 2) to how they are to live in society chapter 3. The section opens with a collection of commands concerned especially with the relations of believers to outsiders.

It deals specifically with subjection to the civil authorities, positive good works, avoiding contention with other people, and showing gentleness and courtesy to people in general.

Similar teaching on the believers' relation to society is found in 1 Tim 2:1-2; Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-3:17.

The passage is analogous to Rom 12:17-13:7, but there is more stress here on meekness and gentleness.

The qualities required here stand in contrast to the lifestyle of the writer's opponents.

Paul obviously was consumed with the divine mandate to evangelize when he wrote this letter to Titus.

It was not his desire for Christians living in the pagan culture of Crete to turn on the unbelievers and try to force changes in cultural standards and personal behavior in order to be less offended by their society.

(Marshall, I. H., & Towner, P. H. (2004).

A critical and exegetical commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (p.

298).

London; New York: T&T Clark International.).

But we must repudiate our confused loyalties and concerns for the passing world and put aside our misguided efforts to change culture externally.

To allow our thoughts, plans, time, money, and energy to be spent trying to make a superficially Christian country, or to put a veneer of morality over the world, is to distort the gospel, misconstrue our divine calling, and squander our God-given resources.

We must not weaken our spiritual mission, obscure our priority of proclaiming the gospel of salvation, or become confused about our spiritual citizenship, loyalties, and obligations.

We are to change society, but by faithfully proclaiming the gospel, which changes lives on the inside.

In Titus 3:1-8, Paul admonishes Titus to remind Christians on Crete of realities they had heard many times before.

The four major areas of remembrance pertain to 1) Our duties as Christians (Titus 3: 1-2), 2) to our former condition of unbelief and sin (Titus 3: 3), 3) To our salvation through Jesus Christ (Titus 3: 4-7), and finally 4) To our mission to an unbelieving, lost world (Titus 3: 8).

As a Christian to understand your Responsibility in Society, you must:

1) Remember Your Duties (Titus 3:1-2)

Titus 3:1-2 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people (ESV).

The seven Christian duties listed here apply to all believers at all times.

They are the attitudes and dispositions that should always characterize our lives among those who do not belong to God.

The Holy Spirit here defines our obligation to pagan culture.

Paul's instruction to Titus is expressed with the present tense and imperative mood of the verb "remind" (hupomimnēskō) and means keep reminding them.

The choice of this term "remind" suggests that Paul may already have taught the Cretans concerning their obligations and standards of behavior within a pagan culture.

Reminding Christians of these truths should keep them from feeling hostile toward and superior to the unconverted (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol.

34, p. 317).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).

First, we are to be submissive/subject to rulers and authorities.

This duty pertains to our attitude and conduct in regard to secular government.

It is important to note that Paul specifies no particular kind or level of government or any particular kind or level of government official.

He allows for no exceptions or qualifications (cf.

Mt. 17:15-21, 22:15-21; Rom.

13).

This a PRESENT MIDDLE INFINITIVE, meaning "continue to put yourself under authority."

It was a military term for the chain of command.

This same term is used of Christian wives in 2:5 and Christian slaves in 2:9.

It is also used of all Christians in Eph.

5:20.

It is basically an attitude of life for Christians in all areas (Utley, R. J. (2000).

Paul's Fourth Missionary Journey: I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy (Vol.

Volume 9, p. 122).

Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.).

Second, we are to be obedient to human authorities.

"To be obedient" states the result and visible demonstration of their attitude of submission.

The compound infinitive (peitharchein) denotes practical obedience to particular authoritative orders.

The context implies obedience to the particular demands of government.

The only exception regards their commanding us to do something that is against the command of God.

Such an exception is found in the account of Acts 4. When the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council in Jerusalem, ordered Peter and John "not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus," the apostles replied, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:18-20; cf.

5:40-42).

(Hiebert, D. E. (1981).

Titus.

In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.),

The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol.

11, p. 443).

Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)

Third, we are to be ready for every good work/deed.

Paul is not speaking of reluctantly doing what we know we should do in society but of willingly and sincerely being ready and prepared to perform every good deed toward the people around us that we have opportunity to do.

He is referring to a sincere, loving eagerness to serve others.

No matter how hostile the society around us may be, we are to be good to the people in it whose lives intersect with ours.

"While we have opportunity, [we are to] do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith" (Gal.

6:10).

We are to be known for what might be described as consistent aggressive goodness, done not simply out of duty but out of love for our Lord and for other people.

The lives of believers should continually demonstrate the spiritual transformation they have received through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul's emphasis is on living in such a way as to not bring shame on God's name.

(Mangum, D. (Ed.).

(2020).

Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament (Tt 3:1-7).

Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.)

* I believe one of the reasons why we have had so much push back for our building program is the failure to do this consistently.

If we are seen as nothing but a threat to the tax base, parking need or congestion, then we should expect resistance.

If we had shown ourselves to be of ongoing, active public good, there would be less resistance from the relevant parties to our plans.

One of the best ways have natural gospel opportunities, is to be in the business of providing tangible service to others.

Fourth, verse 2 indicates, that we are to speak evil/malign no one, not even those who contribute most to the assault on biblical standards.

Even while contending against the worst of sins committed by the worst of sinners, we must never stoop to maligning those whose sin we detest.

Speak evil/Malign is from blasphēmeō, from which we get the English blasphemy.

It is to slander, curse, and treat with contempt, and it can never be done from a righteous motive.

Christians should be careful not to speak evil of or verbally abuse others, who are created in God's own image and the object of his saving grace (Jas 3:9).

(Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol.

34, p. 319).

Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Please turn to 1 Timothy 2

One of the saddest manifestations that I have seen and heard lately is the treatment that some believers are showing for other believers over their vaccination status.