Titus 3:1-11

Titus 3:1 NKJV

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,

The first thing that Paul mentions in the final chapter of Titus is that they people on the Island of Crete need to be “subject to rulers and authorities”

What does it mean that they were to be “subject to rulers”?

To be subject to the ruler is that as Christians we are expected to respect the authority of those who God put into authoritative positions.

Here is a question for us though, why?

Why does scripture want us to respect the authority of the rulers?

Romans 13:1 NKJV

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Daniel 2:21 NKJV

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Daniel 5:18 NKJV

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.

What do those verses teach us?

These verses teach us that God is the one who appoints our leaders

The ones we like, the ones we don not like.

But the most important thing here is that we understand even if we don’t really like a certain leader it is still our responsibility to respect them.

So Paul uses this to leak over into his next point if you will.

Titus 3:2 NKJV

to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

Now let me ask this

Do you think that you can be these things (peaceable, gentle and humble) while disrespecting leadership?

It would be impossible to have the qualities that Paul asked of in verse two if you disrespect leadership.

Now do you think that leadership is only country leadership?

No its local leaders, its the leaders in your schools, the leaders at church, your parents. respecting leadership is so important.

The Bible expects us as Christians to maintain certain standards.

We are supposed to model Jesus Christ in all that we do.

Therefor, it is very important that we model these behaviors.

And it was very important for the people at Crete to model these standards.

When we are saved there is supposed to be a change in our life.

We aren’t always supposed to be the same person.

Titus 3:3 NKJV

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

So before you were saved you were foolish and disobedient adn so was I.

we once lived outside of the will of God.

We lived for the world and in the world.

The things that mattered most to us had little to nothing to do with God.

We lived for ourselves and selfishness

But once we become saved, we live for Jesus Christ.

We are different than we once were.

We are set apart for God’s purpose and the most important part of God’s purpose is to bring his design back to perfection.

Meaning we want to be seeking a personal relationship with him.

God’s plan for our life was for us to have a personal relationship with him.

However, these things that Paul had mentioned do something to us.

Can you tell me what these things do to the Christian?

You see what Paul had told Titus to remind Crete about were all sins.

Sin separates us from God.