Titus 3 (New International Version)
The first two books of Titus was addressing the problems of the culture and book three tells how to apply what was said in one and two. First the false teachers were unfit for any good work chapter 1 verse 16 tells us that fact. You see, one of the purposes of the cross was to create a people that would be zealous to do good works chapter 2 told us that fact in 2:14. And here, Titus was to teach the people to be ready to do every good work
3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,
For a long time, my seatbelt philosophy has come from this scripture. You see, I’m not comfortable wearing the seatbelt in the car. I don’t always think it’s a good thing. One day, I was driving down the road and this scripture came to me. Whenever we do something contrary, to the word of God, we kind of take her self out of his protection. For example, I think of the bird that’s in the cage! This bird is protected while it’s in the cage, but when it gets out of the cage, it’s unprotected. So, if I don’t wear my seatbelt, then I’m out of the will of God, because it says that we are to obey the laws of the country, unless they break the laws of God.
2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
We see here, that God has instructed us, not to speak evil about anyone. We are not to tear each other down, because we are to encourage each other. We are not to be brawlers, or to be ready to fight. We are supposed to be meek and show the love of God to everyone. after all, we’re trying to reach lost souls and we can’t do that through malice and with anger. We are only going to reach others through the love of God. We are to be zealous when it comes to doing good for others. This means we should have a want to, because Christ lives in us. In fact, the scripture tells us not to be rude to people.
Not to be fowl toward people.
Not to give people the cold shoulder.
Not to have clicks.
Not to have a popularity complex.
God accepts all and we are supposed to accept all.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
This is a perfect description of all of us, before we came to Jesus. This is the way of the world, or the way of the flesh. Selfish, unsaved people do all the things above, because they are listening to the lust of their flesh. Until we receive the pattern of the perfect love of Jesus, we do not know how to love.
I love the answer Jesus gave when the disciples asked Him; what were the most important commandments. The following is the answer He gave them.
Mark 12:30-31 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.” “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
Hate is of the world, love is of God.
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviorappeared,
Now that we have kindness and love in our heart, it stands in direct contrast to the way we were living before we were saved. This difference is due to the appearance of God or Savior, Jesus Christ.
While we were yet in sin, Christ gave Himself to save us;
1 Timothy 4:10 “For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.”
The kindness and love of God our Savior toward men, is caught up in one word, grace. “Grace” is unmerited favor from God to man.
Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Salvation has never been by our deeds, or our works (see Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:19-28). But it is all….
“According to his mercy”: (Eph. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:13; 1 Peter 1:3, 2:10).
Salvation brings divine cleansing from sin and the gift of a new, Spirit generated, Spirit-empowered, and Spirit-protected life as God’s own children and heirs (verse 7).
“Regeneration” refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation experience that produces new life in the believer. To express this concept, Jesus used the expression “born again” in His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:3-7).
Regeneration is the work of God through the Holy Spirit, of placing in one who has faith a new nature, capable of doing God’s will.
“Renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 8:2). He is the agent of the “washing of regeneration.”
6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Therefore, we have a emphasis on our life to be like Christ, and good works is a mark that we are believers. “Goodworks,” is what we also call “our fruit” in Christian language.
We as believers, commonly State, that we know he or she is a Christian because of the fruit that they better. We know he or she is a Christian, because of the love and great work that you have done for the kingdom.
“Abundantly”: When believers are saved, Christ’s Spirit blesses them beyond measure (Acts 2:38-39; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 13; Eph. 3:20; 5:18).
7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
“Justified”: The central truth of salvation is justification by faith alone. When a sinner repents and places his faith in Jesus Christ, God declares him just, imputes the righteousness of Christ to him, and makes it as if he never sinned.
“Heirs”: As adopted children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, believers become “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17; 1 Pet. 1:3-4).
This is what makes heaven worth at all! Jesus will be there and whatever is he is we also have for eternity.
8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
“Faithful saying”: A common expression in the early church.This is just simply saying we must walk in the salvation we have received of God. Paul is telling Titus to keep reminding his people to be working, until Jesus comes. This is not only profitable to God but to man, as well.
Do what you say you’re going to do. Always do what is right And trust worthy. and do this by maintaining good works.
9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrelsabout the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
“Foolish questions”: Paul again warns against becoming entangled in senseless discussions with the many false teachers in Crete (see 1:10, 14-16). Back in that day, people had to come out of legalism and come into the doctor at Grace. Today we are to condemn societies, big bang theory‘s, Scientology theories, and all the other works of the devil. These types of conversations usually are “unprofitable and worthless.” We must Proclaim the truth, not arguing error, because this is the biblical way to evangelize.
10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.
This scripture tells us how to handle people in the world and people in the church house, who are arguing scripture. Warn them once, try to teach them, and then put it to bed. A decisive person who refused to repent and change after being confronted, shows himself or herself to be twisted by sin; thus, that person is self condemned.
11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Being condemned”: By his own ungodly behavior, a factious believer brings judgment on himself.
The word translated “subverted” could have meant perverted. It seems this person has gone so far that it is not probable he will change. Since he will not repent and change, he has condemned himself.
Next, we see the final Remarks remarks, Paul gifts to Titus and us. He says…..
12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
“Artemas”: I could not find this man beyond Paul’s obvious confidence in him.
“Tychicus”: This “beloved brother and faithful servant” (Col. 4:7), accompanied Paul from Corinth to Asia Minor (Acts 20:4), carried the apostle’s letter to the Colossian church (Col. 4:7), and possibly his letter to Ephesus (see Eph. 6:21).
“Nicopolis”: The name means “city of victory”, and this was but one of perhaps 9 different cities so named because of decisive military battles that were won in or near them. This particular Nicopolis was probably in southern Greece, on the West cost of Achaia, which was a good place “to spend the winter.”
It seems after Titus finished setting up the church at Crete, Paul wanted him to return to him.
13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.
“Zenas”: scripture doesn’t tell us if this is a man or a woman. Nothing is known of this believer whose expertise was either in biblical law or Roman law.
“Apollos”: Originally from Alexandria, he was an outstanding teacher of Scripture who was converted to Christ after being acquainted only with the teaching of John the Baptist (Acts 18:24-28). Some of his followers apparently formed a church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11-12; 3:4).
Apollos was well known, he is the same Apollos that Priscilla and Aquila had ministered to. Paul might need a lawyer when he got to Rome, but since they could’ve been in Corinth, Paul wanted to check to see how the church was going.
14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
“Good works:” Again, the emphasis is on good deeds as the platform for witnessing effectively (verse 8; 1:13-16; 2:5, 8, 10, 12, 14).
Ours here, is speaking of the members of the church at Crete. So it is good for us to know that a good work is taking up an offering for the travelers. Today that would be our missionaries. They should be willing to help the missionaries who came by their church.
15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.
Paul ended his letter here with a greeting to the audience. See this letter was not just written for Titus, but also to the people of Crete. It is also apparent that this letter may have been read by the prophets noted in the last few verses; thus Paul wrote: “Grace be with you all.”
Perhaps, Paul knew his letters would be in a book for future generations. After all, this is why, I write! I hope one day that my family members who are lost will come to the light; through the words, the Holy Spirit has guided me to write.
