Titus 02.11-15
Paul tells Titus 04 aspects of the Gospel of Grace…01. The Appearance of God’s Grace (Titus 02.11a);
02. Saving Grace (Titus 02.11b);
03. The Transformation of Saving Grace
(Titus 02.12-14)
& 04. The Preacher’s Authority (Titus 02.15).
03. The
Transformation of Saving Grace (Titus 02.12-14)
The Gospel of Grace affects one’s personal behavior, both in
the present & in the future.
Titus 02.12 “12 instructing” G3811. paideuw paideuo pahee-dyoo’-o; from 3816; to train up a
child, i.e. educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment):--
chasten(-ise), instruct, learn, teach.
Thayer-to cause
one to learn
We are to be instructed by Jesus like a teacher instructs
children. 1Thessalonians
04.09
One of the lessons that Jesus taught was not to follow
anyone just because they performed miracles. The
performance of miracles doesn’t make the Messiah.
We see this in John 06.01-71.
In John 06.01-15 we see that Jesus feeds the
5,000 men.
In John 06.16-21 the disciples got into a boat
& started to cross the sea to Capernaum, & Jesus walked on water &
went in the disciples boat.
John 06.23-30 In
response the people demand a miraculous sign. The thinking of the people was
see & then believe, while God says 1st believe & than you
will see (John
11.40).
Why did He say this? Because we are told Satan
comes as an angel of light, & his false teachers will copy him, coming to
deceive. 2Corinthians
11.13-15
This is why Jesus called out false teachers, saying that
they will come to try to deceive the saints by appearing to be sent from God (Matthew 07.13-29).
And many will prophesy in the name of the LORD & perform
miracles. Matthew
07.21-23
We have seen lately that throughout the New Testament says
that false teachers will arise from w/in the church (Acts 20.17-38; 2Peter 02.01-02);
that we are to keep our eyes on, or scope out for the false teachers (Romans 16.17-18);
knowing that these false teachers were sent from Satan (2Corinthians 11.13-15). Paul
told Timothy that the times will get worse, but he wanted him to continue in
the teaching of the Word of God (2Timothy 03.13-17). Paul called out false
teachers (1Timothy
01.20; 2Timothy 02.16-18) & told Titus to expose
& strongly refute false teachers (Titus 01.09-16). John called out false
teachers as well (3John 01.09). John also warned that false
teachers (antichrists 1John 02.18) will come, & that we are to
test them to see if they are from God (antichrists 1John 04.01).
Roger Oakland, Another Jesus? Introduction p11
While it is possible to encounter miraculous experiences
in the name of Jesus, it is not these experiences that qualify anyone to go to
heaven. Instead one could spend eternity in hell.
Another lesson that God is teaching us is to “deny ungodliness”
(Titus
02.12).
“deny” G720. arneomai arneomai ar-neh’-om-ahee;
perhaps from 1 (as a negative particle) & the middle voice of 4483; to contradict,
i.e. disavow, reject, abnegate:-- deny, refuse.
Thayer-to deny,
i.e. abnegate (reject), abjure (shun), renounce a thing, forsake it
“12 ungodliness” G763. asebeia asebeia as-eb’-i-ah;
from 765;
impiety, i.e. (by implication) wickedness:-- ungodly(-liness).
Thayer-want of
reverence towards God, impiety, ungodliness
God invites all people to come to Him because salvation is
available for all in Isaiah 55.01-13.
Denying ungodliness means denying
ourselves. In Matthew 16.21-23, Jesus revealed that He was
going to die & we see Peter was trying to keep Jesus from dying. But that
was the reason why Jesus came into this world as a man.
Peter wanted Jesus to follow his plan, instead of Peter
wanting to follow the plan of God, which was for Jesus to die on the cross for
our sins.
By coming & dying on the cross, Jesus was modeling for
the disciples (& for us today!) that discipleship involves a cost.
Being a disciple of Jesus does not mean everything is going
to go smooth for us or that we will be glorified here on earth. Matthew 10.28;
Matthew 16.24
If you were a convicted criminal in the Roman Empire, you
were forced to carry your own cross when it was time for you to be crucified.
This showed to all the population that you were now under & submissive to
the rule of law that you had been opposing.
In the same way, when a disciple of Jesus takes up his
cross, he is showing to all that he is now submissive to the One whom he had
once rebelled against. For many who follow Jesus, the path of carrying the
cross is a lonely one, filled w/sorrow, trials & hardship. But in doing so,
we will find eternal life (Matthew 10.38-39).
God also teaches us to “deny…worldly desires” (Titus 02.12).
“12 worldly” G2886. kosmikov kosmikos kos-mee-kos’;
from 2889
(in its secondary sense); terrene (“cosmic”), literally (mundane) or
figuratively (corrupt):-- worldly.
Thayer-of or
belonging to the world
“12 desires” G1939. epiyumia epithumia ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah;
from 1937;
a longing (especially for what is forbidden):-- concupiscence, desire, lust
(after).
Thayer-desire,
craving, longing
Paul explains this in Romans 06.10-14.
“12 …to live sensibly (soberly), righteously
& godly in the present age,”
Having been declared & made righteous by our
justification through Christ, we are to live lives of ever-increasing
righteousness (Romans
06.19; 1Timothy 04.12; 1Peter 01.14-18; 2Peter 01.05-08;
2Peter 03.11;
1John 02.06).
Titus 02.13 “13 looking
for” G4327. prosdecomai prosdechomai pros-dekh’-om-ahee; from 4314 & 1209; to admit (to
intercourse, hospitality, credence, or [figuratively] endurance); by
implication, to await (w/confidence or patience):-- accept, allow, look (wait)
for, take.
Thayer-to
expect, look for, wait
Eager & certain expectation
“13 the blessed hope” G1680.
elpiv elpis el-pece’;
from a primary elpw elpo (to anticipate, ususally w/pleasure); expectation
(abstractly or concretely) or confidence:-- faith, hope.
Thayer-of the
thing on which the hope depends
Confident certainty that is blessed because it is a Godly
promise, which is “the appearing of the glory of our great God & Savior,
Christ Jesus,”
So the blessed hope is the appearance of “our great God
& Savior, Christ Jesus,”
“13 the appearing” G2015.
epifaneia epiphaneia ep-if-an’-i-ah;
from 2016;
a manifestation, i.e. (specially) the advent of Christ (past or future):--
appearing, brightness.
Thayer-an
appearing, appearance, often used by the Greeks of a glorious manifestation of
the gods, & especially of their advent to help
At the 1st appearance of Jesus, He “…abolished
death & brought life & immortality to light through the gospel,”
(2Timothy
01.10).
At His 2nd appearing, He will “…judge the
living & the dead, & by His appearing & His kingdom:” (2Timothy 04.01).
So while we are looking for “the blessed hope” (Titus 02.13),
we are to “…keep
the commandment w/o stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ,” (1Timothy 06.14) & to rejoice that “in the future
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; & not only to me, but also
to all who have loved His appearing.” (2Timothy 04.08).
“13 great” G3173. megav megas meg’-as;
[including the prolonged forms, feminine megalh megale, plural megaloi megaloi, etc.; compare also 3176, 3187]; big (literally
or figuratively, in a very wide application):-- (+ fear) exceedingly,
great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to
years.
Thayer-predicated
of rank, as belonging to persons, eminent for ability, virtue, authority, power
as God, & sacred personages
Titus 02.14
The unregenerate person is in total bondage to sin. Paul
said to the saints in Rome, Romans 06.16
Here Paul gives us another example of our works show that we
either have been saved by grace or not.
Earlier in this same chapter in Romans, Paul said, Romans 06.05-07
Paul tells us in Galatians that Jesus gave Himself for us in
Galatians
01.04.
“14 to redeem” G3084. lutrow lutroo loo-tro’-o;
from 3083;
to ransom (literally or figuratively):-- redeem.
G3083. lutron lutron loo’-tron;
from 3089;
something to loose with, i.e. a redemption price (figuratively, atonement):--
ransom.
Thayer-to
redeem, to deliver; in the Jewish theocratic sense from the evils of every
kind, external & internal
The purpose of the Son of God appearing in this world as a
man was “….to
give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10.45)
He redeemed us from the curse of the law by dying for us on
the cross in Galatians
03.13 & 1Timothy 02.06.
Our response to the grace given to us by Christ giving of
Himself & redeeming us is that we are to “…walk in love, just as Christ also loved
you & gave Himself up for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God as a
fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 05.02).
Peter says in 1Peter 03.18 that the righteous died for the
unrighteous to make us alive in the Spirit.
John the revelator records for us the new song in heaven
sung by the church (the 24 elders) in Revelation 05.09.
He came to redeem us from every “14 lawless deed”, anything that is
wicked, unrighteous, violating the law, sin.
“14 to purify” G2511. kayarizw katharizo kath-ar-id’-zo;
from 2513;
to cleanse (literally or figuratively):-- (make) clean(-se), purge, purify.
Thayer-to free
from the guilt of sin, to purify
Because we once were enslaved to sin (Romans 06.17-22) & have been
redeemed, we are now slaves of Christ, who purified us, made us free from the
guilt of sin.
“14 a people for His own possession” =“a peculiar people” Textus Receptus
“14 a people” G2992. laov laos lah-os’; apparently a
primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from 1218, which denotes one’s
own populace):-- people.
Thayer-the
people whom God has chosen for himself, selected peculiarly his own. Particularly
to a church of Christians gathered from among the Gentiles.
“14 for His own possession” G4041. periousiov periousios per-ee-oo’-see-os; from the present
participle feminine of a compound of 4012 & 1510; being beyond usual, i.e. special (one’s own):-- peculiar.
Thayer-a people
selected by God from the other nations for his own possession
We who have been purified, redeemed are now “…A CHOSEN
RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of
Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Peter 02.09).
As God’s redeemed people, we give still further evidence of
our salvation by grace through faith because we become “zealous for good deeds.” (Titus 02.14).
Jesus illustrates all of this perfectly in Matthew 18.23-35
in the parable of the unforgiving servant, who owed his master several million
dollars & after he begged for forgiveness, was forgiven of his debt. Yet
when he left his master, he saw a fellow slave who owed him about $100,000
& was not gracious w/him.
Paul says to the church at Philippi in Philippians 02.12 that we are to
work out our salvation.
Paul does not say that we are to work for our salvation, but
to work it out, meaning to demonstrate the reality of The Gospel of Grace in
our lives.
Our salvation is given to us by grace through faith, not of
works (Ephesians
02.04-09).
If it is of works, than it’s no longer salvation, but wages
justly due. Works can no more keep our salvation than they can earn it for us
to begin with. Salvation is not faith plus works, but grace through faith.
However, if your salvation is real, can say “…I will show
you my faith by my works.” (James02.18).
Good works, being obedient to the commands of Christ through
the power of the Holy Spirit, are the visible evidence of salvation by grace
through faith (Ephesians
02.10).
No comments:
Post a Comment