The Great House of God ?
A Study in Titus - 5
Titus 3:1-8
August 5, 2007
John Ryan

The greatest case for atheism is Christians who profess Christ in the church and walk outside and deny Him with their lives. This – an unbelieving world finds simply unbelievable. - Augustine

Titus 3:1 ... to be ready for every good work,
The point of this passage - Those who are followers of Christ who have been redeemed by Christ will have the good work of the Holy Spirit of God going on within them and through them. God through Paul tells us how this happens and where this happens in this passage.

Remind them - This wasn't the first time they had heard this, yet it was obvious that this was a point of importance. Maybe they had forgot or never learned. Whatever the case, the first place Paul went to hear in this passage - submission to rulers and authorities.

Question - Why does the church seems to have such disrespect for our rulers and the law at times?
Our reputation with those who do not believe often comes from how we respond when we are not getting our way. If a law is passed that is contrary to our beliefs, if an official is elected that we do not like, if a government official speaks against followers of Christ - we have a chance to respond like Christ or not. Often, all we do is scream and yell and complain and ultimately show disrespect for our rulers and authorities. We live in a country where we can voice disagreement and even vote against those we do not want in office. However, we are subject to a Master who tells us to be subject - obey and respect our rulers and authorities. Why - because they are all there by His doing. (Romans 13:1-2) As, we submit to the rulers God appoints - He works through us for His good.

Titus 3:2 ... speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, ...
We are not just to submit and live obedient lives. We are also to live lives that touch the world with the life of Christ.
1) speak evil of no one - our speech is to pour out the likeness of Christ.
2) avoid quarreling - our conduct is to spill the life of Christ into others.
3) be gentle - this power under control was the greatest picture of humility Christ gave His disciples. It is our greatest picture of Christ to others.
4) show perfect courtesy - literally this was to put others before you even when culture, society, and or justice demanded otherwise.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once ...
All who are followers of Christ now - were once "fools" ignorant to the life and freedom in Christ believing that our way is better than God's way. The definition of this - is "disobedience". Not disobedience to the law or rulers, but "disobedience" to God. In our disobedience or sin - we are "led astray", blinded and enslaved to the will of our old nature our flesh. The life of the person in disobedience to God is full of anger and envy toward others. It may not show itself in violence or murder, but it shows itself through inward anger towards other. The life lived in disobedience to God will find itself angry toward others. It will also find itself envious of what others have or do. Eventually, this inward anger and envy will pour out into others through pressure and life's trials. When this happens - the result is there will be those who return our anger to us. When we will according to our passions, our old nature - our flesh - this will be the fruit of our life. God says this life is not who you are in Christ anymore. What happened?

Titus 3:4 ... when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior ...
If you ever wondered what God is really like - you don't need to look any farther than Jesus. Colossians 1:15 says, "He is the image of the invisible God," and 1:19 says, "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,". The church was designed to pour out the glory of God on this earth. To be God's tool for revealing His greatness (Eph. 3:21). However, that glory has been revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We must never get in the way of Jesus being revealed to the world. Jesus not the church is the full representation of God. The church is testimony of God's greatness - His glory.

Question - Can the church make me right with God?
Titus 3:5 ...he saved us ...
he saved us - The Word of God makes it clear here that the church cannot and does not make a man right with God. No man or institution can do this. Who can? Jesus alone can. "He saved us." Jesus alone rescued us from the consequence of our disobedience to God - physical death, suffering, and separation from God forever.

not because works - Why did He save those who are His in Christ? This is the hardest thing for us all to realize - it has absolutely nothing to do with what we have done, are doing, or can do. God alone saves. Why? because of his own mercy...

according to his own mercy - Why does God rescue us from the consequences of disobedience / sin? Why - because of HIS OWN MERCY. His own love led Him to rescue us. It is His goodness not ours that leads to us being right - completely right with God.

regeneration - In heathen and Jewish Greek it meant "a recovery, a restoration, a revival. It is the new-birth of the believing sinner to which is being spoken of here. The word "again" is anothen - "the repetition of an act, the repeated act having the same source as the first act." The source of the repeated act, namely, regeneration, is the Holy Spirit. The repeated act is the impartation of divine life to the believing sinner. The source of the first act is the Holy Spirit, and the act was that of the impartation of divine life to Adam in his creation (Gen. 2:7).

renewal - The first word refers to the rescue of the sinner by the person and work of Jesus Christ. The second word "renewal" refers to the need for the daily transformation of the follower in his walk. The first has to do with justification, the second with sanctification. "Renewing" is anakainosis, kainos, "new," and ana, "again." "This is the gradual transforming of the follower into the image of Christ. Going back to the garden and the making in the divine image - this is the restoration of the divine image". We once again are made to reflect the glory of God.
(John 17:22) The Spirit has been given to make us right with God and also to make us like God - to reflect His glory.
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
This happens by the agent of God's Holy Spirit through the saving work of Jesus Christ. God orchestrated. Jesus rescued. The Spirit is the agent that makes us right with God and like God. How do we receive the Spirit? The Word of God is very clear about this - the Spirit of God was given at our rebirth as proof that we are in Christ and will be in Christ for eternity. (Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:9)

Titus 3:7 ... we might become heirs ...
The Gospel is ... what? Is it the good news of rescue by the person and work of Jesus Christ? Yes, but there is more in the gospel. The gospel is the power to save but it is also the power to change us into the image of Christ. Through the person of Christ and the complete work of the cross - we have been given the Spirit to be "heirs" complete heirs of Christ for eternal life in heaven, but also for "life" in Christ reflecting His image not ours. Titus 2:14 says, "... gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. It is clear. The gospel - the good news of Christ's person and work is that He redeemed us from all disobedience. We were rescued so we would stop living in disobedience. We were rescued to be purified or transformed into His image. For what reason - to pour out His life - good works. This is the definition of good works. Remember, verse 5 says our works cannot save us and even more they do not change us. They are a tool to pour out the glory and greatness of God on and into other's lives.

Titus 3:8 The saying is trustworthy, ...
The Spirit of God through Paul makes it clear that this teaching is trustworthy because these are God's words. God wants all men to know that men are rescued and changed by Christ alone. The life we live is dependent on the Spirit for continual change. The life we live is about "believing" in God - trusting Him fully, knowing Him fully and "good works" - making Him known - pouring Him out to others.