This month I had the privilege and honor of preaching to some people I love and respect very much in the Lord. This post is my manuscript for that sermon put into blogpost format. I hope it encourages anyone who reads it. Merry Christmas! Praise God for the appearing of Christ!
You can find all our sermons at StandingBeforeGod by clicking here: Sermons.
Introduction
One of my bucket list goals is to take a trip to Africa (a proposition looking less and less likely a tyranny increases on a massive scale, but Lord willing) go out far from the lights of towns and cities at night, and look up at stars I’ve never seen. There are many reasons I want to do that, and a few people I want to do that with. But one of the main reasons is that when you are in the pitch-black night and you see the stars, they appear brighter, clearer, and more vibrant than ever.
Titus isn’t a Book most people would turn to at Christmas time. There are a lot of reasons for that. It’s a tragically neglected Book today, as someone I know called it “the forgotten Book of the New Testament.” I think the reason it is so neglected is that people don’t understand it. There’s a lot that’s going on in such a small amount of writing. There’s a lot of lenses which we bring to the text and interpret it through. Many think that Titus is more about rules than the gospel; thinking that Paul is basically laying out a big list of who’s naughty and who’s nice, and how to get on the nice list. But actually, as Lord willing, I hope we will see, Titus is a Book saturated with the Gospel and saturated with the centrality of Christ’s coming to everything.
Before reading the letter, I thought I would include my prayer as I prepared to preach and write this:
Father we thank you for your Son. We thank you for who He is, what He has done for us and for your glory. We thank you that you have sent your Spirit to us through Jesus that we can be called your children. And now we ask for His help in understanding your Word. Give your servant voice and clarity, and give those here this evening ears to hear your Word. Please help us see Christ clearly, as He truly is—your grace, your mercy, and your glory. Amen.
As your reading there are three main questions, I think, are important to focus on:
- Who is Paul writing to?
- Why is Paul writing?
- Who is Jesus?
Titus, CSB:
1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, 2in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. 3In his own time he has revealed his word in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior:
4To Titus, my true son in our common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town. 6An elder must be blameless: the husband of one wife, with faithful children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. 7As an overseer of God’s household, he must be blameless: not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.
10For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. 11It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. 12One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13This testimony is true. For this reason, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith 14and may not pay attention to Jewish myths and the commands of people who reject the truth.
15To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
1But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching. 2Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. 3In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.
6In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled 7in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 8Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.
9Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back 10or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.
11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.
15Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
1Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people. 3For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.
4But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5he saved us — not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy — through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 8This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 9But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. 11For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
12When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. 13Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.
14Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 15All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.
Who was Paul writing to?
Paul the Apostle, the missionary, the servant of God, is writing this letter. And he is writing this letter to Titus. And who is Titus? He is a pastor, a co-laborer, Paul’s “partner and fellow laborer” (2 Corinthians 8:23), and his “true child in a common faith” (1:4).
There is another group Paul specifically addresses himself to. In 3:14 and 15, Paul writes of those who are “our people,” and “those who love us in the faith,” and not to just one but to “all.”
And where is Titus and the church? In Crete (1:5). Crete is a place in time, a small island in the Mediterranean, but that doesn’t really matter—what matters is what is going on in Crete, where Titus and the church are.
Why was Paul writing this letter?
This question can be divided into two main parts. First, Paul’s overarching mission which shapes his ministry. And second, the specific circumstances of the church to which he is ministering.
Paul’s overarching mission can be found in 1:1-3, primarily verse 1: “for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness…” Paul is not writing this for the sake of their obedience. He is not writing this as a simple list of who is naughty and who is nice. He is writing so that their faith would be strengthened and for some started. He is writing for their knowledge of who God is, their knowledge of His Word and of what He has done. And in that, he says, they will grow to be more like Him—obey and live lives pleasing to God—become godly. So that’s Paul’s overall motive.
Second, what are the circumstances in Crete that Paul is addressing in the letter? I think as we read through the letter we can see three main problems going on in Crete.
- A church problem.
- A people problem.
- A teaching problem.
A Church Problem
In 1 verse 11 we find out something very extremely important. There are “…many rebellious people…” and what are they doing? They “are ruining entire households…” we will get to how they are doing that and why later, but for now just see the outcome: houses, families, and churches are being ruined.
Looking at 3 verses 9, we find out that there are “unprofitable and worthless… foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law…” These conversations don’t edify the church. In fact, they divide the church. Division can be necessary if you are separating yourself from someone like a false teaching. We know that from 3:10. False teachers and warped people are to be rebuked and warned twice, but after that, rejected because they are self-condemned. But when there is division based on human speculation, rather than the Word of God, that’s wrong. And that’s what is going on here.
Now it is hard enough for churches that are established to deal with that. But look at 1 verse 5. What do we find there?
“This is the reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town.”
The leadership of the church hasn’t been well established, and the church is new! That’s a lot for Titus and the church to be dealing with! The church is trying to figure out this new life out, they need strong leadership because of what they are facing, but they don’t have it yet.
A People Problem
The people of Crete were notoriously bad. We know this from 1 verse 12, which is also the summery statement for how awful they were. As you look through the Letter, you’re going to see Paul say, “Hey, be like this, but don’t be like that.” And it’s a good bet, generally, that whatever Paul is saying not to be like, that’s exactly what the people around the church were like. Verse 12, “’Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’” Let’s going through each of these one at a time.
Cretans are… always liars: These people contradict sound teaching 1:9. Turn away from the truth 1:14; they steal and by implication live lives of deceit to get away with it 2:10. They are a society like the one described in Psalm 12:
“Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak… those who say, ‘With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?’”
Does that sound familiar to our lives? Is our culture saturated with deceit? Do people lie often? Is does the truth seem difficult to figure out? That’s exactly what Titus and the church are facing.
Cretans are… evil beast: They’re insubordinate or wild 1:6; arrogant 1:7, slanderous 2:3, argumentative or those who talk back 2:9; addicted to fighting and quarreling 3:2, and putting more weight on their opinions than on God’s Word 3:9. They are ungodly and Rebellious. They don’t submit to the truth which leads to godliness. They are ungodly.
Cretans are… lazy gluttons: This doesn’t mean that they were just lazy. The Cretans were not idle. They were not the pirates who don’t do anything. We have already seen that they were busy being sinners, busy doing evil. As Paul describes some in Philippi, “their god was their belly, their glory was their shame, and they were focused on earthly things.” And they acted accordingly. Quick to sin. Quick to do what they wanted. Slow to obey. Slow to change. They’re too lazy to be self-controlled but too self-centered to be lazy. I’ll repeat that, they’re too lazy to be self-controlled but too self-centered to be lazy. Does this sound like our culture, our schools? Where we live day to day?
On top of all this, we know that where there is sin, there will always be tragedy. When sinners sin, there are consequences that touch more people than often the sinner could ever imagine. Tragedy surrounds us. Hardship surrounds us because of sickness and death. Lies saturate our society—few seem to know what the truth is. Well, you say, this isn’t a very cheery Christmas post. Well no, but you see, that’s how Christmas starts. It’s into this world that God comes, it’s this world God saves—not a perfect world, a sinner’s world.
Who is Jesus?
What hope is there in a world like that, in a world like this? In a world like ours? Paul has an answer. Look at chapter 2 verse 10. What is his answer? “…the teaching,” or “the doctrine,” or more literally “the truth taught of God our Savior.” If we want to know hope in a world like ours, where there is evil and tragedy, we need to go to this God.
So let us look at who He is. 2 verse 11: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…” This is the focal point in salvation. A point in time where something radically changed the entire world and the history of humanity forever—as Paul says in other places, the point at the fullness of time. That point of time when God’s grace appeared. There was an advent. What is he referring to? The Person of the Son of God became incarnate. Remember what John says in John 1?
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
It is in Jesus Christ that we know God’s grace! Who is Jesus? He is the grace of God appeared. He is the grace of God appeared. He is the grace of God personified. Grace isn’t an abstract, floaty substance that God gives out while He remains far away. No, God loves us, comes to us, saves us, sanctifies us—is gracious to us in Christ—He makes His home in us! In Ephesians 1:4-6, Paul writes that
“[God the Father] chose us in [Jesus] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
What is going on there? Everything that the Father gives us that is gracious and merciful comes in Christ. He chose us, loves us, adopts us, He predestines us for adoption as sons in Christ—it’s all in Him! He doesn’t do it because we are so great, but because of His great mercy! It’s the riches of His kindness to us. That’s who Jesus is, the grace of God personified.
2 verse 12. Who is Jesus? Jesus is our Teacher. We will pick back up on this in chapter 3, but just notice for now that it is God’s grace that instructs us and teaches us to live the new life in Christ—how we are not to live, and how we are to live even in this present age of sin and tragedy.
Who is Jesus? He is the glory of God, our blessed hope. Look at verse 13: “while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Jesus is our hope. We have been blessed in Him, saved by Him in faith and repentance, and we have hope because of what He has done on our behalf. We do not have to fear the wrath to come; He is our righteousness. And He is the glory of God. These two are connected. We have hope because He is glorious! It is in Him that we know who God is—in His face we see the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:6). And that transforms us and draws our hearts to Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). And we know from John, that “when He appears” and “we… see Him as He is,” in all of His glory, “we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2). In an instant we will be glorified in Him! All our sins and stains will melt and evaporate like snow at the rising of the sun (Malachi 4:2)!
And this hope, this present enjoyment of His glory in the Gospel, and the expectation of the glory to come, is what we wait for. Now our waiting isn’t the waiting of laziness. Neither is it the waiting of boredom, like the waiting of a child on a long car drive. No, this waiting is the waiting of a bride for her groom. It is an excited, anticipatory exhilarated expectation! And it’s a faith that transforms us the more we set our eyes on Him, and the more we think about His arrival.
I have a friend who’s in a long-distance relationship. Often, he would talk to me about how they waited to see each other. They are both in college, and he works on top of that. And whenever they knew there was a week that one of them would be able to fly to be with the other, they would become all in to what they needed to get done. Why? So that they could be all in when they were together. So that there would be as few distractions as possible to living and enjoying life together in person. That is the kind of waiting that the church is supposed to be marked by. An all-in attitude now, because you are all in for what’s coming. The arrival, the second coming, the advent of our glorious Saviors return.
Who is Jesus? He is our Redeemer. Look at verse 14: “He gave Himself for us to redeem us…” This is the breath of the believer’s life. This is the strength in our muscles, the courage in our bones—Christ for us! Paul brings this up again and again. This is what changed everything for Paul, and changes everything for everyone who runs to Christ. Ephesians 5:2, “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Galatians 2:20, Paul gets really personal: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” He is our Redeemer. He gives Himself for us—deliberately, knowing full well all that it is going to cost Him, knowing full well the pain of the cross, knowing full well the wrath of the Father poured out on sin—and He chose to do it. And the Father chose to give Him up, whom He loved and prized most, for us (Romans 8:32) that by the death of His Son He would reconcile us enemies (Romans 5:10). It is God’s delight to save and to freely give Himself. That’s why we celebrate the manger—because He was coming to live the life we could not, and graciously take our place, dying the death we should have.
Who is Jesus? He is our King. Verse 14: “who 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.” He is our King. He comes to liberate a people to Himself.
When this King comes for His people, He comes to free, He comes to give, He comes to liberate. This King is the Redeemer. He gives Himself for His people. He purchased us. We “were bought at a price,” says Paul, therefore “glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20). We are His. He makes us His own by delivering us from the dominion of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).
God has had this plan from all eternity to get a people and to hold on to them as His own. Just read Ezekiel 36-37, and see how much of God’s focus is on cleansing a people for His own possession. It is God’s hearts cry! Look at Hebrews 2 and 9-10, that our King suffered and died so that He might save us completely.
Our King is good! He is not like those evil kings of the Old Testament, of whom Samuel said in 1 Samuel 8, they will take your stuff, they will take your kids, they will take your freedom—that’s who they are: black holes of greed and selfishness. But who is our King? Our God is a King who gives out. How does Samuel describe this true King of Israel? How does He show who He is? Verse 6, God rescued them from slavery; verse 7, God had done righteous acts on their behalf; verse 8, he heard their cries for mercy; verse 11 God delivered them from their enemies; and He was their rightful King, verse 12.
Why did Samuel need to do this? because the people had cried out for a different king. They said that God wasn’t sufficient for them is His grace and mercy. They said, “We want another one.” And Samuel’s like, “This is an immense evil that you’ve done! Your King is sufficient for you, He is all you need!” So Samuel says this, and to prove that it is the Word of God, God sends a miracle. The people are cut to the heart. They go to Samuel and say, “Hey! Plead to God on our behalf! Please!” And Samuel gives one of the greatest testaments to the kind of King God almighty is in the entire Bible! 1 Samuel 12:20-
“Don’t be afraid.” What a powerful thing for a king to say—who says that!? “Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the LORD. Instead, worship the LORD with all your heart. Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless. The LORD will not abandon his people, because of his great name and because he has determined to make you his own people.” That’s our glorious God, and that’s why He is our hope! Jesus is the good King. He is a fatherly King.
That’s our hope in this dark world! For all the evil we have committed—run to Christ afresh, because He will not abandon the people who are the apple of His eye—all those who come to Him in faith and repentance He will save to the uttermost! He is not a God who says, you better get in line! No, He is a King who helps us in our weakness, draws near, and disciplines us as His children!
In the Church
Now that Paul has written the heart of the Letter—the truth that God saves—He summarizes and repeats with new vigor what he has been writing about. Chapter 2 verse 15 is a transition verse. It’s a summery verse, I think, of chapter 2 in particular. We’ve seen that there are three massive problems Paul is addressing, the two that we’ve addressed so far being the church problem and the people problem. And he has been answering this massive question: How is the church supposed to live as the church? In chapter 2, Paul is dealing primarily with how the church is supposed to be and live as the people of God, and interact with each other. There is some overlap with the culture: the threat of the Word being reviled (verse 5), the threat of the proclaimers of the world being reviled (verse 8), and the interaction with those who are unbelieving masters (verse 9). But it is mostly about the lives of believers as and in the church. If chapter 1 is primarily Paul responding practically to the teaching and people problem (and it is), then chapter 2 is Paul responding primarily to the church problem.
And how does he summarize how the church is supposed to live? Two things: we are to teach, hold to, and guard the truth; and we are to encourage each other with and in light of that truth.
Teaching. Titus is to declare these things, or teach these things. What things? Not only who Jesus is, as we have just seen in verses 10-14, but also everything that Paul has already said to teach! Teaching is a theme throughout the Letter, but particularly in chapter 2. Titus is to teach what comes in verse 1-9—the things according to sound doctrine. Older women are to teach what is good, and train the younger women, verses 3-4. Younger women are to live in such away so that the Word which is being taught will not be reviled, verse 5. Younger men are to follow in Titus’ footsteps so that the teaching is not condemned. And why is all this to happen? So that they would adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, verse 10. It’s all about proclaiming the Word, focusing on the truth that God saves.
Encouragement. Older women are to encourage younger women “to love their husbands and to love their children,” verse 4. Titus is to “encourage the young men to be self-controlled in everything,” verse 6. There is a great need for encouragement when it comes to living the Christian life there in Crete. And Paul knows that the only way there will be joy and boldness is the church is nit together in one faith and one love. For these two come together in chapter 1 verse 9, “…holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching…” And all of this exhortation and new life is centered in the truth taught of God our Savior (2:10).
Dear friends, can I just say that this is the simple way we are to live life. To live in the light that God has appeared in all His grace to save us in Jesus Christ, and to encourage one another in light of that. That is how the church is to interact in the church.
In the Culture
In chapter three, Paul shifts gears. Now he turns to answer how the church is to interact with the culture, verses 1-3. How are we to interact with those who don’t believe God saves, and haven’t trusted in Him? He begins by saying how they are supposed to be counter cultural in light of the fact that God saves. They are supposed to be peaceful in an unruly time, and obedient in a rebellious time. This isn’t a universal absolute. There is a time for disobedience against a worldly government or authority, just as there is a place for disobedience against a worldly master. But Paul isn’t dealing with that here, simply because that isn’t the context he is addressing. In chapter 2:9-10 he only brings up the responsibility of slaves, unlike what he does in Ephesians 6:5-9 bring up both the responsibility of slaves and masters. This is plainly because the normal, almost universal bent of the culture of Crete was toward rebellion and thievery. For a more comprehensive treatment of this, see my soon to be released treatment of Romans 13.
But there are two things at the end of verse 2 I want to notice. “…to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.” Kindness and gentleness. That is the way in which we are to proclaim the truth, with boldness, in whatever culture or time we find ourselves. I think the best way to communicate what this looks like is to point to Jesus. In Mark chapter 3, Jesus stands up and he has got a man with a withered hand, his hand is shriveled up, it has been for a long time, and it is unrepairable. He is there, and pharisees are all around Him. We know from chapter 2 that the pharisees were trying to accuse Jesus, because they didn’t like Him. So Jesus asks this question: “Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save of to kill?”
Now for us, just having read Titus 2, that might be a simple question. “Of course, to save!” That’s what we are supposed to do! Why? Because God saves! It is a simple answer really, if you know who God is. Actually, though, the pharisees are silent. How did Jesus respond? “And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” That’s how we are to relate with our culture. To look around and be grieved at sin because it’s committed against our good and saving God—but also a deep and welling compassion because they are without God and without hope in the world.
Our desire should be to communicate the truth that God saves sinners, and to do so with gentleness and kindness. Compassion and grief. Why? Verse 3, because we were once just like that. What is this verse a description of? Every human being ever born. “…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.” That’s a big problem. Because how does God save a world like that? What hope is there for salvation in that dark sinner’s world?
Grace and Mercy, Goodness and Loving Kindness
Something happened in the coming of Christ. Look at verse 4. The advent of the Son of God was when the “goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared.” It was in Christ that God saved us from continuing in hostile rebellion against Him. Paul writes in Romans 5 that for those who believe in Christ were reconciled to Him when they were enemies of God. You see, He saved us, not because of anything we did, do, or could do. No, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly …God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ Jesus is the mercy of God! The mercy of God isn’t just God restraining His anger. It’s more than passive. It is active. His mercy is when He draws near to us, condescends to us, despite of all our helplessness and sin. As Paul makes so clear in Philippians, it is against the backdrop of our utter bankruptcy before God (Philippians 3:7-11), that Christ condescends to save us and purchase us as His own people (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus coming into the world means God saves by mercy—not by works.
A Teaching Problem
Now let’s go back for a moment to the third problem the church was facing. The false teachers. In 1:14 Paul says that these people have rejected the truth—that is their central characteristic—the reject the truth. What is the truth that you think Paul is referring to? Ultimately, the truth that God is our Savior. These false teachers and warped people don’t believe God saves to the uttermost those sinners who come to Him. And as a result, their minds and consciousness are defiled, they turn to sin, they see everything as impure—nothing is good. They don’t know who God is. They claim to. They claim to have the knowledge of God, but actually they have ideas about God that lead to ungodliness. They think that He is like them: greedy, demanding and unhappy. And they produce the works of the flesh by working by the flesh: “…sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). But Paul says, “No, He is our Savior. He is the grace of God, our Hope, our Redeemer, and our King.” And this is to produce a loving reliance on God which leads to godliness.
You see the false teachers had it backwards. They began with themselves and tried to please God by their own efforts. They didn’t see God as He really is in Christ—as come near to save. And therefore, they weren’t taught by Him to put off the old and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22). They weren’t changed. They didn’t believe God is who He is. No, God saves, and He does it only out of His mercy. They were not taught by Christ, who teaches in grace, not with sinful strictness. The Teacher who gives hope, not sinful dread. The Christ who calls youths, to follow Him, and who sympathizes and teaches them in their weaknesses. Who weeps and teaches other to weep well. Who laughs and teaches other how to laugh well. Who rebukes the sinner’s arrogance and calls the hypocrite to repentance and the light of truth. Who touches the dead widow’s son that He might return him back to her (Luke 7).
Who is Jesus? Jesus is the mercy, the saving nearness of God. He is the goodness and the loving kindness of God to us! Jesus in His mercy came into the world to atone for our sins! And He graciously sends the Holy Spirit in mercy to us to save us and keep us (John 14-16)! Let me tell you, every time a sinner is saved and fixes their reliance on Christ alone—that’s just Christmas all over again! Because the same mercy that came into the world 2000 years ago, comes into that sinner’s heart! 2 Corinthians 4:6,
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
That’s the mercy of God, Christ appeared to the sinner’s soul! And this isn’t our work. It’s the work of the Spirit! Verse 5, “by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…” The Spirit comes to us, makes His home in us, gives us a new heart, grants us faith and a heart to repent. And the righteousness and life of Christ washes away all our guilt and shame! And now the Spirit is the One who renews us. And He renews us by pointing us again and again back to the founder and perfector of our faith, Jesus Christ. So that looking at Him, and looking to Him in His mercy—not for our efforts, we might be transformed from one glory to another. What matters in a culture that is loud, boisterous and confused, is the silent work of the Spirit of God through His Word in the sinners heart.
The Spirit, verse 6, “whom He [God] poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” All of salvation seems to lead up to this point, when the Spirit is given to us, uniting us by faith to Christ; that we become children of God in Christ, with the certain hope that we will be with Him forever! God didn’t hold anything back. He gave His Son in full. He gives His Spirit in full. And He gives His heart to us! Why? Verse 7, “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” We are put right before God by Christ, and we have hope not because we are strong or righteous, but because we are His. Because He is our Redeemer, our King, the grace and mercy of God for us—our Savior! He is the God who saves!
Who are We?
Lastly, verse 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.”
Who are to devote themselves to good works? Those that have believed that God saves and have run to Him! I know that some who read this will not easily hear this message—for whatever reason, and there can be many in a world of evil and tragedy. And this is one of the reasons I’ve held off from writing more about 2:1-9. For I know that many here the tone of Paul in that passage as harsh and overbearing. Many interpret his words, in their own way, as “You better make sure you live like this!” But I think his message and his tone is more like that of a loving father (think about the way he addresses Titus in 1:4). I think his tone, against the horrible desolation of the evil culture around them, sounds more like “Look at the attractiveness of life lived saved by God!” For what is the application of chapter 2:1-9—what is it all driving toward? So that the believers in God “may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior!”
My prayer for those who read this is that instead of reading this with the heart of workers, and hearing the tone of a harsh preacher, you would hear the message of a God who saves to the uttermost those that come to Him (Hebrews 7:25), giving them new life in His Son. And that those who have been saved may hear that voice of the Spirit anew. That you would set your hope for the present day and for the future on Christ, and come to love the God who saves more. That by looking at who He is you are transformed in the heart, and that in that transformation, your life is shaped in the hands of God like glass at the hands of a glass blower.
If you don’t know God, if you haven’t gone to Him to be saved from the penalty of your sin, saved from the wrath that is to come, and reconciled to God, I plead with you, on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to Him!
For others of you though, you are Christians, have been for the most of your life. Maybe you’re doing good right now and can rejoice in the God who saves! And maybe you’re struggling with sin, or doubt, or temptation, or grief right now and thinking “Oh, if he only saw my heart and what I’ve done against such a good and saving God!” Can I just encourage you, run to Him afresh! His mercy is new and always rich in Christ! See Him for who He is, your King, your Redeemer, and your goodness! The Psalmist writes that “I have no good apart from you” (Psalm 16:2). Paul writes the same thing that “…nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (Romans 7:18). He is your goodness, believer, and your steadfast and true Friend. So whether in a good season or bad, believer, run to the Father and find Him full or mercy and grace to you in Christ Jesus!
From this Humbled writer to all of you, merry Christmas, and a joyous New Year!
I hope that I will be able to, using this as a template, write a commentary on Titus. For I fully know much has been left out that deserves, as all of Scripture does, due weight and attention. My goal is to write an extensive commentary, a concise commentary, and a sermon manuscript like this for most letters in the New Testament. My goal with the manuscripts is for those who read them to see the flow and the wonder of these Letters. My goal with the concise commentaries is to put deep theology into easily accessed bites, not only for others, but first for myself. And my goal for the extensive commentaries is, well, to be extensive in my exposition of Scripture. So be looking for these projects on Ephesians, James, 1 John, and Lord permitting and helping, many more! Any encouragement or suggestions as I undertake this are appreciated! Contact me through the CONTACT page.
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