Titus Session 6.5
The Pastoral Epistles • Sermon • Submitted
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Last week we began a discussion on how it is we can know the difference between good and bad. And the reason for that discussion came up in our study: Titus 3:1 gives instruction to remind the people to do whatever is good.
Is this instruction to do good by the world’s standard or good by the standards of the Word?
The instruction is to do what is good in the eyes of God.
We know that there is a difference between the world’s standard and God’s standard. And we know why it is important that we understand this difference.
As the church in Crete was working to present to the culture the God who does not lie, they would also have to live out the commands that confronted the deception the culture had been living in.
What God and this world see as good can be completely different things!
Tonight we continue our look at Titus 3 and move into an area of Scripture that reminds us who it was that “made” us good.
I saw a recent tweet the other day… a comment for a popular modern pastor who… missed the mark on this one.
He stated that in Christ, we do not experience a change, but our eyes are opened to see ourselves the way God has always seen us.
But this is not what Scripture has to say.
To be born again implies a complete change. Jesus speaks of this in John 3:1-8
Becoming a new creation as the old is gone and the new has come speaks of a complete change. This truth is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17
John 3:16 speaks of a complete change - those who believe will not perish - those who believe are brought from a position of certain death to a NEW position of eternal life!
I could continue the list, but church, when we come to Christ, a MAJOR change takes place!
The sinful nature is nailed to the cross through Jesus. That old self is crucified with Christ meaning… it is forever done away with.
We are resurrected to new life as we come alive in Christ! This is truly an amazing change!
As new life is poured in, our minds need also a renewing or transforming through the work of the Spirit and the truth of the Word.
The point is, we are not good by nature. It is impossible for us to overcome our sin nature on our own.
The One who instructs us to do whatever is good… is also the One who made us or makes us good for His glory. So we continue our study in Titus in chapter 3.
Remember Who Made You Good.
Remember Who Made You Good.
Good… is not really the right word to use here. We need to remember who it was that made us righteous in the eyes of God. We need to remember how our justification came to be. Let’s read on in Titus 3:3-8
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. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 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, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 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.
Paul is reminding Titus that all people have lived a “foolish, disobedient” life influenced by the world. We all know what it means to do what is bad. We all know what it feels like to be enslaved by earthly passions and desires. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory… But not all will stay in that position of sin.
For those who have called on Jesus’ name for salvation have been justified because of His mercy and love. Justified meaning we have been made righteous in the eyes of God.
Jesus took on our sin and nailed it to the cross. Through justification, we take on His righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, as our own.
Remember what I said earlier… it is impossible for us to overcome our sinful nature on our own. The blood of Jesus is the ONLY solution for our sin problem.
We are not made “good” in the eyes of God by our own actions… we are made “good” in His eyes through “the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
Paul says to do what is good… live like you didn’t live before… walk as those who have been brought from death to life… remember where you were before Christ, and look where you are now - redeemed, set free, forgiven through the blood of the Lamb.
There is one more thing I want us to see… a truth that comes from James 1:16-18
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Where does our “goodness” come from? Where does EVERY good and perfect gift come from? It comes from the FATHER above!!!
And here is the REALLY cool thing about His goodness… IT WILL NEVER CHANGE! His goodness and what He has defined as good will remain the same throughout all time!
We do not have to guess if what God considers to be good today will be considered to be good tomorrow! The standard given to us in the Word… the truth God chose to give us birth (new birth) through… WILL NEVER CHANGE!
To do what is good is to do what God has placed in you - His truth, His love, His mercy, His grace.
To claim this goodness came from the world or from within our self - would be a statement of deception.
To claim God’s definition of “good” has changed throughout the years - would be a statement of deception.
GOD IS GOOD! And everything we have that is good came from Him! He is our source and strength… He made it possible for us to truly do good things!
And there is one last key item to note in this passage. Paul spoke of the days when we knew what it felt like to be hated and hating one another. He brings up this reality for good reason.
We know what hate feels like… but now in Christ, we know what love feels like and looks like. THIS IS HOW WE ARE TO PRESENT OURSELVES TO THE WORLD, NOT AS THOSE WHO HATE BUT AS THOSE WHO LOVE.
We know what the kindness and love of God feels like for we have been saved - we have been saved, delivered from a reality of hate and brokenness to a reality of grace.
And that is the reality we need to live in and display… a reality of the goodness of God… a reality of His love and righteousness.
The world knows and understands brokenness and corruption. The world knows what “bad” feels like. The world needs a HUGE dose of the goodness of God.
And that dose… is to come through the body of Christ… the church. We are to be God’s mission in motion. We are to be a shining example of loving others as ourselves. We are to show this world a higher level of Good, that does not come from us… but comes from above.
Let’s not combat hate with more hate… but rather let’s contrast the hate of the world with the love and goodness of God. His goodness never fails - God will never stop being good!
Closing
Closing
So how do we know the difference from good and bad… right and wrong? How do we distinguish between the two?
If we try to define the two through the world’s standards… we will fall short in our definition. The ONLY way to know the true difference is to know the God who is good!
And in knowing Him, we are to be a reflection of Him. We are to do whatever is Good… whatever God says is good. We are to love one another as God loves all. We are to operate in a way that brings honor and glory to His name.
This is the kind of faithful response that the world will recognize as truth… it will BREAK THROUGH the deceptive claims and forever put on display the God who does not lie. Church… let’s choose to do whatever is good!