Titus 3: 1-11
(1) Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
Titus is to remind them of what they already know, to be subject, a middle-voice infinitive, which means voluntary acceptance of this submission. To remind them, the people in the congregation.
Rulers and authorities are abstract nouns, which means not the individual people in the positions of authority, but the offices of the governmental system. This requirement to submit to government is also found in Romans 13: 1-7; and I Peter 2: 13-17.
(2) to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
As Christians we also have an obligation to our non-Christian neighbors. We are not to draw attention to their evils and faults, not hurling curses and vicious epithets back at those offending and injuring us.
But we are to be peaceable, amachous, "nonfighting," "not brawlers," refusing to engage in quarrels and conflicts. Never start a fight.
We are to be gentle, epieikes, "mild, patient" in the face of their attacks.
We are to show every consideration, "all meekness," "true humility;" we are to put ourselves in their shoes, imagine the hurt and pain that is propelling them to do what they are doing against us.
Toward all men, everybody, no matter what kind of people they are. On Crete there were some really rude, crude hombres; the whole island had this reputation (1: 12).
(3) For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
The Christians on Crete came out of this culture, and we today also have come out of the pagan and rebellious cultures today. We know where they're coming from, because we also came from there.
I know that I came from a life of disobedience, I was deceived into thinking that I was smart enough to make my own decisions, and I spent my life in wanton pleasure-seeking.
(4) But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
(5) He saved us,
But when God found me, He broke my addictions, He gave me a new life, and I am like a different person now. God was so kind to me in looking past my fault and seeing my need, as the song says. He rescued me. And He wants to rescue you, too!
not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
But there is nothing we can do to earn this salvation, because even our best deeds which we have done in righteousness are no better than "filthy rags," uncleanable menstrual cloths (Isaiah 64: 6). It's because He has mercy on us, in not giving us the wrath and punishment we deserve, but putting all that on Jesus, His blood splattering the sides of His altar, the Cross, washing us clean, individually, so that His Holy Spirit can live in our spirit, "regenerating" us, being born spiritually into God's family, one by one.
(6) whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
God sent His own Spirit of Life to us richly, abundantly, because of what Jesus, our Messiah and Savior and Redeemer has achieved on our behalf.
(7) so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We are justified by His grace, God removes all of our sinfulness and declares us totally righteous, by His grace, the goodness that we don't deserve. And with His Holy Spirit in us, we are His children, His sons and daughters, and co-heirs with God the Son, to inherit with Him all that the Father is giving to the Son.
(8) This is a trustworthy statement;
This trustworthy statement is the preceding verses (4-7).
and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently,
Paul wants Titus to be clear on how God saves us, so he will be confident in proclaiming this Gospel.
so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
Now those who are believers are to be careful to do all the good deeds that God wants us to do, in the power of this new life we have in the Holy Spirit. We are to engage our society in participating in the beneficial campaigns even alongside those who are not Christians, that enhance our well-being as a nation. Christian ethical standards have beneficial effects not only on Christians, but will elevate our whole society.
(9) But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
But in engaging in projects with unbelievers, we must avoid arguments and not let them draw us into political or other kinds of disputes, as this will only tear down and nullify our witness to them.
(10) Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
Here we have the "three strikes, you're out" methodology. Someone who has been warned to not twist Scripture, or add to it, or deny part of it, and doesn't take it to heart, must be warned again. And if he still doesn't reform, then he must be rejected as a teacher.
(11) knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
Someone who has been taught the truth and corrected from error, who still persists in that error, and refuses to accept the Truth, has shown himself to be twisted and deceived in his thinking, rebelling against God.
God made Hell for Satan and his angels. The only people who end up there are those who have chosen to believe lies and rejected God's love. They go there voluntarily.
God never "sends" people there. He wants everybody to be saved and rescued from this fate. That's why He sent His own Son. That's why He leaves us here after He saves us, so that we will tell others. We are His witnesses, His messengers, His missionaries. He wants us to grow up and go out and spread the seed of His Gospel into all the fields of the world, so that every living person will be able to hear this Good News and have an informed choice to turn toward or away from God's generous and gracious gift.
He will not interfere with the freedom He has given us in our free will, our ability to choose. We are free to choose to stay in the darkness we are born into, or we can decide to seek the Light. Those who choose to search for Light will eventually find it. But those who are satisfied to stay in their darkness will never find the light. Jeremiah says,
You shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29: 13.
And Isaiah says we are to:
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. Isaiah 55: 6.
So God wants us to want Him. He loves us and wants us to want to love Him back. When we are aware of not being right or whole in ourselves, and we search to find what we are missing, whether it be Truth, or Beauty, or Right-ness, or whatever it is we lack, we are searching for God. God is our Source of everything. He is Light, He is Love, He is Life, He is Beauty, He is Wealth. When we search honestly and relentlessly, and we've almost found it--that's when God shows up!
When He shows up, then turn to Him, and call on Him, and accept what He wants to give you. Don't wimp out.
O my Father, You are so great, so good, so beautiful! You are so generous to make this beautiful Earth to be our temporary home, with all the wealth it provides, as You mold us and train us to be Your children, Your sons and daughters, Your army, Your priests, Your temple. And You have been so kind to all of us, in allowing us to freely choose to come to You when You call us into Your loving arms!
My Father, I pray for Your church. Please show all those who think they are Yours but just have a religion, that they can be born into Your own family, and have that relationship You want to have with them. Help Your children to express Your kindness and gentleness and graciousness to lead them into Your Truth, to be drawn to the new birth. Then they will realize why their Christianity wasn't working for them. Then they will go from having a religion to a real relationship with You.
And Father, also bring those who have been deceived into other religions to realize what they are missing and turn to You. You are the only God, Yahweh, the I AM. Only You are the self-existent One, who has no beginning and will have no end. There is no other. Any who claim to be "other" are creatures, either demons or imagination.
O Father God, strengthen us in Your strength. Teach us to persevere in Your endurance. Help us to meekly submit to the authorities You have set up, even when the people who hold those offices are evil, harsh and cruel. Show us how to work with others in worthy causes with graciousness and gentleness without compromising Your truth, showing the world who You are, so that they will be hungry for Your Bread of Life and thirsty for Your Water of Life.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
