CONSIDERING GOD'S GRACE TO US - Study 8/2 -9/12
CONSIDERING GOD'S GRACE TO US
By Bobby Harris
Titus 3 (New King James Version)
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all. Amen.
CONSIDERING GOD'S GRACE TO US
These passages in Titus should be read thoughtfully again and again by those who desire to please God in these days of lawlessness, rebellion and strife we should walk considering God’s grace to us.
According to these instructions true Christians will never follow the example of the agitator. It is not now our time to reign. This will come - if we have been faithful - when we go to be with Christ (II Tim. 2:12). But now the words that apply are subjection, obedience and even cooperation (Ver. 1), for not only are we to take our places under our rulers, so far as government is concerned, but we are to be "ready to every good work" which they may assign to us (Ver. 1).
The instructed and faithful Christian, therefore, will not incite others to rebellion. He will not take it upon himself to choose which laws he should obey and which he should not. Indeed, he will at times even subject himself to laws that are oppressive and unjust. And certainly he will not be a slanderer, or a brawler, but will be "gentle, showing all meekness to all men" (Ver. 2).
There is only one exception to this path of subjection, an exception which is latent in the command itself, namely, that since it is God, the Ruler of all, who commands us to be subject to our earthly rulers, we must not subject ourselves to them if they demand from us disobedience to God. We have an example of this in Acts 4:18-20; 5:28,29.
True Christians, then, will be the best citizens - and the best neighbors. They will uphold law and order and will promote respect for those in authority. They are not only saved by grace, but will show grace even to those who oppress and injure them. "For we ourselves also were..." (Ver. 3).
As we witness, and sometimes experience, the injustice and oppression of our rulers we must point the finger at ourselves, acknowledging that "we ourselves" were once guilty sinners in the sight of a holy God and have been saved only because of "the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man" (Ver. 4).
THE TRUE HEART OF THE MATTER
As Eph. 2:3-7 has it, we were "the children of disobedience" and therefore "by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved),"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
In Ver. 5, the "we" is emphatic again, We are "saved" from wrath, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy" (Ver. 5).
Thus salvation is not earned by works of any kind, not even by the performance of religious rites, "but," he continues, "by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." NOTICE: Washing by water baptism is a physical rite, but the washing of regeneration a spiritual reality.
NOTE: Transitional verse (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38) Comparing the new with the old …regeneration required baptism yet in our new covenant regeneration is done by the baptism into the body by the Holy Spirit.
"And such were some of you, BUT YE ARE WASHED, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and BY THE
SPIRIT OF OUR GOD" (I Cor. 6:11).
Most importantly…The words "according to the hope of eternal life," are most important here, for this is still another reference to the "hope of eternal life" spoken of in Tit. 1:2.
We are not saved by the accomplishment of any religious rite, or any "work of righteousness," but by the grace of God, "which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9), "according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 1:1).
Best Regards,
Bobby
By Bobby Harris
Titus 3 (New King James Version)
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. 14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all. Amen.
CONSIDERING GOD'S GRACE TO US
These passages in Titus should be read thoughtfully again and again by those who desire to please God in these days of lawlessness, rebellion and strife we should walk considering God’s grace to us.
According to these instructions true Christians will never follow the example of the agitator. It is not now our time to reign. This will come - if we have been faithful - when we go to be with Christ (II Tim. 2:12). But now the words that apply are subjection, obedience and even cooperation (Ver. 1), for not only are we to take our places under our rulers, so far as government is concerned, but we are to be "ready to every good work" which they may assign to us (Ver. 1).
The instructed and faithful Christian, therefore, will not incite others to rebellion. He will not take it upon himself to choose which laws he should obey and which he should not. Indeed, he will at times even subject himself to laws that are oppressive and unjust. And certainly he will not be a slanderer, or a brawler, but will be "gentle, showing all meekness to all men" (Ver. 2).
There is only one exception to this path of subjection, an exception which is latent in the command itself, namely, that since it is God, the Ruler of all, who commands us to be subject to our earthly rulers, we must not subject ourselves to them if they demand from us disobedience to God. We have an example of this in Acts 4:18-20; 5:28,29.
True Christians, then, will be the best citizens - and the best neighbors. They will uphold law and order and will promote respect for those in authority. They are not only saved by grace, but will show grace even to those who oppress and injure them. "For we ourselves also were..." (Ver. 3).
As we witness, and sometimes experience, the injustice and oppression of our rulers we must point the finger at ourselves, acknowledging that "we ourselves" were once guilty sinners in the sight of a holy God and have been saved only because of "the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man" (Ver. 4).
THE TRUE HEART OF THE MATTER
As Eph. 2:3-7 has it, we were "the children of disobedience" and therefore "by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved),"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
In Ver. 5, the "we" is emphatic again, We are "saved" from wrath, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy" (Ver. 5).
Thus salvation is not earned by works of any kind, not even by the performance of religious rites, "but," he continues, "by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." NOTICE: Washing by water baptism is a physical rite, but the washing of regeneration a spiritual reality.
NOTE: Transitional verse (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38) Comparing the new with the old …regeneration required baptism yet in our new covenant regeneration is done by the baptism into the body by the Holy Spirit.
"And such were some of you, BUT YE ARE WASHED, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and BY THE
SPIRIT OF OUR GOD" (I Cor. 6:11).
Most importantly…The words "according to the hope of eternal life," are most important here, for this is still another reference to the "hope of eternal life" spoken of in Tit. 1:2.
We are not saved by the accomplishment of any religious rite, or any "work of righteousness," but by the grace of God, "which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9), "according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 1:1).
Best Regards,
Bobby
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