Titus Series - Believe and Behavior

 

Belief and Behavior

Titus 1:1-3

There is a definite relationship between belief and behavior in our lives as believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus told us in the gospel accounts that the fruit of our lives would be an indicator of our faith. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." Our faith is identified by our fruit. “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. (behavior)” (Matt. 7:20)  And we are to know the Word of God, the truth, for it teaches and accords us with godliness. So let's begin with the first portion of the text, “Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. ” (NLT)

Paul, in writing to Titus who had been sent to Crete to pastor the church there by Paul, addresses the reason for his calling as an apostle and as a bond-servant to Jesus. The primary mission of Paul was the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul had worked with Titus in Corinth (2 Cor. 12:18) and later sent him to Crete to restore order because of false teachings in the home churches. 

There were three problems that plagued the church in Crete. First, they needed to know who they were. They were God’s elect and chosen (Rom. 8:29). Second, they needed to stay in the truth of God’s Word (John 15:3-4) Third, the truth of God’s Word produces godliness in a believer. (2 Pet. 1:3)

The believers in Crete had lost their identity in Christ. For there were false teachers from the Judiazers who were teaching works of circumcision and myths in order to be saved along with faith. For like the Galatians, they had listened to this false gospel of works of the flesh and the law needed to add to faith.

Second, Paul had taught them to stay in the truth of God’s Word, for Jesus spoke of the purity of the Word of Truth. “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.” “And the words of the Lord are flawless,  like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” (John 17:17; Ps. 12:6) And in the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it was this gospel that brought the power of salvation. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16-17)

Application - One of the things that sprung up around Christendom, is the concept of soul winning, the efforts by men to win the soul of the unbeliever.  In truth, it is God who transforms the soul. The truth, God’s word is the seed that is sown by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 13:3-9) We as believers and proclaimers of the gospel are sowing the seed of the Word of God, and it is God the Holy Spirit who works the grounds of the heart, and draws the people to the Father (Jn. 6:6, 16:8; Rom. 8:14) for redemption. Paul understood this concept (1 Cor. 3:6-9) And he taught it to all his workers and the churches. But the believer’s behavior influences the gospel, the messenger needs to believe and demonstrate the godliness from living the Word inside of him or her (Phil. 4:5). We must know who we are in Christ Jesus, and it begins with the truth in godliness in our lives. We are His children born out of the Truth of God, Jesus Christ. We must bear the fruit of being His children by staying in the vine; we’re to bear fruit in accordance with our faith. Jesus had taught us that mankind can’t produce fruit of repentance and righteousness on his own, it can only come through Jesus by grace and the work of the Spirit through faith in Him. “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.” (Titus 3:4-7) 

Second, Paul now expands on the power of truth in the lives of believers. Let’s read the next portion of the text, “This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.”

Titus was given the task of teaching the Cretians to not only read the Truth, but to live by the Truth and trust it. Paul told Titus to teach the power of God’s Word that brought confidence. God’s Word does not lie, for God cannot lie. It speaks of trusting in him, a faith in Jesus that drives away anxieties, fears, and doubts about salvation and eternal life. And the promises in God’s Word were established before the creation of the world. “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure…for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ )

Application - Again, it is the truth that sets us free. Not free to continue to do and act like the world, but a freedom from sin, that unleashes pure joy and rejoicing even in the midst of great trials. We are to trust every single word in the Bible, for they were given to us to show how to live in godliness. “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” (2 Pet. 1:3)

We have the confidence to enter into the very presence of God because of the blood of Jesus Christ.  “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Heb. 10:19-25) This is living in a godly manner. And because we have this wonderful promise from our great and almighty God who doesn’t lie. We can rejoice and live in the truth. 

Last, Paul tells Titus that God’s appointed times are in fulfillment of His will and purposes. Let’s read the last portion of the text. “And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him.” NLT

Paul had learned the hard way that God works in the appointed time established before the creation of the world and not in the time of this world. For just as he was chosen before time, so was the gospel message. Paul knew that nothing happened by coincidence or chance. God ordained the time and the message for the exact place and people. And Paul knew the command of God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. He, Titus, and the rest of the apostles, elders, pastors, and teachers of the gospel were entrusted with the message of salvation to the world, by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16, 14:6), and the hope of the resurrection and eternal life in God’s kingdom. (Titus 2:13; John 14:1-4)

Application - Wow! Do we even think about the timing of events and things around us and with us producing godliness in us? It is God who is acting according to His good will in us. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” “God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” “and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. you put on the new man, the one created according to God's [likeness] in righteousness and purity of the truth.” (Phil. 2:13; 1 Cor. 12:6; Eph. 4:24)

Now about the timings of God, only He knows and enacts them according to his perfect will and purpose. I know that in the afternoon I said yes to God, I had said that morning that I would never go back to church again. But God, in His infinite timing, had planned a message to reach into my heart and life by the Holy Spirit drawing me to salvation and joy unspeakable. He cleansed me beyond description, and made a new creation. I came into a rebellious sinner and left a new man created in Christ Jesus, to live in His likeness in His righteousness and purity because of the Truth. I thank God for the elderly lady who shared her faith and testimony of the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. For it was the appointed time. Hallelujah!! She was entrusted with the message of hope and shared it. Is God appointing you for this time to share the gospel, the message of salvation and hope in Christ Jesus? For the scripture says, “As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:1)

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today. Thank you http://uss-warfare3.web node.com