ENDTIME TEACHER
Scripture reading: Titus 2:11-15
Paul wrote to Titus while yet in freedom.
Who is Titus?
A spiritual son of Paul, like Timothy, according to faith, 1Tim.1:2; Titus 1:3
Wrote to Titus in Crete
A letter of spiritual instruction and practical Christianity, administrative.
Titus mentioned in Gal.2:1;2Cor.8:16;12:17
Worked also in Dalmatia, Balkan, 2Tim.4:10
Convert from paganism
There are other possibilities and probabilities, not to enter into.
Dr.MacArthur commented: Paul condensed the saving plan of God into three realities:
1. salvation from the penalty of sin, vs.11;
2. from the power of sin, vs.12;
3. from the presence of sin, vs.13.
Paul insists that what he writes should be spoken, exhorted and rebuked with all authority,
Titus 2:15. Must be serious
2:11 start with “for”, a reason-giving-word referring to what has been said before. In other words Paul says “the reasons what I have written is as follows”, “because the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men”, that’s the reason why I have given you all this instruction.
The reason is God’s grace. Has grace appeared to you?
What is God’s grace?
The undeserved gift of God to mankind, Lev.17:11; John 3:16; John 1:29; Isa.53
It is also written in the NT blessing: “The love of God” and “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” Jesus is God’s gracious love gift to mankind. 2Cor.13:14.
It delivers us from guilt and its condemnation.
First reality
Why undeserved? Rom.3:23 all have sinned;
Rom.5:12 first births out of Adam brings sin and death
1Pe.1:23 all born out of corruptible seed
The object of grace, it brings salvation to us who are under death sentence.
We need salvation because we are in bondage of sin.
Israel was in Egyptian bondage and in need of salvation which came about through God’s grace revealed in the Passover Lamb. Exod.12
It was God’s grace first before they were introduced to God’s commandments at Mt.Sinai, Ex.20:1, 2; Deut.5:6.
Appeared to all men (and women) Titus 2:11
John 1:9 it is the Light that enlightens all.
Has it enlightened all?
Col.1:23 “to every creature under heaven”
Rom.1:8 “your faith spoken of throughout the whole world”, Is this true?
EGW in TKH p.341 “He is the great central Light of the universe of heaven and the great Light of the world. He will enlighten every man that cometh into the world.”
Ed.p.14 As the moon and the stars of our solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world.”
“God is the source of all true knowledge” ib.p.16
Pastor Roy Anderson quotes Edward Gibbon; The progress of Christianity was not confined to the Roman Empire, but the new religion, within a century after the death of its divine Author, had already visited every part of the globe” (Unf.Rev.p.64)
EGW in DA p.633 “Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to’ every creature which is under heaven’”
What Paul wrote to Titus is fully confirmed by secular and inspired writings. God will judge rightly and correctly every soul coming into and going out of this world.
Second reality
GRACE AS A TEACHER.
When we accept God’s grace we also accept grace’s responsibility and accountability.
Living in a responsible manner and being accountable to the giver of grace, God.
Titus 2:12 teaching us
From bondage set free, from death row released and back in the world of freedom, free choice. Grace now is our teacher in this present world, the same world as before, but in a different personal situation or mindset. What do we do with our freedom in Christ?
John 17::15 Jesus prayed “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil”
First the teaching contents then the teaching power of Grace.
Contents: some things to deny and other things to do Titus 2:12
Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts
Rom.1:18 the wrath of God against all ungodliness, which equals unrighteousness or lawlessness which is the transgression of the law, 1John 3:4
Worldly lusts, 1John 2:16, lust of the flesh, immorality
Lust of the eye, things we should not behold, TV, Holy Wood products.
Pride of life the extravagances and greed of life, the credit card craze, to want to have before we can afford or have earned. When do want it? NOW.
Grace’s positive teaching:
to live soberly, the opposite of pride and greed.
Soberly – sober minded, discreet, use good judgment, life of temperance,
responsible, thoughtful.
Eph.5:18 be not drunk of wine, but filled with the Spirit, let the Spirit be in control, not the things of this world.
Live righteously, doing the right thing, be law abiding, God’s law and all ten of
them. Not giving lip service, Matt.7:21-23
Be not legalistic, but act out of free will and praise and thanks giving to God.
What is legalism? Keeping of God’s commandments? NO, but a do it yourself mentality and this also includes liberalism.
.c and godly, this takes us in the area of living piously, in deep devotion, a
devotion to the God of Christ Who in Christ saved us from guilt and
condemnation. Peter adds more in 2Pe.3:11, 14 in all holy living and
godliness, and in peace, without spot , and blameless.
This is a tall order, but grace has the power to reach it.
Peter admonishes us in 1Pe.1:15, 16 be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy. In Lev.11:44 the chapter of food, for I am the Lord your God ye shall sanctify yourself.
Paul calls it in 2Cor.7:1 cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
WHY? WE LIVE IN A TEMPLE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE, 1Cor.6:20 not with gold or silver but the precious blood of Christ, our Lord, 1Pe.1:19. This purchase is the divine salvation, Matt.1:21 Jesus, to save His people from sin, not in sin. The second reality includes to receive the power to be saved from sin
This cleansing must be done without compromise. In the days of the apostles they preached Christ as the Biblical Messiah without compromise. In the days of the reformers they preached righteousness by faith, not by works, and without compromise and they went rather to the stake than mix wine with water. What about our day seeing the coming of the Lord is imminent, should we compromise what we know from the three angels’ messages?
Should we compromise what we eat; drink and how we cover our bodies in dress and decoration, and let the world make inroads in our relationship with God? Are we world focussed or God focussed?
Gen.35:1-4 Jacob was told to go to Bethel, the house of God and Jacob made profound preparations. Today so close before the glorious return of Christ, some go back to a life of less strictness in eating and drinking and looking for the jewellery they have laid off in the past.
Holy living means also regarding holy what belongs to God, tithe is Holy to the Lord,
Lev.27:30. It must be laid aside for God’s store house and do not touch. Like the Seventh-day Sabbath is Holy unto the Lord.Isa.58:13
Doug Batchler: There is a holy land, with a holy city, and a holy temple and in that holy temple is a holy place followed by a most holy place which has the holy ark of God in which we find the holy law of God and the fourth commandment which talks about the holy Sabbath of the Lord of which we are told to remember to keep it holy. How holy do we keep the Seventh day Sabbath from one sunset to the next sunset, 24 hrs?
WHO IS TEACHING, A legalist? No, GRACE. God’s grace is teaching this.
By which power?, by the power of love.
Grace is born out of love, because God is love, 1John 4:8; and because out of love He gave, John 3:16.
Love beckons love, John 14:15 if ye love me keep my commandments. John 15:14 Love has incredible power. It takes a mother into a burning house to save her child. It would take a father to fight with a croc to rescue his child out of its jaws.
At the foot of the cross we learn to love and resist compromise.
Titus 2:12 closes with in this present world. For Paul it was the Roman society, for us the 21st century society. Does not make any difference, it remains in this present world.
Not for them then and exemption for us now. Noah in his present world, Abraham is his, Lot in his present world of Sodom, Daniel in his present world of Babylon.
Titus 2:13 from the cross where we learn to listen to the teachings of Grace, and strong love is born within us. We look forward to the glorious return of Him who hang on the cross but will appear in glory, majesty, power and with all His angels.Matt.25:31
The third reality.
Salvation from the presence of sin when sin is completely eradicated from the earth. “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. Titus 2:13; Col.1:27
Again we are reminded of what He has done, Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. See also Eph.2:8-10 saved by grace through faith for good works
He will do the purification if we let Him by unreserved surrender. The legalist tries by himself for earning salvation purposes. The liberal also tries by himself but in the opposite direction. The faithful are being full of faith and they do it by having been placed under grace, having been saved and for the sake of love towards His saviour surrenders to live a consecrated and sanctified life by faith, Acts 26:18.
What is your choice, Joshua 24:15 choose you this day whether to go back to the past of your life or serve God, Christ the Lord.
Jan T.Knopper,
March 2009
Edited August 2010
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