Titus 3:1-15

(Titus 3:1-15)

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.  When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

 

Paul told Titus to correct false teachers' false teachings and teach the Greedians with the right words: ``For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful , and hating one another. "Here" we are referring to people of faith, including the apostle Paul, who is writing Titus.

 

Before Paul believed in Paul, he confessed to being a fool, a disobedient, deceived by Satan, a slave to many lusts and pleasures, and a detestable one with evil poison and speculation. But since entering into Jesus Christ, it means that he has not been such a person but a changed person. He was deceived by Satan and became a slave to sin and lived a poor life serving as a servant to Satan, but now that he has been freed from Satan's servants and has become a child of God, he must live a life appropriate to him.

 

『Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 』 It is said that the life worthy of the saints is to obey rulers and those who are in power. The time the Titus was written is usually A.D. Around 65, scholars estimate that it is a letter written between 1 Timothy recorded at that time and 2 Timothy recorded 2 years later. 2 Timothy is Paul's last written letter before martyrdom. If so, we can see that Paul's situation in writing Titus is being persecuted by the Roman emperor Nero at that time for preaching the gospel. Nevertheless, Paul is telling rulers and those in power to obey and obey.

 

The reason is to realize that the kingdom of God is at work through the rulership of the world. Jesus said Caesar's things to Caesar and God's things to God. Caesar's is everything in the world. It means to give everything in the world as taxes. God's things are not tithes, but God-given spirits. In Leviticus 27:30『And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. 』 People of the Old Testament times were accepted according to the law, but since Jesus came to the New Testament and died of the law, those in Christ are not subject to the law, but are guided by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, those who are in Christ must not obey the law.『But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 』 The Bible explains how God saved the Saints. It is said that the saint's basis for salvation is not his righteous act but his mercy. In Romans 3:20, Paul said that there is no body to be justified by the act of the law. It is to say that all human beings are in sin. In Luke 18:13, Jesus said: The righteous one is not a Pharisee boasting of his righteousness, but beats his heart and says "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon The customs officer who mourned "his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" is more righteous.

 

It was not through acts, but by the mercy of God, that the saints could be saved. The reason I changed my status from Satan's servant to God's people was not because of my actions, but because of God's mercy. It all started not with me, but only with God. If it starts from me, we can do nothing. So first, God came as a human body and died on the cross. Likewise, the Saints must crucify the flesh with Jesus. This is the new covenant of blood.

 

Paul tells us to avoid false people, those who fall into heresy, foolish arguments, genealogy stories, disputes, and quarrels over the law.『But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 』 The people of lies are spirits of lies, those who are enslaved by Satan. Those who are captivated by the spirit of lies cannot realize their fault. It is because they are caught in the spirit of lies. Therefore, Paul urges us not to waste time on such people. Today, there are many churches, but if they distort the word of God and the ministers do not speak according to the Bible, it is not a church but a heresy.

 

Paul concludes with a greeting of blessing with a personal greeting. In Titus, Paul says: Because the saint is a being saved through God's mercy, he must live a life worthy of it, confirming his death on the cross every day. The Apostle Paul confessed, "I die every day." It is sanctification to God and light to the world that our old man (body of the flesh) dies with Jesus. The light saves the dead spirit. This is the practice of God's good.