The DRIVING FORCE of SAVING GRACE-IV—Titus 2:11—3:11
Paul revealed that God’s Saving Grace was the impetus/driving force behind a life yielded to God.
God’s Saving Grace is the driving force behind a life yielded to God.
Why/How is God’s saving grace the driving force behind a life yielded to God?
The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings with it...
Previously in Titus we found.....
The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
1. SAVING Power(2:11)
2. TEACHING Power(2:12)
3. EXPECTANT Power(2:13)
4. REDEMPTIVE Power(2:14)
5. ASSERTIVE Power(2:15--3:2)
6. FORBEARING Power(3:3)
7. TRANSFORMATIONAL Power(3:4-6)
8— The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
ETERNAL Power(3:7)
Explanation:(:7)
:7—“that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
“That having been justified by His grace”
“Justified”—dikaiow—1) To render righteous or such he ought to be; 2) To show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is & wishes himself to be considered; 3) To declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be.
Having had the Spirit poured out upon us, we have obviously been “justified” solely by the “grace” of God, so that “we should become heirs” in accordance/agreement/the spirit of/compliance with that which “the hope of eternal life” brings.
Rom. 3:21-30—“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith & the uncircumcised through faith.”
Rom. 4:2— 5:1-2—of Jesus our Lord—“who was delivered up because of our offenses, & was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Rom. 10:8-11—“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth & in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus & believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, & with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”” “That...we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
“Heirs”—klhronomov—1) One who receives by lot, an heir; 2) One who has acquired or obtained the portion allotted to him.
Rom. 8:16-17—“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if children, then heirs--heirs of God & joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Js. 2:5—“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith & heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
1Pet. 1:3-5—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Joh 3:14-17—““And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Argumentation:
Rom. 8:23-24—“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?”
2Cor. 5:1, 4—“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”....“For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.”
Titus 1:1-3—“Paul, a bondservant of God & an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect & the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;”
Jn. 3:36—““He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; & he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.””
Jn. 10:9-10—““I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Assurance of eternal life grants one power for living in knowledge, anticipation, truth....it supplies Eternal Power to one’s life!
Illustration:
The ocean/Always been, always will be/Fishermen appreciate what it can yield/It will be there throughout your lifetime/When its gone you’re gone/Empowers the fisherman to pass down that livelihood from generation to generation/Extrapolate that to truly eternal things regarding God & salvation/It changes & focuses your life for the remainder of your life!/Your children learn of it because it is life-changing & steadying/ETERNAL Power
Application:
? Your life Yielded to God’s ETERNAL Power?
?Your life Yielded to God?
9— The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
AFFIRMING Power(3:8)
Explanation:(:8) Affirm the things of God.
:8—“This is a faithful saying, & 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 & profitable to men.”
“This is a faithful saying, & these things I want you to affirm constantly,”
The following or previous is a “faithful saying” in that it is a nugget of God’s truth or a nutshell of a great biblical truth or of biblical wisdom. Pregnant with meaning in as condensed a form as possible.
For Paul’s use of the phrase “Faithful saying” see: 1Tim. 1:15, 3:1, 4:9; & 2Tim. 2:11. The “faithful” ‘word’ may be either above or below this phrase. It seems here that any “faithful saying” would be as concise as possible, a nutshell of wisdom, pregnant with meaning & most easily passed on to others.
“These things” are those which Paul has discussed & handed down in the previous verses as well as concisely summarized in the “faithful saying.”. Titus is encouraged to “constantly” “affirm” them in his own life & in the lives of others. To practice what he preaches & expect the same in other Christians.
“Affirm constantly/Speak confidently/Stress”—diabebaioomai—To affirm strongly, assert confidently. Strong— To confirm thoroughly (by words), i.e. Asseverate:-- Affirm constantly. Middle voice —bebaiow—To stabilitate (figuratively):--To make firm, confirm, establish, make sure. ‘Thru confirmation.’ Used 2X.
“That those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good & profitable to men.”
“That those who have believed in God...”
“Believed/Trusted”—pisteuw—Strong—To have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ):-- Believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.
Ps. 78:21-22—“Therefore the LORD heard this[complaints of Israel in the wilderness] & was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel, Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.”
Php. 2:12-13—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”
“Should be careful to maintain good works.”
“Should be....”
The ideal is not always the reality!
We must guard ourselves from being too comfortable with our standing before God. Assurance of eternal salvation by the work of Christ, DOES NOT give us license to live by the desires of our flesh.
*A blood-bought, born-again believer, always sees fit to live out that belief faithfully. To live faithfully as one born-again.... involves not only a heart & a mind surrendered to Christ, but a lifestyle surrendering the body/flesh to the Holy Spirit.
These “good works” are actions which accomplish God’s glory thru our attention to others.
When we can say with David....
“Careful”—frontizw—V.—1) To think, to be careful; 2) To be thoughtful or anxious. From — frhn—N.— ‘Understanding.” The midriff or diaphragm, the parts of the heart; 2) The mind—2a) the faculty of perceiving & judging.
“Maintain/Engage/Devote”—proisthmi—To set or place before. Strong—To stand before, i.e. (in rank) to preside, or (by implication) to practice:-- Maintain, be over, rule.
“These things are good & profitable to men.”
These “good works” are actions or beliefs we live out, which accomplish God’s glory thru our attention to the profit of others.
Reference :14—“And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”
“Profitable”—wfelimov—Adj.—Profitable. From —wfelew—N.— To assist, to be useful or advantageous, to profit. Used 4 X.
Argumentation:
2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2Cor. 9:10-15—“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, & bread for food, supply & multiply the seed you have sown & increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, & for your liberal sharing with them & all men, & by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
Illustration:
There is a body of doctrine to which we not only adhere but which is universally applicable to all people. AFFIRMING Power
40 Universal Signaling Flags for nautical use/They stand for: Letters, Urgent or common, Distress & maneuvering, Compass points, time, punctuation, Course info, Etc./AFFIRMING Power
Application:
? Your life Yielded to God’s AFFIRMING Power?
?Your life Yielded to God?
10— The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
REJECTIVE Power(3:9-11)
Explanation:(:9-11)
:9—“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, & strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable & useless.”
“Avoid/Shun”—periisthmi—Strong—To stand all around, i.e. (near) To be a bystander, or (aloof) To keep away from:-- Avoid, shun, stand by (round about).
Along with stating the things Titus is to employ or exercise, Paul also cautions Titus(:9-11) to avoid certain things as well. Some of these things have a particularly Jewish nature & concern the religiosity of the law rather than the fulfillment of the law in Christ.
Prone to certain “unprofitable” & “useless” religious dealings are Jewish preoccupations with “foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, & strivings about the law.” The man of God will remain aloof from such potential divisiveness as it is a mere distraction from the central theme of Christianity & as such is a great tool of the devil.
“Foolish disputes”—Besides stupidity it also describes an impious or godless pursuit, which takes the form a controversial questioning debate. More questioning than really seeking answers.
“Foolish”—mwrov—1) Foolish; 2) Impious, godless. Strong—Dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. Heedless, (morally) blockhead, (apparently) absurd:-- Fool(-ish, X -ishness).
“Disputes/Controversies/Questions”—zhthsiv—1) A seeking; 2) Enquiry; 3) A questioning, debate; 4) A subject of questioning or debate, matter of controversy.
“Genealogies”—In Jewish circles, regarding the law, one’s lineage was the determiner of properties held or surrendered, as well as occupation(high priest, priest, levite). But the preoccupation with a personal pedigree is not centered in Christ but in one’s own ability. It is used as the basis for comparison to others rather than as a comparison to Christ. It can thus be wielded as ammunition against another of ‘lesser’ breeding/pedigree.
“Genealogies”—genealogia—A genealogy, a record of descent or lineage.
“Contentions”—This describes the great degree to which the arguments would rise. Heated debates rather than calm intellectual discussions.
“Contentions/Strife/Arguments”—eriv—Contention, strife, wrangling. Strong—A quarrel, i.e. (by implication) Wrangling:-- Contention, debate, strife, variance.
“Strivings”—This brings the contentions to a fever pitch in that the word can carry military overtones in that it is an actual battle for territory, possessions, or riches.
“Strivings/Disputes/Quarrels”—mach—A fight or combat. A battle or single engagement of a war. It is also true that it often has the weaker force of strife or contention.
“For they are unprofitable & useless.”
“Unprofitable”—anwfelev—Unprofitable, useless. The negation of —wfelimov—Profitable. Useless or (neuter) Inutility(pointless):-- Unprofitable(-ness).
“Useless/Vain/Worthless”—mataiov—1) Devoid of force, truth, success, result; 2) Useless, of no purpose. Strong—Empty, i.e. (literally) Profitless, or (specifically) An idol:-- Vain, vanity.
:10—“Reject a divisive man after the first & second admonition,”
A divisive person is to be dismissed readily but he is to be approached first, personally, justly & fairly, with the truth of his factious situation. He may be repentant.
This is to be related specifically to the Jewish disturbances mentioned(:9) but can also apply to any sort of factious person. Two warnings is sufficient enough to warrant a choice being made in the presence & power of the Holy Spirit. After that, one with such an attitude is to be rejected as heretical.
“Reject/Have nothing to do with”—paraiteomai—1) To ask along side, beg to have near one; 2) To avert by entreaty or seek to avert, to deprecate. Strong—To beg off, i.e. Deprecate, decline, shun:-- Avoid, (make) excuse, intreat, refuse, reject.
“Divisive/Heretick/Factious”— airetikov—1) Fitted or able to take or choose a thing; 2) Schismatic, factious, a follower of a false doctrine; 3) Heretic. Where we get our English word— ‘Heretic.’
“Admonition/Warning/Warn”—nouyesia—N.f—Admonition, exhortation. Strong—Calling attention to, i.e. (by implication) Mild rebuke or warning:-- Admonition.
1Cor. 11:18-19—“For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, & in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”
:11—“knowing that such a person is warped & sinning, being self-condemned.”
The above is the only fair recourse because after such admonitions one is well aware that the unrepentant person is twisted in their approach toward Christ & has fallen under sin’s control/mastery/domination. They have truly missed the mark & lost the prize. Thus such a person has willingly brought condemnation upon him/herself.
Paul in Corinth saw fit to deliver such an unrepentant member of the church to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved, yet (1Cor. 5:1-5).
“Warped/Subverted/Perverted”—ekstrefw—1) To turn or twist out, tear up; 2) To turn inside out, invert; 3) To change for the worse, pervert, corrupt. To pervert (figuratively):-- Subvert.
“Sinning/Sinful”—amartanw—1) To be without a share in; 2) To miss the mark; 3) To err, be mistaken; 4) To miss or wander from the path of uprightness & honor, to do or go wrong; 5) To wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin. Strong—properly, To miss the mark (& so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:-- for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.
“Self-condemned/Condemned of himself”—autokatakritov—Self-condemned. Used 1X. From —katakrinw—To give judgment against, to judge worthy of punishment.
Argumentation:
Deut 13:1-3 ““If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, & he gives you a sign or a wonder, “& the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’--which you have not known--‘& let us serve them,’ “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart & with all your soul.”Mat. 18:6-7—““But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, & he were drowned in the depth of the sea. “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”
Mat. 18:15-20—““Moreover if your brother sins against you, go & tell him his fault between you & him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen & a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
Acts 20:28-30—““Therefore take heed to yourselves & to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”
1Tim. 4:1-2—“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits & doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,”
2Pet. 1:21—2:2—“for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, & bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
Acts 24:14—““But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law & in the Prophets.”
Illustration:
We make judgments made everyday....
Accept or reject tires for vehicles/In 2000 Firestone’s(owned by Bridgestone) recall of tires made for the Ford Explorer/Their 15-in. Wilderness, ATX & ATX II tires may have caused as many as 250 deaths & as many as 3000 catastrophic injuries/May of 2000 Bridgestone-Firestone Inc. began offering free tire exchanges for those sold with Ford Explorers since 1997/REJECTIVE Power
All Quality Control work/Determines the fitness a substance or product has regarding the intended need/REJECTIVE Power
Application:
? Your life Yielded to God’s REJECTIVE Power?
?Your life Yielded to God?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
8—ETERNAL Power(3:7)
9—AFFIRMING Power(3:8)
10—REJECTIVE Power(3:9-11)
1. SAVING Power(2:11)
2. TEACHING Power(2:12)
3. EXPECTANT Power(2:13)
4. REDEMPTIVE Power(2:14)
5. ASSERTIVE Power(2:15--3:2)
6. FORBEARING Power(3:3)
7. TRANSFORMATIONAL Power(3:4-6)
Presented 08/08/2010pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
