Scripture Introduction
As a parent, I know that when one of my dear children asks why they should do what I tell them to, it is rarely helpful for me to answer, “Because I said so, that’s why!”
I did say so, and God commands children to obey their dad, but that answer usually comes out of my mouth when my heart is not right. Maybe I feel impatience, or I’m angry because I do not have a good reason, or maybe some other sin grips my heart. Whatever the cause, “Because I said so,” usually reveals a problem that I have.
In our text this morning, our brother Paul resists the “Because I said so” answer. Surely he felt frustrated with the Cretans at times, but to explain why they should obey, he insists, “Because of the grace of God.” Let’s read how grace shapes character in Titus 2.11-15.
[Read Titus 2.11-15. Pray.]
Introduction
Several winters ago, heavy rains deluged Southern California, creating a nightmare for one family. While they slept, a mudslide slammed into their home, ripped away part of the house, and flung their sleeping baby into the darkness. I think we can all imagine the frantic search that ensued. All night, they dug through mud, crying out desperately for their child – without results.
But morning brought a rescuer carrying a mud-caked bundle in his arms – their baby, filthy but alive! Of course, the parents did not care that their child was covered with sludge; from near certain death their baby lives! You can be sure they squeezed him close, with no concern for how muddy he was. Love saw a precious salvation, not a dirty bundle. (Illustration from Bryan Chappell, Titus, 337.)
But later, they bathed him, and determined to keep out of future mudslides. Why wash the child? Is it not enough that he was saved, so that their joy was complete, without needing cleaning? After the rescue they were content to embrace a filthy child; why insist on cleaning him? Of course the answer is that their delight in having him back continued to overflow in care for his well-being. Covered with mud is neither natural nor the best for their son.
Now any story which parallels and illustrates the work of Jesus will, of course, miss in some details. But the true account of that child and family does well-picture Titus 2: how the good gift of God in bringing salvation continues to work out in the cleansing of salvation – which the Bible calls, sanctification. That is God’s message to the Cretans (and to us) in Titus 2.
The island of Crete was well known for its immoral culture. But that did not cool the evangelistic zeal of Paul and Titus, who proclaimed God’s gospel of grace. And lo and behold, people put their faith in Jesus and his work! Soon churches appeared in every town, gatherings of brand-new Christians who needed discipling in the faith. Their lives were a mess, but Paul tells Titus: “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order” (Titus 1.5).
To do that, Titus first ordains elders, godly men to share in the work. They help, first, by discipling others: modeling the faith and sharing their lives. In addition to discipling, these elders also must “doctrine” the faith: hold to Biblical convictions, practice Biblical counseling, and engage in Biblical confrontation. This is the work of an elder.
For his part as pastor, Titus must especially labor at teaching. Last week we saw that a faithful pastor teaches, not only Bible doctrine, but also what accords with this sound doctrine. In other words, it is not enough to tell people about the grace of God in Jesus, Titus must also apply the gospel to proper and practical behavior. Titus 2.1 can be translated: “But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching” (NET Bible). Then in verses 2-10 of chapter 2, Paul illustrates this ministry with practical examples of the kind of teaching different groups in the church need.
But now a new question comes into focus: why obey? Titus 2.10 ends with the goal of Titus’ teaching: “in everything we may adorn the doctrine of God our savior.” But why should I want that goal? Isn’t salvation enough? Why bother with godly behavior? God’s answer is in our text today.
1. Grace Provides the Foundation for Change (Titus 2.11)
Many Christians imagine that while we are saved by grace, we grow in godliness our good efforts. After all, it feels that way, and some texts lead us to believe that. Ephesians 2, for example, notes that, “when we were dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved. And this is not your own doing.” So salvation is clearly a gift of God’s grace. But the next verse adds: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” And Philippians points in the same direction: “work out your own salvation.”
But before we abandon a connection between grace and godliness, pay careful attention to the reasoning in Titus 2.10-12: in everything adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Why? For the grace of God has appeared… training us in godliness. Somehow, growth in Christ-likeness depends on the grace of the gospel and the incarnation of the Christ. Commenting on this verse, Ligon Duncan explains: “The salvation-bringing grace of God has not only brought them forgiveness, but it has brought them a transformation.”
Grace frees us from both the punishment of sin (salvation) and the power of sin (sanctification). Grace rescued the baby from the death grip of the mudslide, and grace cleansed the mud from his body and clothes.
Before we see how this happens, let’s remember that God’s pure grace can be polluted from two direction. On the one hand, grace runs counter to the way the world works, so it is difficult to receive. The world rewards based on merit. If you do well in school, you get good grades. If you do well in sports, you receive applause. At work, exceptional performance earns promotions and pay raises, while failures get you fired. The same is true in the world’s religions. Except for Biblical Christianity, blessings in the afterlife always depend on good works.
EE, or Evangelism Explosion, is a method I learned for sharing the gospel story. It begins by asking people, “If you were to die tonight and face God, and he asks you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’ what would you say?”
In EE training they tell you that most people give some type of good works answer: “I have been basically a good person.” When I was trained, I thought, that is a stereotypical answer, but I bet people do not actually say that. I was wrong. When I ask the EE diagnostic question, people always say, “God should let me into heaven because I have been a pretty good person.”
A relationship with God based on works is wired into fallen mankind. As a result, the power of grace is little understood, even by true Christians.
But God’s grace can also be polluted from the other side. Jude 1.4: “Ungodly people pervert the grace of our God into sensuality….” Grace is not a license to sin. Membership may have its privileges, but disobedience has its consequences. Grace alone saves, but the grace that saves is never alone – it also changes us.
So the answer to both errors is the gospel. Grace frees us from both sin’s punishment and power. The God who appeared on earth bringing salvation would never consent to leave us wallowing in the mire of sin’s pollution. We must adorn the doctrine of the gospel with a changed life because Jesus saves his people from their sins. First, grace provides the foundation for change.
2. Grace Trains Us In the Dynamics of Change (Titus 2.12)
The word for “train,” (Greek Word) [paideuo] and the noun, (Greek Word) [paideia] have the primary meaning of “to bring up a child and guide him toward maturity, to instruct, train, educate.” The English words, pedagogy and pedagogue come from this Greek word.
The main New Testament usage is in Hebrews 12, where the noun and verb occur eight times in eight verses, translated “discipline” in seven of those.
Hebrews 12.5-12: “ ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons…. He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.”
When a loving and godly parent sees bad behavior, we understand that it comes from the heart (as Proverbs 4.23 explains). So while we correct certain outward actions, we primarily focus on motives and reasons – we shepherd the child’s heart (as the title of Tripp’s parenting seminar explains).
Grace trains the same way. The law tells us what is good and bad, then the Holy Spirit within convicts or confirms, depending on whether our motives and reasons are godly. Grace is an internal pedagogy, rather than the law’s external constraint.
And grace works both positively and negatively. When we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us and calls us to repentance. By doing so, we learn to put off the deeds of the flesh – ungodly behavior and worldly passions and desires. The Holy Spirit also works positively – confirming and congratulating godly thoughts, feelings, and behavior. By doing so, we are taught from within to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God. The grace of God, administered by the internal work of the Holy Spirit, trains us to live self-controlled (properly in relation to self), upright (properly in relation to others), and godly lives in the present age (properly in relation to God).
3. Grace Empowers The Hope for Change (Titus 2.13-14)
The Spirit teaches us to look both to the future and to the past.
First, the true Christian always has an eye to the future for his hope: waiting the second coming of Christ. We know that godliness pleases the returning king, and that every good work produced by dependence on his grace will be rewarded as if the good works were ours. The sure and certain return of Jesus also motivates godliness because we know that the good fight of faith glorifies God and delights those who trust in him. Our labor in the Lord is not in vain – the words, “Well done” from the mouth of Jesus keep our zeal for good works burning bright.
At the same time, we also look back – with gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ. He gave himself for us. Certainly his death perfectly satisfied the wrath of God and purchased for us a place at the Lamb’s feast. But there is more – the death of Jesus is also sufficient for the putting off of lawlessness and the putting on of holiness. Thankfulness for the gift of salvation urges us to be like our Savior, to be zealous for good works.
Grace sees both the past and the future, empowering the hope of true and lasting change.
4. Grace Must Never Be Compromised for Change (Titus 2.15)
Some of the teachings of the Bible are secondary. All are true and good, but not all are of first importance. Sanctification by God’s free grace is essential.
Christ accomplished a great thing on the cross – he paid the price for sin, bringing salvation for all people – none are excluded from the free offer of the gospel. But Christ’s work continues in his transformation of his people.
He is the vine; we are branches. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself. Whoever abides in Christ, and Christ in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Christ we can do nothing. By this is Father glorified, that we bear much fruit and so prove to be his disciples. (From John 15.)
5. Conclusion
Someone once asked John Wesley “If you knew that you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do for the rest of this day?”
He said, “Exactly what I had planned to do.”
The person responded, “How so?”
Wesley said, “Well, I am attempting to live my life for God’s glory, to do his will in everything, and when he returns I want him to find me doing his will. So I’d better get about doing exactly what I had planned to do this way.”
He was stressing that all of us, in every day in every way in life, ought to be doing the Father’s business, and so be in a state of watchful readiness for his return. A life truly saved by grace will, likewise, be changed by grace, motivated by watchful readiness and confident hope. May this be true of us.
