BIG IDEA:
GOOD DEEDS (INCLUDING KINDNESS TOWARDS OTHERS) ARE THE
NATURAL EXPRESSION OF A CONVERTED LIFE, NOT THE BASIS FOR SALVATION
I. (:1-2) REMINDER TO PURSUE GOOD DEEDS CONSISTENTLY --
DON’T FALL BACK INTO THE OLD WAYS
A. Submission to Authority
1. "Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities"
2. "to be obedient "
Lenski -- Christians should be the best citizens --
"We have the very highest motive for this, namely our Lord’s will. This makes the very best citizens, such as obey for Christ’s and for conscience’s sake."
B. General Summary
"to be ready for every good deed"
Hendriksen: "forms a natural bridge between the duties which believes owe to their government and those which they owe to their neighbors."
C. Gracious Speech
1. "to malign no one"
2. "to be uncontentious"
3. "gentle"
4. "showing every consideration for all men"
Hendriksen: "to show all mildness to all people, even to all those Cretan ’liars, evil brutes, and lazy bellies,’ was an assignment impossible apart from God’s special grace!"
II. (:3) DESCRIPTION OF PRE-CONVERSION DEPRAVITY --
MOTIVATES US TO CONTINUE IN GOOD WORKS AND SHOW KINDNESS TO OTHERS
A. Our Character
1. Foolish -- "For we also once were foolish ourselves"
2. Rebellious -- "disobedient "
3. Ignorant of the Truth -- "deceived"
B. Our Bondage to the Lusts of the Flesh
"enslaved to various lusts and pleasures"
C. Our Mean Spirit Directed Towards Hurting Others
1. Jealousy
"spending our life in malice and envy"
2. Hatred
a. "hateful"
b. "hating one another"
Hiebert: "The remembrance of our own past should be a powerful motive for gentleness and consideration toward the unsaved."
III. (:4-5A) SALVATION ON THE BASIS OF GRACE, NOT GOOD WORKS -- MOTIVATES US TO CONTINUE IN GOOD WORKS AND SHOW KINDNESS TO OTHERS
A. (:4) Kindness of God Contrasted with Meanness of Our Depravity
1. "But when the kindness of God our Savior"
2. "and His love for mankind appeared"
B. (:5A) Basis for Salvation
1. Not our Works
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness"
2. His Grace
a. "but according to His mercy"
IV. (:5B-6) REGENERATION ACCOMPLISHED BY THE GODHEAD, NOT BY GOOD WORKS
A. Work of the Holy Spirit in Accomplishing Salvation
1. Cleansing -- "by the washing of regeneration"
2. Renewing -- "and renewing by the Holy Spirit "
Kent: "refers to something which is entirely new in kind (root kainos), not merely new in time (neos, young, recent). The impartation of the Holy Spirit makes us new creatures, in contrast to the old condition of life."
B. United Work of the Entire Trinity
1. God the Father -- "He poured out "
2. God the Holy Spirit -- "whom He poured out upon us richly"
3. God the Son -- "through Jesus Christ our Savior"
V. (:7) ETERNAL DESTINY SECURED BY JUSTIFICATION
A. Basis for Justification = God’s Grace
"that being justified by His grace"
B. Standing in God’s Family Secured
"we might be made heirs"
C. Expectation of Eternal Destiny
"according to the hope of eternal life"
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) What types of good deeds have we taken the opportunity to perform this past week? Are we aggressive in looking for opportunities? How do disobedience and rebellion undermine our ability to serve others?
2) We live in a media-dominated culture that takes delight in maligning others and exposing dirt wherever it can be found. How quick are we to share negative evaluations of others and to malign them?
3) Do we give others the benefit of the doubt and show "every consideration for all men"? Or are we characterized by showing partiality to those who are most like us?
4) How has the Holy Spirit made Himself very real in our experience through His ministries of "the washing of regeneration and renewing"? What is the unique focus of these two ministries?
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