Teachings Of Titus #5

Someone once said in humor, “We have the best politicians that money can buy!” But what is sad about this humor, is that many times when it comes to our public officials it is the truth.

Sometimes I wish we could do to our politicians what a company did to a farmer.

Illus: An elderly farmer wrote to a mail-order house as follows: “Please send me one of the coal stoves you show on page 317 of your catalog, and if it’s any good, then I’ll send you a check.” Soon the old farmer received a letter from the company that said, “Please send the check first. If it is any good, then we’ll send the stove.”

Sometimes it seems like we ought to let some of these fellows serve their time in office, then, if we think they did a good job, we will pay them.

As we read about these politicians doing the things they do, some get aggravated and say they will never vote again!

The behavior of these politicians should have the opposite affect. That is, we should be so excited about going to the polls that we cannot wait to pull the poll lever to vote them out of office.

THAT IS ONE THING WE CAN DO!

Paul was very much aware of situations like we find ourselves in today.

But no matter how much these politicians may aggravate us, there is no excuse for us not to have a Christ-like attitude as we deal with them.

Paul writes to Titus to tell him how we are to conduct ourselves with those who are in charge of our government.

Before we get into this passage that deals with our responsibilities, I would like to remind you that this passage was written during the time when the evil, ruthless dictator, Nero, was in power.

I mention that, because when we have people in office that we do not care for, we have to always remember that we are to respect the office they hold, even if they themselves do not respect it.

Paul suggested five things we citizens should do:

I. WE SHOULD OBEY THE LAWS

Look at Titus 3:1. We read, “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates…”

Look at the word, “subject”. This is the word “hupotasso”, to be under obedience, put under, subdue unto, submit self unto.

This is the same thing the Lord commands a woman to do when she marries a man.

Look at Eph. 5: 22. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”

The word “submit” is the same word that is used for “subject.”

A woman has to be careful who she selects for a husband, because of what is required of her in the relationship.

And the citizens of a nation have to be careful who they place over them in government, because once they make that choice, they have to be willing to submit to their authority.

Something that we do not take as seriously as we should, is the election of people that we must SUBJECT ourselves too.

• It is shocking that generally a third or a little more of the electorates make the decisions about who will rule this country of ours. Generally, two-thirds do not even bother to vote.

• It is shocking that many, when they go to the polls, know very little about the candidates they are voting for.

Illus: Voters know all about actors, actresses, and athletes whose lives affect them very little, but they do not know a thing about those they put in office who will affect their lives greatly.

We as citizens should have great concern about who will govern us for the next two to four years.

Because we do not take advantage of this God given right-

• Our elected officials passed laws that take half of what we make. We now work for the government from January to the second week in June.

Sometimes we feel like the man who was asked, “Does your wife pick your clothes?” He said, “No, only my pockets!”

• Our elected officials passed laws so that every time we buy a gallon of gas, over thirty-four cents a gallon goes to taxes.

• Our elected officials passed laws to vote themselves large salaries, and after a few years they can draw retirement for the rest of their lives. Congress is the only job in the world where you can work two years and draw a retirement.

• Our elected officials passed laws so they and their families have free medical care the rest of their lives.

• Our elected officials passed laws so that our tax dollars have to support a failing public school system, that most of the time they will not send their children to, but we do not have a choice where we send our children.