Christians and the Government

Order Between the Church and Governments

Book of Titus Chapter 3

As we get into this lesson we must realize, this passage is not about the rulers of government and their behavior, because God has chosen them according to His continuing will.

Paul is writing to Titus and the Church, to each believer and our duty to the state.

In most cases we can do very little about the authorities and our government, or how they conduct their affairs.

The one thing we can do, is when we get the opportunity to vote, we vote for those who claim to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior even if we know it could affect our incomes. God will hold them accountable!

We should never forget that God has promised to provide our needs in every situation!

We know by now that God is very, very clear about the behavior of every believer!

We know that one of the evilest of the Caesars, Nero was ruler of the entire Roman Kingdom at the time Paul wrote these words to Titus and to the Church. Not many rulers have been as evil Nero though there have been some.

*****Tit 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

As Christians who are citizens of Heaven and preside right now in the nations of this world, we are to obey the laws of the nation where we are located.

It is our duty to obey those who are in authority in the places where we live.

This includes the local government and the national government!

We as Christians are to be subject of and obedient to them by the laws in place!

It should be obvious we should never do anything that goes against the will of God at any time!

In most all governments there is an attempt to keep the peace and to put down all chaos.

We should see this passage as the commands of God, as we do in all the Word of God!

The Holy Spirit would not have used the word "subject" if we were not to obey our rulers for the sake of public good.

Our conscience, by the Holy Spirit, upheld by the Word of God, will dictate our actions when our own government causes chaos to Christians.

It is the governments job to keep law and order, so societies can flourish rather than be as the unruly beast as described of the people of Crete.

If there were no communities, nor societies, and no life, there would only be selfishness and lawlessness.

As Christians we are to set the example for all others in this world to see, while showing the fruit of the Holy Spirit!

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

When laws are written to outlaw the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then we must obey the Lord above all governments!

We must understand that chaos is not in the will of God.

Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Law and order in every land is in the will of God!

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

When we claim to be Christians, God expects us to act like Christians in every situation we face!

1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

As Christian citizens, we are to always be ready to do "good works"!

In most all cases it is the Christian who should be the first to reach out to meet the needs of the community where we live, and all communities have needs!

Our Pastor would not be run down all the time, if he did not feel the need for what he does, and we should be no different!

In fact, we could say here at Gethsemane, our Pastor can be our example in the doing of good works in our own community!

*****Tit 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

No one, Christian or lost, should be slandered or verbally abused and torn down!

We must understand that we do certainly live in an evil world and there will be somethings that we must bear.

I read something today that said if Donald Trump had not become president, we would never have known all the corruptness of the previous administration and the abuse behind the backs of the people. I’m sure we have not heard it all yet and no one would admit the abuse of women and children that was going on by people in high places.

If people shut their eyes to corrupt governments, these things will never change!

As Christians we are not to slander anyone nor speak evil against any citizen, not even those who have proven to be evil.

This is the Word of God and not my interpretation of the Word of God. Verse 2 says speak evil of no man and this includes women.

Meekness is the surrender to all the Divine Will of God, but we are still to be bold in presenting the Word of God to all who will listen to us.

We must totally understand that we will never reach the lost when we slander them and put them down. They already know how to be lost our job is to teach them how to be saved!

Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

We are never to be a fighting, contentious, person.

We are never to walk around like we have a chip on our shoulder.

We should never be looking for an argument or a fight over the Scriptures.

But we must always take a stand on the truth of God under all circumstances!

Pro 3:30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

As Christians we must be gentle. Men will understand this better by saying courteous rather than gentle.

We as Christians we are to reach out to all the people of the world with the "Gospel”, so we can explain God's "grace" which is the absolute best way we can show our gentleness!

Meekness is strong self-control as we know that the Lord had to possess when He spent His time on this earth!

We have no better example than the Lord Jesus in all these things.

We must remember where we came from!

*****Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

We are still only sinners who have partaken of the "Grace" of God!

The person who continues to reject the truth of God, is certainly a foolish person!

Foolish means, having no understanding of Spiritual matters as used in this Scripture.

We are not to call them fools but their actions are indeed foolish.

Praise God, He will still save the foolish. I know because I was once a fool!

Everyone who rejects God is also disobedient, which means they refuse to obey the Word of God!

Today we have more problems with our younger generation because they do not obey their parents, which leads to disrespect of all authority and we see much more violence in our streets!

Psa 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Psa 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

Psa 53:3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

We must claim the Word of God and be obedient to it!

2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

All those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ are deceived by this world, which means being misled and led astray of the truth of God.

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

All those without the Lord Jesus Christ are enslaved by the lust of this world. How do I know? I was once amongst them!

That word "lusts" means passionate cravings, passionate desires, passionate urges, that we allow to dictate our actions by giving into them!

All those who are lost are enslaved by the works of this world in one way or another!

The Lord Jesus Christ gives us the strength to overcome these things.

Everyone in this world faces temptations, but the Lord shows us by example how to overcome them!

This Scripture, (verse 3) should not bother those who love the Lord because we know what we once were. Thank the Lord "I use to be one of these" but not anymore!

Those who live without the Lord are evil in nature and most have an evil disposition!

These are those same people who look for the worst in people and set out to ruin their testimony!

These are the very same ones who put themselves first no matter how it affects others including those they say they care about!

1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

A person without God most always lives in envy, they covet the possessions of others. In fact, they covet them so much they will seek ways to take them away from that person.

We live in a world where most everyone you meet are not satisfied with the life they lead but not many of them care to change.

Envy can also cause depression along with other physical problems which may lead to lawlessness!

Pro 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

We must also know that those who are without the Lord can be very hateful!

It is very easy to hate others if you do not know the love of God!

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

We live in a world of hate and the one who is hated the most is, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Hatred will consume you until it destroys you. I serve a God who is called Love because He has no hate for any human being!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

*****Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 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;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

People just do not understand that there is power in kindness!

In fact, our salvation comes from the "kindness" of our Savior!

Without God's kindness we would never know God's "Grace"!

The pattern of all kindness is set before us in the Bible, in the behavior of God toward us!

The wealth of God's "grace" is shown to us in the Lord Jesus Christ!

God is not far off having no concern for His creation!

In fact, to the "Born Again" child of God, God is very near to each one who wears the seal of the Holy Spirit because He dwells within each Christian!

All those who say they cannot get their prayers answered, maybe they first need to repent of their sin! God has promised to answer every prayer that reaches into His throne room!

God is not some Supreme Being hovering over every human being to smack them down every time they make a mistake.

God is also not some loving Grandfather type being, that allows just anything to go on.

In fact, God hates worldliness!

Salvation comes from God’s love for each of us!

God reached out to man because as the Supreme Creator, God has great affection for all His Creation!

God loves us so much that He acted to save each one of us!

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The one thing we must realize is that we cannot work our way into Heaven. God gave us all the Scriptures, so we can understand what He has already done and just believe in the Son of God who paid the sin debt of every human being, no matter where they come from!

It is a fact we cannot earn our righteousness by good works because we have no good works.

Common sense says we are all just growing older until we die and if we would just open our eyes we would see that all God's creation is just ageing to the point that one day it will not exist!

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Salvation comes only by God's "Mercy" which has been dipped into God's "Grace"!

God sees the need for our salvation and provides the only method by which we can be saved!

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

So just how does God save us?

By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit)!

There is no other means of salvation!!!!!

Salvation is a regeneration!

Salvation is a new birth.

Salvation is Spiritual New Birth!

Being "born again" is a definite experience!

Being "born again" is a noticeable changed life!

Being "born again" is a totally new life!

Salvation can only through the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what the Oprah and the rest of the world says. God says it and that settles it!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who pours out the Holy Spirit upon us and within us.

We could not have the Holy Spirit except by the Lord Jesus Christ!

The power of the Christian is the Holy Spirit, so when you say you have no power to standup for the Lord, then you are saying that the Holy Spirit has no power, when the Holy Spirit is the most powerful force that exist!

Without the Holy Spirit we cannot be a child of God!

Without the Holy Spirit we will remain totally unacceptable to God!

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

All the work of the Church is powerless without the Holy Spirit.

The biggest problem with the church in this Church Age is that the Holy Spirit has been quench by false doctrine in many places of worship!

We cannot be justified without the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are without Christian power without the Holy Spirit.

We are without salvation without the "Grace" of God.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

If you still do what you use to do, then you are not saved, it is just that simple!

*****Tit 3:8 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.

Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

If this is a faithful saying, then this is a warning to all to all those who call themselves Christian!

We must be careful to maintain good works after our salvation!

Salvation does not mean any sort of works have saved us and it does not mean that any sort of works will keep us saved, it only means that the works we do after salvation are just the opposite from the works we did before salvation.

If other people cannot see Jesus Christ in us and the works of Jesus that we should be doing, then we are not saved, bearing in mind the baby Christian who is still learning what God expects from them!

1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We will now see the second warning in verse 9.

The Word of God is not to be debated. As believers we must reject foolish and controversial discussions that go against the Word of God!

We have the truth and the truth cannot be debated, it is what it is!

This includes foolish questions, God says what He means, and God means what He says.

Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

We are wasting our time on genealogies. Just as all Jews spring from Abraham and Sarah, just because Abraham trusted in the Lord did not mean that all Jews were saved.

Just because my mother and my grandmother, and many others who have gone on to meet with the Lord, had faith in the truth of God, it does not make me also to be saved.

Being restored in a fellowship with God can only be settled with our own personal relationship with Him!

There are 613 Jewish laws and those who would argue and strive over those laws are foolish because it was impossible for anyone to keep all those laws all the time.

Even as a baby we are all born into sin!

The Jews had preserved all the Old Testament, but all the Old Testament will only lead you to the coming of Jesus Christ!

Contention is strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy. The Word of God is the absolute truth of our world and of ourselves and no debate can change the truth of God!

If you will take time to get personal with God the Father, you will also know God the Son, who is the Lord Jesus Christ!

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Let's look at warning number three.

*****Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

A heretic is someone who rejects some or all the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

God says that we cannot pick and choose what parts of the Scriptures we will believe and what part we refuse to accept as the truth.

This is the second reason that there are so many different translations today.

The first reason is that the KJV Bible copyright has expired and with many changes to the Scriptures, some can get a new copyright and therefore they are in it for the money, they are not sincere about your salvation!

When we try to pick and choose what we believe, we have called God a liar!

1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

This is the one true Scripture that is rejected the most today and Paul wrote to Titus, by the Holy Spirit, to prepare these Churches to defend the truth of God!

Anyone, I say anyone, who rejects the truth of God and chooses what they believe while rejecting the Word of God is bound for Hell because this sin cannot be forgiven!

This is the same for those who would take the Word of God and twist it to become a different meaning from what God intended!

These who will do such things will not only answer for themselves at the White Throne Judgement, but they will also answer for everyone they have led astray from the truth of God!

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

There may be many different opinions of what God means but those who intentionally seek to promote discord in the church will see the wrath of God and not the "Grace" of God!

All heretics need to be removed from the church!

And now Paul will begin to close out these Scriptures.

*****Tit 3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.

Paul had some other things to discuss with Titus, so he was going to send Artemas or Tychicus to replace him until he could return.

We already know that Tychicus would travel to take the Word of God to the many places where the many churches were established but he could also step in for any other Pastor.

Not much is known about Artemas except to say he was trusted to preach the truth of the Word of God and would go where he was sent.

Tradition states that Artemas became the Pastor at the church at Lystra.

His name Artemas means given by Diana, which would mean that he had at one time been a worshiper of this pagan goddess.

And Paul continues:

*****Tit 3:13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.

Just as Artemas, this is the only place we see this lawyer named Zenas.

It is very possible that Zenas and Apollos had been sent to help Titus on the Island of Crete. We can also see that Zenas was someone who could not devote all his time to the Church. Like many he had to support himself, so he could be in the ministry without the help of the church but with much help from the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is always good to have a lawyer who loves the Lord and Paul needed advice from this lawyer as he soon would be defending himself before Nero.

Some say Zenas was a Jew, but his name would seem to connect him to the pagan god Zeus, who had been converted to Christianity.

It should be clear that the Lord needs committed laymen in the Church, those who will not rob God of His tithes and offerings.

Apollos was a Jew born in Alexandria who had been well versed in the Old Testament but did not know the Lord Jesus Christ until he met Aquila and his wife Priscilla who taught him the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

It could be that Titus was in possession of the funds necessary to pay the expenses of this trip to join the Apostle Paul and Paul knew or Paul had given this fund to Titus when he was sent to the island of Crete.

*****Tit 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Good works are those works that grow out of a loving personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

It should be obvious that those sitting in the pews are to support the Church and also support the missionaries and evangelist.

It is our job as Christians to support those who take the "Gospel" to all the places in this world beginning with our own communities, and our own families.

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Those who are the richest are all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

*****Tit 3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

As life goes on and no matter where we travel, all those who claim the Lord Jesus Christ, are our brothers and sisters in Christ and we need to treat them that way!

All those with Paul were also praying for the church or churches on the Island of Crete and we must also pray for the other churches we know of!

If we cannot support those we call missionaries and evangelists and Pastors, we can certainly urgently pray for them!

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

2Th 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

2Th 3:2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

When we cannot help our brothers and sisters in Christ, who gave Himself for us, it does not speak well for us!

Thank goodness that we have our own Church here at Gethsemane that supports not only the church but also many missionaries.

There are always those who rob God of His tithes and offerings.

Amen

Let's Pray!