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!
