Titus Chapter Three and Civic Responsibility

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So, let go on to Titus chapter three, the last chapter of this short epistle where Paul now says:

Titus 3:1-15

January 10th 2021

Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. 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. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 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; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 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. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 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. 13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. 14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. 15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. <<It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.>>

Subjection to Authorities

Alright back to verse 1 where Paul says:

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

We ended chapter 2 with Paul telling Titus, after giving him a bunch of instructions on how to lead the believers in the Isle of Crete and says: 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Chapter three is an unobstructed continuation of this advice where Paul now says (in verse 1) 1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

Contrary to the way some folks react to Government today, Paul directly tells Titus to instruct the believers on Crete to be subject to Principalities and powers and to obey magistrates.”

These are sentiments echoed in Romans 13 where Paul wrote:

Romans 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. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 ¶ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honor.

I take the principles here seriously for if Paul could instruct believers, as a means to show forth a good witness, to be subject to the powers in place then (including those of the Roman Empire) it seems to me that the advice in principle hold true today.

In other words, I personally see no value in Christians rising up against the governmental powers that be, in the name and cause of Christ. The order, instead, seems to be humble.

The Path of Christian Transformation

In addition to this, Paul adds, “to be ready to every good work.” “To be prepared for prompt perform in all that is good.” Just willing. And therefore ready.

2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. And he adds a really great set of summary passages on the walk and way of Christians and Christianity. And he begins by saying:

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. For most people who convert from lives of flesh to the faith this is an appropriate description of us, isn’t it?

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. I don’t think this is supposed to mean that we were all of these things, though some of us were, but it’s a general assessment of the ways of many people in one way or another without God in their lives.

Stages of Salvation

So that is the first stage Paul describes. Then he presents the second stage, saying:

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, And introducing the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man, then breaks down what this love actually looks like, adding

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; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;

Isn’t that a profound summation of Christian salvation and of the love that we received from our maker through Christ after we all have been described as essentially sinful, that it is . . . 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but (it is) “according to his mercy that he saved us,

The Role of Grace and Mercy

(and then he adds a description of how he mercifully saved us, saying) “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (verse 6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

The scripture makes manifestly plain that our salvation is not based on our works of righteousness which we have done but by faith and it is according to his mercy or the mercy of God. I think that that is an important qualifier to remember – that we are saved by GRACE through FAITH and that this grace is extended to us mercifully by our creator.

In other words, it is still His mercy and love and grace at play in the redemption of human beings, and that his plan of salvation to the world in and through the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. and resurrection of his Son was a grace-filled and mercifully driven plan and not a strictly legal transaction.

So, our salvation had its origin in mercy, compassion and not merely in and through justice. It remains His merciful and compassionate grace that redeems us from sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and death and I think we can even say that this is the fact no matter how much faith we possess.

Then after establishing the fact of His mercy at play here Paul says that he “saved us by the washing of regeneration.”

The word rendered, “washing” here is used only one other time in the Apostolic Record and that is in Ephesians 5:6 where Paul writes the following speaking of the Church and says: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it (the church) with the washing of water by the word."

The Greek word is loutron, not baptidzo, and speaks to bathing, washings and ablutions – in these two cases – “the washing of regeneration and the washing of water of the Word.” Because of the connection to ablutions and washings with water many people interpret this to mean water baptism which is often errantly connected with the “washing away of sin.”

Some go to lengths to suggest that at a person's water baptism that is when they are born again, washed of sin, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit – all in one fell swoop.

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but (it is) “according to his mercy that he saved us, “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. The word translated to regeneration (palin-gensia) means “new-birth, reproduction, or renewal” So the question becomes is such

The Process of Spiritual Rebirth

A renewal in the hands of the Holy Spirit alone or does it occur through the washing of water baptism?

This question also comes up when we read Jesus' words with Nicodemus when it says the following:

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future..

That word is unless you are regenerated from above you won’t even see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Once again, many people believe that this speaks of being baptized in water and receiving the Holy Spirit and unless this is the case a person will not enter the Kingdom of God.

I think this is the result of reading into the text because all Jesus says that unless a person is born of water AND then regenerated by the Spirit he will not enter the Kingdom of God. He mentions being born of water because Nicodemus brought up entering the womb a second time, which is how people are born of water. This is supported by the next verse where Jesus adds:

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

When we are born of the flesh we are born of water. That which is born of the flesh is flesh is the same thing as saying that which is born of the water is flesh. It’s the natural birth by which all people come into this world and has nothing to do with water baptism.

Regeneration Explained

So how are people regenerated? We are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, that is how people born of the water are born from above. This is supported then by the next thing Jesus says to Nicodemus which is:

8 The wind bloweth where it wants, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

That which is born of the flesh in water is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is regenerated from above, experiences the second birth, and is born again! Get it?

Paul's Clarification

Had Paul left the line "the washing of regeneration," alone here it could and would have easily been misconstrued as water baptism but he doesn’t. He adds, in my estimation the line, “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,” as a means to clarify the way in which we are born from above and sanctified.”

Unfortunately, the two, like Jesus' words to Nicodemus, are taken together and assumed to mean water baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit as the definition of regeneration or rebirth.

In any case, this is the next phase of Christianity defined: We have gone from being sinful and lost, to receiving the Grace of God mercifully, having been regenerated and at verse 7 he adds the final stage succinctly, saying:

7 That being justified by his grace, (so that is an after the fact statement – that being justified by His grace – ready) “we should . . . be made heirs . . . according to the hope of eternal life.

How are we made heirs?

Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

That we SHOULD BE MADE heirs – and since it is predicated on “if we suffer with Him” then it is not a foregone conclusion but is a conditional promise.

He has mercifully saved us from ourselves, not we have saved ourselves, we have been born from above by the Spirit, and being justified by His grace “we should be made heirs (which is in accordance with the hope of eternal life!)

The process of being made heirs is suffering with Christ, which can be summarized as:

• dying to self and will
• living according to the will of God
• taking up our cross daily
• loving God and Man as He did,
• and living lives of sacrificial works, which brings us to the last phase Paul presents us, saying at verse 8:

8 This

Importance of Good Works and Unity

It 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. In other words, Paul is plainly saying that there is great value in the lives of those who have believed in God to be careful, meaning to pay attention, to maintaining “good works.” And the reason is that they are Good, which is obvious since he calls them “good works,” and they are profitable unto people (again, of faith).

The word, sumfero translated profitable, means that it is advantageous for believers to be about good works. Profitable in the sense that it is good for the body of Christ, good for the soul of human beings, and profitable in the fact that the works Christians do will be assessed and tried, tested, and if they are of wood hay or stubble they will be consumed, but if of gold or precious metals, a crown will be bestowed on the doer. Verses three through eight here in chapter three, then are a fantastic summary of what it means, in phases, what it looks like, to be a Christian.

Warning Against Division

Getting back to some warnings, Paul now adds some of the same advice he also gave to Timothy and that is:

9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. For the most part these are topics that the Jews would introduce into the mix – and once again Paul is telling Titus to avoid the, they are conversely unprofitable and he adds, vain. He continues and says

10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Oh, here we go. In our day the heretic, which comes from the Greek term, ha-hee-ret-ee-kos, means someone whose doctrine is considered errant. And it is a term that automatically kills the communication of other believers with such an individual – trust me, I know. Ironically, and this is really an irony – the meaning of the word heretic, as Paul used it here in his letter to Timothy, best means, “a promoter of a sect or separate party.” This would then mean the person who makes divisions in a church, instead of aiming to promote unity.

Consequences of Causing Division

He is the one who divides over special points of doctrine from others and refused to unite with those who do not accept or receive his doctrine as orthodox. These points may be small and insignificant or perhaps major, but whatever the case may be, a heretic in the faith THEN was a believer who promoted and caused DIVISION. The Greek word is synonymous with schismatic. Rending the body apart. Toward such Paul tells Titus to reject such a person after he has been warned a first and second time (or twice). Similar advice is given by Paul in Romans 16:17 when he said:

Roman 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

We know that it was a MAJOR focus for Paul and the other apostles to keep the bride united amidst all sorts of external and internal circumstances that worked to break her (schitzo) her apart. These divisions and infights were often a sign of spiritual immaturity and carnality as Paul makes clear in 1st Corinthians 3:2 when he wrote:

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

From all this we can readily see the import of unity in the faith, and to be mature in the fact that believers are all in a different place relative to their walk and maturity, and to labor to be united rather than to embrace division.

Paul adds to the description of such a divider, saying

11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. Knowing that he that is such has been turned out or changed for the worse. He has gone from the right way and embraced the wrong and is sinning or missing the mark of God by promoting disunity among the brethren and as a result ought to be rejected. Paul adds that such is “condemned of himself,” meaning he knows what he is doing is wrong and that he deserves punishment or condemnation.

Paul's Instructions to Titus

Instructions for Travel and Companionship

Verse 12 Paul enters into the wrap-up of the epistle and says:

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. When I shall send Artemas to you (of whom we know nothing) or Tychicus (who we learned about in Acts 20:4 and 1st Timothy as well), be diligent to then come and see me at Nicopolis (which appears to be the place from where he wrote this epistle) and “from where Paul says he will winter (or stay for the winter).

13 Bring Zenas the lawyer (who we know nothing about except he was probably a converted Hebrew Lawyer or expert in the Law) and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. Acts 18:2 says that Apollos was mighty in scriptures and so the two of them would have been a formidable force in confronting the Jews who opposed the spread of the Gospel. To bring them diligently appears to mean help facilitate their work speedily as they seem to be traveling together and might possibly meet up with Titus in Crete.

Importance of Good Works

14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. Paul had just directed Titus to aid Zenas and Apollos in all of their needs and this verse seems to be saying, “and let all of those who are believers like us be of the same mindset – to help and aid Christians along the way, learning to “maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful,” which is a way to suggest that they labor in areas that are profitable trades (which is what the Greek supports) but the phrase could simply mean fruitful Christian works that will benefit the cause. Hard to tell knowing the audience at Crete and their reputation.

Final Salutations and Insights

And the last verse:

15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. At the close of his epistles, Paul usually mentions the names of those who sent affectionate salutations. Here it could seem to be implied that Titus knew who were with Paul as he himself had been traveling with him. Instead of giving the specific names, Paul simply tells Titus to, “Greet them that love us in the faith.” And adds, “Grace be with you all.”

Of course, we come to another subscription added later by men. This one says, <<It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.>> There is no authority in these words whatsoever and in fact they contain error.

First, the statement that Titus was "ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians," is a fallible add because:

(a.) there is no evidence that there was a church there called, "the church of the Cretians," as there were doubtless many churches on the island;

(b.) there is no evidence that Titus was the first bishop of the church there, or that he was the first one there to whom might be properly applied the term bishop in the scriptural sense. In fact, there is positive evidence that he was not the first Bishop because Paul was there with him, and Titus was "left" there to complete what he had begun. Third, there is no evidence that Titus was "bishop" there at all in the prelatical sense of the term, or even that he was a settled pastor at all!

Secondly:

(2.) That the epistle was written "from Nicopolis of Macedonia;" for

(a.) there is no certain evidence that it was written at Nicopolis at all, though this is probable;

(b.) and there is no reason to believe that the Nicopolis referred to was in Macedonia as we stated at the start of this study there were a number of Nicopolis’s at that time and we do not know which one was being referenced.

And that is the Epistle to Titus.

Next week, Philemon – all of one chapter. Questions/Comments/Prayer.