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Titus 02:11-12 Strength to Say No
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Text: Titus 2:11-12
(How We Get the Strength to Say No)
Introduction
A. God gave mankind a free will with which to choose between good and evil – Deuteronomy 30:19
B. God requires us to say No to some things – Titus 2:11-12
C. Yet, we do not always say No when we should. Deeply ingrained habits are especially hard to break.
D. We all can identify with Paul’s words – Romans 7:15; Romans 7:19
E. How can we learn to say No more consistently? Where do we get the power to resist temptation?
Body
I. THE BRUTE FORCE OF SHEER WILL POWER CAN CARRY US ONLY SO FAR.
A. There is much to be said for determining or purposing that we will not do wrong – Daniel 1:8
1. We are not decisive enough in our resistance to sin. Often, our decision is little more than a maybe. We do not fully make up our minds not to sin.
2. We need to say a more emphatic No to sin.
B. But will power alone is not enough to fight against the attractive power of sin.
II. THE POWER OF POSITIVE EMOTION
A. We all recognize the tremendous power of what we want to do emotionally.
1. In a battle between the heart and the head, the heart almost always wins.
2. When there is something we deeply want to do, almost nothing can stand in our way.
B. We almost take it for granted that our emotions are going to influence negatively our decision-making. We assume that the best decisions are those that are made on a rational, rather than emotional, basis.
C. But God gave us a three-part mind: intellect, emotions, and will. Our emotions are just as much a part of our thinking apparatus as our intellect and will.
1. We are not (and should not expect ourselves to be) pure reasoning machines.
2. We will never be (and should not want to be) emotion-free logicians like Mr. Spock on Star Trek.
D. Have we considered the possibility of enlisting our emotions in the cause of doing what is right?
1. Instead of seeing our feelings as the culprit, why cannot we see them as our friend?
2. Is there any reason we cannot employ the God-given ability to feel to help us say No to sin?
III. THE DANGER OF OUR DE-EMPHASIS OF EMOTION IN RELIGION
A. In the religious world at large, many people determine what is the right thing to do solely by consulting what they feel is right. Anything that is sincere is thought to be acceptable to God.
B. Not only that, but many people are persuaded to make commitments to God totally on the basis of emotions. Some preachers manipulate audiences with appeals that are nothing more than emotional. But if the intellect is not involved, as soon as the emotional high passes the commitment will vanish.
C. We have rightly taught against these abuses of emotion.
1. Emotion, by itself, is no way to determine what is the right thing to do.
2. Commitments to God must be deeper and more lasting than the emotion of the moment.
3. Preachers must not play on the emotions unethically.
D. But have we not gone to the opposite extreme? Have we not all but eliminated feeling from our service to God?
1. We have largely reduced religion to a matter of rational argument and raw will power.
2. Is it any wonder that so many Christians are falling to the power of temptation?
3. The fact is, intellect and will power alone, unaided by emotion, are no match for the devil.
4. The prevalence of sin among us today, even among gospel preachers, is evidence of the limitations of an approach to religion that emphasizes the head so completely that the heart is all but left out.
5. We are paying a heavy price for having diminished the rightful role of our emotions!
E. We cannot leave out one-third of the mind God gave us and expect to succeed against the forces of evil.
F. The devil attacks the whole person. We had better fight back with the whole person.
IV. BRINGING FEELING BACK INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
A. The Scriptures consistently emphasize that the motivation to resist temptation has as much to do with the heart as the head.
1. We are to obey from the heart the teaching of the gospel – Romans 6:17
2. It is hope that purifies us – 1 John 3:3
3. It is the grace of God that teaches us to deny ungodliness – Titus 2:11-12
a. It is not merely the rational understanding of God’s law that keeps us doing what is right.
b. It is also the heartfelt appreciation for God’s grace!
4. Our failure to be properly motivated by God’s grace stems from self-righteousness.
a. We fail to see the hideous ugliness of our own sins against God, sins that will condemn us forever if we do not devoutly throw ourselves upon the mercy of God.
b. We would not have any trouble living our love for God if we understood how fortunate we are to be loved by Him! Godly zeal is the product of gratitude.
5. This principle is illustrated poignantly in Luke 7:36-50
a. There Jesus rebuked the self-righteous ingratitude of Simon, a Pharisee who had criticized a sinful woman who lovingly approached the Lord.
b. Jesus pointed out that she loved Him more than Simon – Luke 7:46-47
c. Is it not obvious that this woman loved the Lord with a love that had a deep emotional element?
d. If our love for the Lord is lukewarm, it is because we do not see that we have anything very serious to be forgiven. A passionate pursuit of God is only generated when we face the horror of where we are without His grace.
6. The most powerful motive force in the world is a deeply felt appreciation for the forgiveness God mercifully offers us – 1 CO 15:9, 10. The following things should flow in a very natural sequence:
a. Humility, recognition of one’s emptiness and helplessness, genuine penitence – Matthew 5:3-6
b. The reality of God’s forgiveness – Luke 15:18-19
c. Gratitude, heartfelt relief and thankfulness – 1 Timothy 1:12-15
d. Deep love for God based on our gratitude for His grace – Luke 7:47
e. Serious devotion, lifelong obedience and service – 1 Corinthians 15:9-10
B. The Scriptures consistently point to love as the primary ingredient in our relationship to God.
1. Jesus pointed to the central importance of love – Matthew 22:34-40
2. Jesus taught that we will keep His commandments if we love Him – John 14:15
3. It is love that fulfills the law – Romans 13:8-10. Cf.; Galatians 5:13-14
4. Nothing we do in service to God matters if we do not have love – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
5. Love is the goal or purpose of all gospel teaching – 1 Timothy 1:5
6. Love is the greatest of these three: love, hope, and faith – 1 Corinthians 13:13
7. Mutual edification among Christians is for the purpose of stirring up love and good works – Hebrews 10:24
8. The commandments of God are not burdensome when we love Him – 1 John 5:3; Matthew 11:28-30
9. It is the love of Christ that constrains or compels us to live for Him – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
C. It is certainly true that biblical love involves far more than the emotions. Agape love is a benevolent goodwill that will do the right thing even if one does not feel like it. But feelings are an important part of our love for God and man, a part we have downplayed so long that we have practically eliminated it from our teaching and practice.
D. To leave out love, however, is to miss the personal element that ought to be at the heart of our relationship to God.
1. Joseph’s firm No to Potiphar’s wife was not merely a rational decision. He refused to sin against a God who meant something to him personally – Genesis 39:9
2. It was joy that held Paul steady in the face of death for the Lord – Acts 20:24
3. We will make few sacrifices for God if the love we have for Him is not real love for a real Person! – Philemon 3:7-11; 2 Timothy 1:12
4. The thing that most powerfully motivates us ought to be prospect of pleasing God – 2 Corinthians 5:9
V. THE BURNING YES
A. We will find ourselves able to say No to certain things when there is a bigger Yes burning deep within us: a love for God that is as deeply felt as it is rationally reasoned
1. Reason comes to the foot of the mountain; it is the industrious will urged by the passionate heart which climbs the slope (Evelyn Underhill).
2. Another metaphor is that of a train: Reason is the track, and will is the locomotive; but it is emotion that fuels the locomotive.
B. The God who is the object of our vision must be a God we intensely love at the emotional, as well as the rational, level – Hebrews 12:1-2
Conclusion
A. We fight a losing battle trying to do the first works if we have left our first love – Revelation 2:4-5
B. We will have the strength to say No to the devil when we can sincerely say Yes to God – Psalm 40:8
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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An Introduction to Titus – Titus 01:01-04
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Text: Titus 1:1-4
Introduction
1. As the apostles fulfilled their ministry, it lead to the creation of churches
a. Initially established by the preaching of the gospel – Acts 14:1-21
b. Further established by following up – Acts 14:21-23
2. From Acts 14:21-22, we learn that the process of follow up involved:
a. Strengthening the souls of the disciples
b. Exhorting them to continue in the faith
c. Appointing elders in the church
3. The apostles did not always do the follow up themselves:
a. Paul left Timothy in Ephesus – 1 Timothy 1:1-3
b. He also left Titus on the island of Crete – Titus 1:5
Body
I. THE AUTHOR OF THE EPISTLE
A. PAUL
1. Known formerly as Saul of <a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.biblemap.org/#Tarsus”>Tarsus</a>, persecutor of the church – Acts 9:1-2
2. Who became known as the apostle to the Gentiles – Acts 9:15
3. Author of half of the books of the New Testament
B. HIS SELF-IDENTIFICATION
1. A bondservant (slave) of God
a. So James described himself – James 1:1
b. Also Peter and Jude – 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1
c. Paul normally identified himself as a bondservant of Christ, only here does he describe himself as bondservant of God – Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1
2. An apostle of Jesus Christ
a. apostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders
b. An apostle chosen by Christ Himself – Galatians 1:1
3. Paul expresses his objective as an apostle – Titus 1:1-3
a. Proclaim the faith of God’s elect
b. Preach the truth that leads to holy living
c. Nurture hope for eternal life
1) Which God promised before time began
2) And has now made manifest through preaching, as God commanded
4. The epistle itself was written toward fulfilling Paul’s objective as an apostle. Titus assisting him in fulfilling his objective.
II. THE RECIPIENT OF THE EPISTLE (1:4)
A. TITUS, A TRUE SON IN OUR COMMON FAITH
1. Calling him a true son suggests he was a convert of Paul – 1 Corinthians 4:15
2. There is no mention of Titus by name in the book of Acts
3. But we can glean some things about him from the epistles of Paul
B. HIS BACKGROUND
1. He was a Gentile by birth – Galatians 2:3
2. He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem during the controversy over circumcision – Acts 15:1-2; Galatians 2:1-5
3. During Paul’s third journey Titus became his personal emissary to the church at Corinth
a. First seeking to learn how they received his first letter
1) When Titus did not return to Troas as expected, Paul went on to Macedonia – 2 Corinthians 2:12-13
2) There Paul and Titus finally connected, much to Paul’s relief when Titus reported how well he was received by the Corinthians – 2 Corinthians 7:5-7,13-15
b. Paul then sent Titus and two others back to Corinth – 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5
1) Bearing the letter we call Second Corinthians
2) Exhorting the brethren to complete their collection for the needy saints in Jerusalem
C. HIS PRESENT AND FUTURE MINISTRY
1. At the time of Paul’s epistle to Titus – Titus 1:5
a. He had been left on the island of Crete by Paul
b. To set in order the things that are lacking
2. If Paul’s plans as expressed in this epistle materialized – Titus 3:12
a. Titus left soon after the arrival of Artemas or Tychicus
b. He met Paul at Nicopolis in northwest Greece
3. We last read of Titus that he had gone to Dalmatia (in modern Croatia) during the final days of Paul’s life – 2 Timothy 4:10
III. THE TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING
A. THE TIME AND PLACE IS UNCERTAIN
1. Not all are in agreement as to when and where it was written
2. It really doesn’t matter in the final analysis
IV. THE PURPOSE AND CONTENT OF THE EPISTLE
A. THE PURPOSE
1. This letter is written to a young preacher assigned a difficult task
2. The churches on the island of Crete were in need of maturation, and this letter is designed to assist Titus in that work
3. Therefore, Paul wrote to encourage Titus:
a. To see that qualified elders were appointed in every city – Titus 1:5-9
b. To preach things befitting sound doctrine – Titus 2:1
c. To exhort the brethren to be zealous for good works – Titus 2:14; 3:1, 8, 14
B. THE CONTENT
1. The epistle is unique in that every chapter includes the phrase good work(s) – Titus 1:16; Titus 2:7; Titus 2:14; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14
2. Here is a brief outline of the epistle:
a. Introduction – Titus 1:1-4
b. Instructions concerning church organization – Titus 1:5-16
1) Qualifications of elders – Titus 1:5-9
2) Dealing with the insubordinate – Titus 1:10-16
c. Instructions concerning Christian conduct – Titus 2:1-3:11
1) For older men and women – Titus 2:1-3
2) For younger women and men – Titus 2:4-8
3) For servants – Titus 2:9-14
4) For brethren in general – Titus 3:1-11
d. Conclusion – Titus 3:12-15
Conclusion
1. With such an emphasis on good works, an appropriate theme for this epistle would be: Maintain Good Works!
2. In keeping with such a theme, I offer the following passage as the key verse of the epistle:
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. – Titus 3:8
3. As we proceed through this epistle, it will be my prayer and aim that our study will help:
a. To set in order the things that are lacking
b. To encourage one another to be careful to maintain good works
4. Note finally Paul’s greeting to Titus: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior – Titus 1:4
5. Are you lacking in that wonderful grace, mercy, and peace?
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Titus 01:10-16 Those Who Resist Authority
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Text: Titus 1:10-16
Introduction
1. In his epistle to Titus, Paul’s first order of business was to:
a. Remind Titus why he was left on the island of Crete – Titus 1:5
b. Provide the qualifications needed for the appointment of elders – Titus 1:6-9
2. The need for such elders is described in the rest of the first chapter
a. Because of those described as insubordinate – Titus 1:10
b. Who were negatively impacting the churches on Crete – Titus 1:11
3. What does it mean to be an insubordinate?
a. Insubordinate: one who does not submit to authority, mutinous, unruly
b. Insubordination is therefore disobedience and resistance to authority
4. In the setting of our text, that would mean the authority of the apostles of Christ
a. In whose teachings the early church continued steadfastly – Acts 2:42
b. Whose teachings were to be considered on par with the Lord’s – 1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Thessalonians 2:13
5. Insubordination can be a problem in churches today, so we do well to carefully consider the text of our study – Titus 1:10-16
Body
I. Who are We Talking About?
A. IN THE CHURCHES OF CRETE
1. They were idle talkers and deceivers – Titus 1:10
a. More given to talk than practical religion
b. Not honest, seeking to deceive others
c. Such conduct had permeated the character of those living on Crete – Titus 1:12-13a
d. It was also true of those among the circumcision – Titus 1:10
2. Their minds and consciences were defiled – Titus 1:15
a. A natural consequence of deceiving others
b. Their minds and consciences have become corrupted
c. Notice Paul’s description of such people in 1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. They had become abominable and disobedient – Titus 1:16
a. Abominable: detestable to God
b. Disobedient: unwilling to be persuaded and obey
c. Guilty of six things that are an abomination to God – Proverbs 6:16-19
4. They were disqualified for every good work – Titus 1:16
a. Disqualified: literally, reprobate, worthless
b. Of no real value to God, who has created us to walk in good works – Ephesians 2:10
B. IN CHURCHES TODAY
1. Those who resist the authority of the Word are more likely to be given to talk than doing
2. We should beware of those prone to be talkers and not doers
3. They not only deceive others, but themselves as well – James 1:22-26
4. Following them will make our religion useless
II. What difference do they make?
A. IN THE CHURCHES OF CRETE
1. They were subverting whole households – Titus 1:11
a. Turning them away from the faith
b. Not just one member, but entire families!
2. They were teaching things they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain – Titus 1:11
a. Motivated more by popularity and monetary gain
b. Willing therefore to teach things that were not true
B. IN CHURCHES TODAY
1. Insubordinates are also motivated by such things as popularity and monetary gain
2. Who will teach what others want to hear, rather than the Word of God
3. Whose influence will not stop with just one or two, but impact entire families!
III. What should be done?
A. IN THE CHURCHES OF CRETE
1. Their mouths were to be stopped – Titus 1:11
a. It means, properly, to check, or curb, as with a bridle; to restrain, or bridle in; and then, to put to silence
b. It is, of course, implied here that this was to be done in a proper way, and in accordance with the spirit of the gospel
2. They were to be rebuked sharply – Titus 1:13
a. The reproof should be such as would be understood, and would show them plainly the wickedness of such traits of character
b. Titus was not to be mealy-mouthed, but he was to call things by their right names, and not to spare their faults
3. With the goal of helping them to be sound in the faith – Titus 1:13
a. Confronting error has the objective of saving the one in error
b. Not just stopping the spread of error
4. This was the duty, not just of Titus, but of the elders – Titus 1:9
B. IN CHURCHES TODAY
1. We must take insubordination seriously
2. We must stop the spread of false teaching by addressing it plainly
3. We must have in view the salvation of those guilty of insubordination and error
4. This is the duty of both evangelists and elders
5. If the insubordinate fails to repent, then withdrawal is the final option
a. As Paul commanded the church in Rome – Romans 16:17-18
b. As he commanded the church in Thessalonica – 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15
Conclusion
1. We have seen that those who resist the authority of God’s Word
a. Hurt themselves by corrupting their minds and consciences
b. Harm those whom they influence through their teaching
2. Insubordinates must be stopped
a. By rebuking them sharply, hoping they will become sound in the faith
b. If they do not repent, then we must withdraw ourselves from them Elders and evangelists are especially charged with the responsibility of dealing with insubordinates. But every Christian should be on guard against the harmful influence of those who are disobedient and resistant to the authority of God’s Word
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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