Titus 3:7-11
Titus 3:7
"That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life."
"That being justified"
Justification is God's act of grace by which He pardons a sinner and declares
him righteous on account of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Remission of sin, absolution from guilt, and freedom from punishment are
part of justification.
Justification is an act of God's grace. It begins in His free, unmerited
favor, and it is given to us as part of our union with Christ by faith.
In order to be justified, a person must be given a righteousness equivalent
to God's perfect righteousness. Hence, imputation precedes justification.
Imputation is the charging to the account of one person something which
properly belongs to another. The Lord Jesus Christ shares his perfect righteousness
with the believer, Rom. 3:22; 4:11; 9:30-32; 4:4,5 **.
Topic: IMPUTATION
Because righteousness has been imputed to us, God calls us "justified".
"Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness."
Hence, imputation of righteousness on the basis of faith brings about justification.
The means of justification is redemption, Rom. 3:24. "Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
Topic: REDEMPTION
Justification produces reconciliation. Rom. 5:1
Because God the Father is satisfied (propitiation), we are freely justified.
Justification occurs at the moment of a person's faith in Jesus Christ,
Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Gal.3:24.
Justification does not occur through keeping the Law of Moses, Gal. 2:16.
Justification during the believer's lifetime is described in James 2:21-25.
This is the function of the Faith-Rest principle in living the Christian
Way of Life under grace.
The principle of temporal justification is found in Matt. 11:19 and Luke
7:35.
Topic: PROPITIATION
Topic: RECONCILIATION
"we should be made heirs"
We are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ. This is not only a future
hope, but it is also a present reality. We are heirs of eternal life, but
we are not entirely in actual possession of it. We will receive our full
inheritance when Christ comes for His Church.
Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, and as the victor in the spiritual conflict,
is the heir of all things. Heb. 1:1-4
Inheritance is based on sonship:
John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Rom. 8:16,17, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs
with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified
with Him.
Gal. 3:26-29, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free
man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according
to promise.
To inherit from God, a person must possess the life of God, that is, salvation
resulting in eternal life.
Titus 3:5-7
1 John 5:11,12 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does
not have the Son of God does not have the life.
Therefore, salvation is the qualification for inheriting from God.
Col. 1:9-14
We have an inheritance because we share the destiny of Christ. The true
doctrine of predestination is that we share Christ's destiny.
Eph. 1:11 "also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined
according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,"
As joint-heirs with Christ, we also share Christ's election.
Heb. 9:15, And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in
order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions
that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called
may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Our heritage is a Christian's permanent possession.
1 Pet. 1:3-5, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an
inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through
faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance.
Eph. 1:14
Abraham's inheritance is the pattern and illustration of the heritage of
believers.
Rom. 4:9-16
"according to the hope of eternal life"
or, "according to confidence in eternal life"
See the discussion of hope (elpis) in Lesson 1, Titus 1:2
Topic: HOPE
Titus 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 them."
Paul draws a striking relationship between high spiritual doctrine and the
conduct that is expected.
First he says, "these truths are reliable and trustworthy." Then
he urges Titus to "affirm them confidently." The objective is
that doctrine clearly taught, and accepted by faith, will produce good works
in the lives of the hearers.
Right beliefs must result in fruit in the Christian life. Good works are
a logical and necessary result of true learning of the principles of the
grace of God. And this fact must be emphasized to those "who have believed
God," the people whose faith has brought them into a personal relationship
with the Lord Himself.
Christians must give serious thought to this obligation and be outstanding
in the practice of good works. "These things are excellent in themselves
as spiritual truth, and as such they are valuable for good and holy living."
Titus 3:9
"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."
"But avoid..." - "to shun; to turn oneself around"
Compare the idea of "profitable" in verse 8 with the "unprofitable"
things of verse 9.
The words "foolish questions, genealogies, contentions, strivings about
the law" indicate the content and spirit of the heretical Jewish teaching
on Crete which was the subject of Titus 1:14. This is not a reference to
the legitimate study of the Law and the Prophets, the Old Testament scriptures
which are so rich in content for all Christians.
The "gainsayers", the false teachers, were concerned with silly
questions, with filling in the genealogies of the Old Testament with fictitious
people and spinning stories about them. Such teaching simply promoted argument
and strife.
These are "vain" activities, "empty" exercises which
are useless, morally fruitless, and not worthy of time and serious consideration.
Titus 3:10
"A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject:"
A heretic is a factious person (hairetikos). This is the only place the
word appears in the New Testament. It means a person who is quarrelsome
and stirs up factions through promotion erroneous opinions. The heretic
is determined to go his own way and to take others with him, so he forms
parties, cliques, conspiracies. His self-chosen opinions are outlines in
verse 9.
It is *not* heresy to be wrong about doctrine, or to be in error. Otherwise,
we would all be heretics at one time or another. The heretic in this verse
is an activist who does not respond to careful and loving teaching (speaking,
exhorting, and rebuking). He is rebellious and is trying to raise a following.
Titus is commanded to give the heretic every encouragement and opportunity,
"a first and second admonition." He is to be reprimanded once
and again with straight talk. If this fails, then the heretic is to be "rejected"
that is, Titus is to "refuse" him, to have nothing to do with
him. He is to be left to himself.
Factious men are often pushed into prominence by the attacks of Christians
upon them, whereas, if they were left alone, they would of themselves come
to nothing.
However, remember, that a very different rule of action is called for in
cases where the error is not foolish, but vital and fundamental, or where
the offense involves immorality. See 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 1 Tim. 1:19,20.
Topic: HERESY AND APOSTASY
Titus 3:11
"Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned
of himself."
"Knowing that" means that the heretic's refusal to listen has
shown Titus what the man is.
As to his character, he is shown to be "subverted", or "perverted",
in the process of "being twisted", or turned out of the right
way. His refusal to heed strong teaching shows that his error is of the
heart, as well as of the mind.
As to his conduct, he "sins" and goes on sinning, both by his
divisiveness and his refusal to listen to admonition.
Therefore he is "self-condemned." He may not be conscious of his
condemnation, but by his actions he passes judgment upon himself.
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