The Church of Divine Guidance (CDG) Sunday morning adult bible study group is studying Paul's pastoral Epistle (Letter) to his "true son", Titus. These posts are my notes for each session. Please study with us. You can participate by asking your questions or making comments in the comments below. We welcome your thoughts and prayers
Introduction
Paul makes it clear in this part of his letter to Titus, what we know as chapter 3, that a major result of the gospel and Christian doctrine is that believers should demonstrate good works. In our very first session in chapter 1 we said that you could recognize that a person truly knows God by their actions or works. Not works leading to salvation but works because of salvation. 
Titus 1:16 (HCSB) They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.
Paul was writing to Titus about false teachers and those who were following them. If you can recognize these folk by their works or actions then the opposite would be true as well. Those who know God will be known by their works also. In their case it would be good works. Works done in love.
Here’s something that Jesus said;
Matthew 7:15-20 (HCSB)15 “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary says; The grace of God is the root; the good works are the fruit.
We finished our study last week talking about grace, and Pastor’s bible study on Tuesday was on grace.
Titus 2:11-14 (HCSB)11 For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people,12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,13 while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.14 He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
All God's promises and saving work from the beginning of have revealed his grace; starting with Him killing an animal and clothing Adam and Eve after they had sinned and reaching it’s highest point, although not the end of His grace, with salvation through Jesus for the remission of all of our sins and redeeming us. All His blessings and gifts have been designed to lead men to repentance
Grace not only saves, but also teaches and trains us. God's grace teaches us to refuse to sin and live in obedience.
Titus 3: 1-15
1. How does God want us to respond to authority?
Titus 3:1 (HCSB) Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
Christians need to be good citizens and obey the government. (However, Christians should never do something that is against God's laws.)
Romans 13:1-4 (HCSB)1 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God.2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.4 For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
All authority comes from God to protect citizens. When rulers of a country make good laws then that country will be a safe and a peaceful place.
Paul also wrote Timothy about praying for those in authority
1 Timothy 2:1-3 (HCSB)1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,
We are to pray for everyone but specifically for those in authority so that we (the church, believers) can live a quiet life and worship in peace and safety. We are blessed that we can do it here but there are many places where the government doesn't or can't provide peace and safety for Christians or others to worship in peace and safety.
At the time, that Paul wrote his letters highest government official would have been for the emperor in Rome he would have other Roman rulers supporting him. Christians should pray for all those who govern them. They should pray for them, whether they are good or bad. What the government leaders do and say will affect the lives of all the people. The purpose in praying for them is that they will govern well. The prayer is that all that they do will be for the good of the people. The Christians should pray that the government will enable us to live and worship in peace.
2. In addition to having respect for those in authority how are Christians to treat everybody?)
Titus 3:2 (HCSB) to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.
Christians should show love and kindness to everybody because that is what the gospel is all about. Our example is Christ. God is love. Christians can have opinions, we don't have to agree with everyone but our disagreements shouldn’t end in anger or fighting. .
1 Peter 2:21-23 (HCSB)21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps.22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth;23 when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
It was important that Titus remind them that now that they had received God's grace they need to remember what they were like before they were saved. We would be smart to remember too.
3. What were we like before we are saved?
Titus 3:3 (HCSB) For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.
We must not forget what we were like before we were saved and that’s why we should have compassion for those who are not.
4. What saved us from our foolishness?
Titus 3:4 (HCSB) But when the goodness of God and His love for mankind appeared,
Grace and love appeared in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. Mankind was pitiful before and was lost in sin with no way out. Let’s go back to what we read last week.
Titus 2:11-14 (HCSB)11 For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people,12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,13 while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.14 He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
5. Why does God save people?
For doing good works.
6. What role does the Holy Spirit play in a person’s salvation?
Titus 3:5-6 (HCSB)5 He saved us— not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.6 He poured out this ⌊Spirit⌋ on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Salvation is a gift of God's grace. Not because of anything we have done,even those good things we did. He saved us according to His mercy and grace. Once saved the Holy Spirit renews us and gives us the power to please God.
7. What is the result of being justified?
Titus 3:7 (HCSB) so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
Romans 8:16-17 (HCSB)16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
It was God’s purpose that by his grace he should save and justify us. When Jesus Christ died, that paved the way for God to forgive all our sin. When were were saved He justified us and made us righteous, or in right standing with Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (HCSB)17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
So now that we have been justified and have become a new creature and renewed we have the power through the Holy Spirit to enjoy a new quality of life. And when we die, our spirit will be with the Lord.
8. What did Paul tell Titus to stress? Why?
Titus 3:8 (HCSB)8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.
The trustworthy saying was what he just said about the believer being saved by God’s grace and as a result of that the believer has had the Holy Spirit poured out on them justifying them and making them joint heirs with Christ. He told Titus to insist on those things, to stress them, repeat these things over and over and it's good for us to be reminded over and over about the same things. Then we will be pron to do the good works that God saved us for which will in turn be examples for others.
9. Why is it important to avoid controversies and arguments?
Titus 3:9 (HCSB) But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
We could go back to our study of Timothy to answer that question.
2 Timothy 2:14 (HCSB) Remind them of these things, charging them before God not to fight about words; this is in no way profitable and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
Don't quibble over words but seek the truth. Quarreling affects both those who quarrel and those who listen to them. It wears people out and causes people to question their faith. It's a waste of time to argue over unimportant things because you are probably not going to be able to get them to change their minds anyway.
10. A person who argues all the time can be very divisive. How does Paul say we should treat this kind of person?
Titus 3:10-11 (HCSB)10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning,11 knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.
When a person keeps arguing, they can cause trouble. They are proud and won't listen to other people. A person who is like that can confuse new Christians. And he can divide a group of Christians. Paul says to warn them once or twice. In warning him he was to correct the person by showing them where they were wrong. That would give them a chance to change. If the man continued to cause trouble, he would become a false teacher. Titus and the Christians had to avoid him.
Paul said something similar to Timothy.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (HCSB)1 But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days.2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!
11. Why is it important for Christians to do what is good?
Titus 3:12-15 (HCSB)12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.14 And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so that they will not be unfruitful.15 All those who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.
After a few personal notes, Paul gives the final reiteration of the main burden of his letter—that the believers should be careful to maintain good works. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Next Week we are going to start a study of the Holy Spirit, His position and role in the Trinity, His relationship with the believer, evidence of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, etc. I don't know how long the study is last other than it will last as long as the Lord has something for us to lean on this topic. So pray for me that I will allow the Holy Spirit the guide me as I study and prepare for you.
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