TITUS STUDY

[oldhermit]

Chapter 1



I. The Link Between Heaven and Earth, Between God and Man, 1-4
“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, to Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”

A. Here, Paul establishes a linkage between heaven and earth and between God and man. Man does not have to be isolated from his Creator in any kind of irreversible way but, it is impossible for man to create a bridge that will link himself to God. God is the only one who can create a bridge between the two worlds. Paul, as a bond servant of God proclaimed the gospel which is the only means by which man is able to be joined to the Almighty. The deists are wrong who claim that there may be a god, but if there is, he does not intervene in the affairs of man. Paul clearly disagrees.

B. This link is anchored in the eternal will of God because he says that this is, “the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior.” The will of God for the redemption of man had been determined by God from eternity. This will was issued with a promise. It was then manifested in time (given substance). It was then proclaimed to the world by men appointed by God.

In the world of man, time must always catch up to the will of God. The bridge itself is rooted in the integrity of God whom Paul says “cannot lie.” This bridge extends into time and across time by the historical accomplishments of Christ on the cross. It is the gospel of Christ which articulates this bridge. It creates a linguistic link between the will of God and the mind of man. It creates in the mind of man an appreciation of the reality of God. Faith, corresponding to the knowledge of the truth, grounds this bridge in the world of man and gives us “the hope of eternal life.” This is intended to redirect human ambitions to the more noble pursuits of divine will. Believers in particular and the Church in general are charged to defend the integrity of this link, hence Paul's charges Titus in 2:1 to “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.”

 

[BeyondET]

Good study for sure,,,

 

[p_rehbein]

I always figured Christ was the Bridge betwixt God the Father and mankind...............but this works too

” This bridge extends into time and across time by the historical accomplishments of Christ on the cross. It is the gospel of Christ which articulates this bridge. It creates a linguistic link between the will of God and the mind of man. It creates in the mind of man an appreciation of the reality of God. Faith, corresponding to the knowledge of the truth, grounds this bridge in the world of man and gives us “the hope of eternal life.”

 

[p_rehbein]

I am not familiar with Eric Sellgren, but his Sermon is a fairly good read.....

(excerpt)

How could reconciliation come about? It could only come about when a man said, "I am willing to obey you completely and perfectly" - and that is what the Man, Jesus, said. At the same time, it could only come about when God said, "I forgive you", and that is what Jesus came to proclaim. "God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting its sin against it". He said to men, "I offer you forgiveness, free and freely"....... The gulf between men and God was too wide for men to bridge it, so God came in Christ to bridge the gulf.
Now, for a bridge to be effective it has to rest on both sides of the chasm of separation. That is why Jesus had to be totally Man and totally God. If He wasn`t both Man AND God, the bridge wouldn`t have been complete. Because Jesus Christ was totally and completely Man one end of the bridge reached to the MAN SIDE of the chasm - because He was totally and completely God, the other end of the bridge reached to the GOD SIDE of the chasm. It is only as a man walks across that bridge (the Way that Jesus opened up for us through His death on the Cross), that he can come into fellowship with the Father.

Study 6. Jesus - The Bridge Between God And Man sermon, Study 6...


Craig Owens has a fairly good Article on this as well:

Who Can Bridge The Gap Between God And Man? | Craig T. Owens



But who could bridge this chasm? Who could be a mediator between God and man? The only possible candidate would have to be Someone who was both fully God and fully Man—that is Jesus Christ!
Only Jesus can fully and eternally cover our nakedness, remove our fear and shame, and present us without sin before His Father (see Jude 24 and Romans 5:6-11).

 

[oldhermit]

II. The Cohesion Factor, 5-16

Like Timothy, Titus is Charged to Put in Place within the Church a Cohesive Element, 5-16
“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

A. God has installed a pattern for cohesion for the purpose of insuring the integrity of the Body of Christ. For us, cohesion in the Church is never an easy thing to protect but this is something we must regard as a priority. Paul's immediate concern was first for the cohesion of faith. We are to stand against all spiritual enemies and conduct our behavior as children of God in a proper way in all manner of situations, circumstances, and conditions of life.
B. The enemy of cohesion both in the world and in the Church, are the unbelieving who are defiled of both mind and conscience. As Paul says in verse sixteen, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.” When such as these are present in the Church, everything breaks down. The inevitable result then is chaos and the degeneration of the Body.
C. Paul gives us three elements that are necessary to instill cohesion in the Church.

1. The first is reveled truth. “Holding fast thefaithfulword which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sounddoctrine and to refute those who contradict.” The revealed word of God is the only standard of sound doctrine by which one is able to exhort and refute those who contradict. This is the only foundation for cohesion. Anything else is fatal to the body.
2. The second is the leadership of uncompromising men.
Sound doctrine requires good and capable men to teach and defend it. Such men are to be uncompromised by the flesh, by the world, by self-ambition, or by personal weaknesses. It is men of this type who are needed to engage all opposition to sound doctrine.
3. The third element is determinate action. At this point, any and all action undertaken must be designed to result in the complete resolution of those who stand against sound doctrine. The opposition is quite real and so are the dangers it represents, “they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.” Consequently, we must always deal decisively with those who contradict sound doctrine whose motives are described as sordid, for personal gain. It is a point of fact that there are enemies of the faith whom as Paul says, “profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” Dealing with such opposition is the burden of spiritual leadership. If a man is incapable of defending sound doctrine against such as these, or is timid about “refuting those who contradict,” then he has absolutely no business occupying the office of an elder. He becomes part of the problem.

 

[oldhermit]

D. What kind of a man is needed to insure such cohesion in the Body of Christ? 6-9
“If any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”
1. The gender argument
Arguments are often made on the supposed strength of the rendering here of the word τίς as 'man' in a number of translations. But, the gender for an elder cannot be defined on the strength of τίς because τίς is an interrogative or indefinite pronoun (which is determined by the use of the accent) and can be both masculine and feminine. The best rendering of τίς is 'anyone' or someone'.

As in all cases where τίς is used, it is the context that supplies the gender; For example, in Luke 22:56 we see τις (Here in the indefinite spelling) used as a feminine were it says, “a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire....” Gender is supplied by the subject 'maid'. So, the gender of an elder is not defined by the use of τίς but by what follows. The 'anyone' referred to here must be the husband of one wife. This defines the gender of τίς as masculine in this particular verse.
2. What are the qualities of such men?
In 1Timothy 3:2 we see that the qualities of such men are given as an absolute represented by Paul in the word 'must'. Δεῖ properly suggests something that is absolutely necessary and binding. These are not qualities that are subject to human approval, human compromise, or human dismissal. The man who serves in this capacity MUST possess all of thee qualities. “A steward of God” defines the focus of his loyalties. His loyalties belong to God. God lays down the standards by which such men must care for the Church of God.

Paul tells Titus that such men must be blameless – ἀνέγκλητος – is given the negative prefix ἀ signifying 'not' and the root word έγκλητος meaning to make a legal charge against someone in a court of law. So properly, it refers to one who is unconvictable when properly scrutinized. An elder must be of such character that no one can bring a reasonable accusation against him. This is the man whose life is so ordered that he is above any reasonable charge against him in any area of his life either public or private. This is the man whose life is ordered according to every revealed standard of moral integrity to such a degree that he cannot legitimately be called into question. All of the qualifications that follow are simply a reflection of a man of such character. Paul lists four areas in which the elder must be blameless.

a. He must be blameless in his domestic life.

* He must be the husband of one wife – This says two things:

> He cannot be single. He must be a married man.
> He must have only one wife. In other words, he cannot be guilty of having divorced his wife or being a polygamist.

* He must have children who believe.
He must have children of sufficient age to have become believers – children who are also Christians. This is the man who has instructed his children well in the ways of the Lord. Question: Does this mean all of his children or only some of his children? The answer is in what follows.
* His children cannot be accused of dissipation or rebellion.

> Dissipation – From ἀσωτίας meaning 'unsavable'. This ends the question of whether or not “having believing children” refers to all of his children or only some. None of his children can be of this type. He cannot have children who are unredeemable.
> Rebellion – From ἀνυπότακτα – Strong's offers this definition. From ἀ meaning “not” and ὑποκριτήςmeaning “under God's arrangement.” This properly describes one who is unsubmissive, disobedient, unruly, one who is unwilling to submit to God's rule, one who is uncooperative having a defiant attitude towards duly-appointed authority. This is one who is uncontrollable and rebellious.

The man who would serve as an elder of the Lord's body cannot have children that are of such character. An elder must have children who reflect the character of their father. This gives strength to the charge, “having believing children.” This means ALL of his children. The Elder stands as a reflection of Christ. His relationship to his family must reflect the relationship of Christ to his Church.

b. He must be blameless in how he leads the Body of Christ. He must be above reproach as God’s steward. Paul gives us a list of character traits that an elder is not permitted to possess.

* He cannot be self-willed – αὐθάδη – Literally, self-pleasing, also suggests one who is assuming or arrogant. This is the exact opposite of the humble man. This is the man who has a higher regard for himself than for others. This is the man who has a high opinion of himself, who thinks more highly of himself that he ought to think. Such a man cannot properly care for the Body of Christ.

The danger of such a man would be to have a Church that becomes conformed to this man's will rather than that of Christ, a Church that takes on the image of this man rather that the image of Christ. An elder's will must be governed by the will of another – the will of God, not the will of the Church. Elders bear their office by divine approval and are not appointed to appease the ever changing pleasure of those by whom they were appointed. Elders are not permitted to compromise eternal principles simply because the opinions or attitudes of the Church change.

* He cannot be quick-tempered – ὀργίλον – One who is prone to anger or who harbors resentment. An impatient man. A man easily provoked. An elder must be able to deal gently with the erring, the ignorant, and the unlearned. This is priestly function according to Hebrews 5:2.

This too mirrors the character of the Lord in how he must respond to personal attack. “While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1Peter 2:23.

* He cannot be addicted to wine – From Strong's, παροίνιος from παρά meaning very “close beside” and οἶνος meaning wine. Thus one who sits long at his wine, one who is given to wine and drunkenness. Others give it the secondary sense meaning one who is 'quarrelsome over wine' hence, brawling or abusive. The suggestion is that his abuse of strong drink induces this negative and irresponsible behavior.

This same accusation was made against the Lord, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'” Matthew 11:19. Like the Lord, when such an accusation is made of him, he must be innocent of the charge.

* He cannot be pugnacious – πλήκτην – a striker, contentious, quarrelsome, a brawler.
* He cannot be fond of sordid gain – αἰσχροκερδῆ – one who is given to being greedy for money.
All of the are negative traits, personal character flaws that cannot be tolerated in one who serves as an elder. All of these are opportunities for blame against him. An elder's leadership of the Church must reflect the leadership Christ.

c. He must be blameless in judgment. This is yet another reason he cannot be one who “sits long over his wine.” These are character traits he MUST possess.

* What he must be is hospitable – φιλόξενον – Literally, one who loves strangers thus, one who extends hospitality to the stranger.
* Love what is good – φιλάγαθον – A lover of what is intrinsically good. This is one who is a promoter of virtue. By necessary implication, he is one who hates what is evil. This is the character of Christ we find in Hebrews 1:9, “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.”
* Sensible – σώφρονα – From Strong's – One who is of sound mind as opposed to one who is insane. This is the man who is self-controlled, temperate, sober-minded, modest, chaste, self-moderated, referring to what is prudent, a man who is correctly balanced by divine standards. This describes “a man who does not command himself, but rather is commanded by God.”
* Just – δίκαιον – just, righteous, impartial, especially in the eyes of God. According to Thayer, one who is “approved by God, righteous in the eyes of God. This relates to conformity to God's standard of justice.”
* Devout – ὅσιόν, meaning righteous, pure, holy, devout. This is a state of moral character that regulates thought, speech, and behavior. This man must bear the same character as his God. He must be holy in every aspect of his life. How can a man who does not reflect holiness in his life instruct others in how to live holy and godly lives?
* Self-controlled – σώφρονα – The same word is used for sensible, one who is not self-controlled is one who does not have sound judgment. The elder's judgment must reflect the judgment of the Lord.

d. He must be blameless in his teaching. “He must hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching.” An elder's teaching must reflect the teaching of the Lord as well as courage in dealing with the dangerous elements.
* He must be able both to exhort in sound doctrine. This is gentle instruction and encouragement.
* He must be able to refute those who contradict. He cannot be a coward or timid about defending against those who would teach error. This is not the same thing as being gentile with the erring, the ignorant, and the unlearned. This is dealing decisively with those who would destroy the Church through false teaching. Thus, challenging and silencing those “who are defiled and unbelieving” whowould cause division by “upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.” This does not require gentleness but strength and boldness. These people are not simply misguided, they are enemies of the Body of Christ and must be dealt with accordingly. This requires men who are solidly rooted in the word of God to sufficiently answer error with sound doctrine.

In all of these areas, the elder must be blameless. This is a mighty tall order for any man to fill but, considering the awesome nature of the responsibility with which such a one is charged and what is at stake, how could he be anything less and be expected to fulfill such a charge. All of this is to protect the cohesion of the Body of Christ.

 

[Billyd]

As usual, great study.

One of the most difficult things for churches is to find Elders who meet the standards set forth here. How do you suggest that churches select Elders when there are no candidates who meet these standards?

 

[oldhermit]

I will have chapter two ready either late this evening or in the morning.

 

[oldhermit]

As usual, great study.

One of the most difficult things for churches is to find Elders who meet the standards set forth here. How do you suggest that churches select Elders when there are no candidates who meet these standards?

The training of elders and preachers begins with the children. If the Church is not teaching young men how to become elders and preachers, we are not doing our job. It there are no such qualified men to appoint to this position then appoint no one. We do not have either the right nor the divine authority to appoint any who do not meet the revealed conditions. We have no right to compromise this office.

 

[Billyd]

The training of elders and preachers begins with the children. If the Church is not teaching young men how to become elders and preachers, we are not doing our job. It there are no such qualified men to appoint to this position then appoint no one.

I agree that we should appoint no one who is not qualified. I do see a problem when a church has no elders. There are several churches in our area, where the youngest fully qualified elder is in his sixties. Divorce is the main disqualifying factor.

 

[oldhermit]

I agree that we should appoint no one who is not qualified. I do see a problem when a church has no elders. There are several churches in our area, where the youngest fully qualified elder is in his sixties. Divorce is the main disqualifying factor.

Well, I have preached for congregations that had no elders, and taught at congregations that had elders and I can tell you from experience, having no elders is far better than having unqualified elders.

 

[oldhermit]

Chapter 2



I. Creating a Parallel Behavior, READ verses 1-10

A. Parallel behavior
Parallel behavior is behavior that is conformed to revealed guidelines for Christian conduct. The immediate generalization of verses 1-5 is that thought, speech, and behavior must be brought into a parallel condition with revelation.

Parallel behavior is personal conduct that is derived from a close consideration of what Paul says is “fitting for sound doctrine.” This behavior is not specifically stipulated by scripture but it is quite parallel to the meaning of scripture “so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” We dishonor the word of God through ungodly behavior.
B. Parallel behavior is not relative to any particular situation nor is it relative to any contemporary sociology. Parallel behavior is contingent solely upon a revealed structure. Circumstances and situations are not permitted to determine how we behave. Under any given condition we are not permitted to respond to the situation but to the word of God. We must be prepared to bring the word of God to bear upon ever human circumstance. This means that there is no human condition that is not subordinate to the word of God.

This form of personal behavior is fully indebted to the “purity of doctrine” that Paul mentions in verse seven. The purpose of this parallel behavior in the believer is to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”
C. Behavior that is parallel to scripture carries us to a much more perfected understanding of just what it means to be obedient to the word of God. There is also expectation involved here. The end result of which entices us to “look for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...” and to be “zealous for good deeds.”
D. We have already seen what parallel behavior looks like in the office of the elders but, what does parallel behavior look like in the conduct of older men, older women, young women, young men, and servants? A particular behavior must be present in each of these demographics in order to prove that “sound doctrine” is conducive to behavior that “denies ungodliness and worldly desires” and teaches us to “live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age.”

As we examine each of these demographics within the Church, notice that regardless of which group you identify with, most of these behavioral traits are to be common among all.

1. Older men are to be:

a. Temperate – From HELPS Word-studies “to be sober, …, not intoxicated. [This also refers to one who is] free from negative influences [of any type], figuratively, [of one who is] clear-minded; [One who thinks] circumspectly, [who is] free from life-dominating influences.” The word of God has to be the overriding influence in his life.
b. Dignified – σεμνούς – Giving honor to what is deserving of due reverence, in this case the word of God.
c. Sensible – One who is of sound mind according to revealed conditions of acceptable thought. The word of God is the standard for what is acceptable. His thought must reflect the thoughts of God as much as they are revealed to us in the Word of God. This is the man who has come to thinks God's thoughts. This can only happen when the mind has been transformed by sound doctrine.
d. Sound in faith, in love, and perseverance. One whose faith and love has matured by reason of much use. This is the basis for endurance. James 1:3 tells us this, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

2. Older women are to likewise be:

a. Reverent in their behavior
Ellicott observes that, “The Greek word rendered ‘in their behavior,' or 'in demeanor,' includes dress, appearance, conversation, and manner.” Her demeanor must reflect an internal dignity. “There should be something in her general appearance, in her dress, in her speech, in her every-day behavior, that the younger [and less matured] sister could respect and reverence [and hold up as] an ideal she might hope one day...to reach.”
b. Not a malicious gossip – a better rendering of διαβόλους would be slanderer or false accuser. This is someone who makes charges against another in order to destroy that person and the implication is that the accusations are false. This is Satan's role and he uses this tool to destroy the cohesion of the Body and he does not need any help from us to do this. We need to refrain from this kind of destructive behavior.
c. Not enslaved to much wine
d. Teach what is good so that they may encourage the young women in their conduct.

3. Young women are to:

a. Love their husbands
b. Love their children
c. Be sensible – σώφρονας – of sound mind, self-controlled, temperate, sober-minded, modest. This is a state of sound mind that does NOT owe its existence to common sense, but to the word of God. This is a mind that is given over to revealed instruction for proper living. The word of God, not social media, must govern our pattern of thought and behavior.
d. Be pure – innocent, free from sin.
e. Be workers at home. This is not a prohibition. She is not to neglect the home in whatever else she may do.
f. Be kind
g. Be subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
This honors a revealed typology as it relates to the woman and her relation to man, to God, and to the Body of Christ. For her to refuse to be subject to her own husband is to stand in violation of the type. She is a representation of the Church and must reflect how the Church is to behave toward the Lord. As the Church is to be subject to the Lord, the woman is to be subject to her husband.

4. Young men are to be:

a. Sensible – the same as to the older men and to the women. One who is of sound mind according to revealed conditions of acceptable thought. His thought must reflect the thoughts of God as much as they are revealed to us in the Word of God.
b. Show himself to be an example of good deeds in all things with purity in doctrine. The word here for doctrine is διδασκαλία – teaching, instruction. So, he must be the embodiment of pure and sound doctrine and in his teaching, he must be:
c. Dignified – same admonition given to the older men in verse two. Giving honor to that which deserves due reverence, in this case the word of God.
d. He must “Be sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” Your words will destroy you more quickly than your behavior.

5. Servants are be:

a. Subject to their own masters in everything.
b. To be well-pleasing
c. Not argumentative – This is necessarily contrary to obedience.
d. “Not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

This is what proper cohesion looks like in the Church of God. Cohesion can only be seen in the behavior of its members as it reflects the standard of parallel behavior that has been delivered to us by the Lord.

 

[Bladerunner]

Chapter 1



I. The Link Between Heaven and Earth, Between God and Man, 1-4
“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, to Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”

A. Here, Paul establishes a linkage between heaven and earth and between God and man. Man does not have to be isolated from his Creator in any kind of irreversible way but, it is impossible for man to create a bridge that will link himself to God. God is the only one who can create a bridge between the two worlds. Paul, as a bond servant of God proclaimed the gospel which is the only means by which man is able to be joined to the Almighty. The deists are wrong who claim that there may be a god, but if there is, he does not intervene in the affairs of man. Paul clearly disagrees.

B. This link is anchored in the eternal will of God because he says that this is, “the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior.” The will of God for the redemption of man had been determined by God from eternity. This will was issued with a promise. It was then manifested in time (given substance). It was then proclaimed to the world by men appointed by God.

In the world of man, time must always catch up to the will of God. The bridge itself is rooted in the integrity of God whom Paul says “cannot lie.” This bridge extends into time and across time by the historical accomplishments of Christ on the cross. It is the gospel of Christ which articulates this bridge. It creates a linguistic link between the will of God and the mind of man. It creates in the mind of man an appreciation of the reality of God. Faith, corresponding to the knowledge of the truth, grounds this bridge in the world of man and gives us “the hope of eternal life.” This is intended to redirect human ambitions to the more noble pursuits of divine will. Believers in particular and the Church in general are charged to defend the integrity of this link, hence Paul's charges Titus in 2:1 to “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.”

Hey old Friend, Have not seen you on here in a while. You have a good post here.... very good... Thanks

He you have a blessed day!

Blade

 

[oldhermit]

II. The Function of Revelation, 11-14

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
The function of revelation is pedagogical. It becomes a manifesto for constrained thought, speech, and behavior. The word of God then is a set of revealed constraints that teaches us how to govern our lives.
A. It teaches us to be self-controlled so that we may be able to “deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”
B. It teaches us a proper expectation, “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
C. It teaches us gratitude to God and obligation to purity, “Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession.”
D. It teaches us obligation to others – to be “zealous for good deeds.” This behavior will always be ‘others’ oriented.
E. It teaches us how to preserve the cohesion of the body, “Speak and exhort and reprove with all authority.”

 

[oldhermit]

Chapter 3



I. A Revealed Enlightenment to Godly Living, 1-15
“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.”

“When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”

A. Here is yet another standard of thought, speech, and behavior being brought to bear on the human condition.
Paul labels humanly derived standards of thought, speech, and behavior as foolishness. “For we also once were foolish ourselves.” Paul describes the foolishness of humanly derived standards of conduct as disobedience, deception, being enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice, envy, hate, and hating one another.This is truly a worthless life.

This type of behavior must be transformed before we can pursue spiritually productive endeavors. We must learn to be peaceable, gentle, and considerate of all men. This transformation of human conduct owes its existence to “the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind.” It is only through the kindness and love of God that this is even possible.
B. Believers possessed of 'revealed enlightenment' are not to be preoccupied with peripheral matters, nor are we to be concerned with the superficial. The focus of our behavior is to “engage in good deeds.” This means that our focus must be redirected to “meet the pressing needs” of others. Nothing will remain static in life when revealed enlightenment is applied to all human situations. The human condition is now improved because of a transformed behavior. This behavior has a positive effect on not only the Church but society as well.
C. How is this behavior reflected pragmatically?

1. It makes us better citizens of society. “Be subject to rulers, to authorities, be obedient.” How do we do this so that God will be honored?

a. By honoring those whom God has placed over us, both in the Church and in society.
b. By obeying civil law.
c. By keeping our yard clean.
d. By paying our bills.
e. By being honest in all of our dealings.
f. By keeping our word.
g. By caring for the needs of others.
e. By loving our neighbor.
f. Etc, etc, etc….

2. Revealed enlightenment fosters generosity and compassion. It enables us to “Be ready for every good deed.” This requires us to be vigilant and active in things that are good, beneficial, and that “meet pressing needs.”
3. It teaches us to be respectful of all men. “Malign no one.” Speak evil against no one. We are to preserve the dignity of all men, even to the most marginalized of society.


The classic movie, To Kill Mockingbird, with Gregory Peck.
“’Hello Boo.’ ‘Mary Louise Cunningham, Mr. Arthur Ratliff.” Here was the most marginalized person of the community yet, Gregory Peck would have his daughter show him the dignity and respect that is properly due to all men.

4. It creates a controlled demeanor. “Be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”
5. It teaches us to discern between what is profitable and unprofitable. “Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” Such things are unworthy of our time.
6. It teaches us discretion in dealing with false teachers who would divide the Body. “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” There is nothing to be gained by continuing to admonish and tolerate such a person.


II. The Book of Titus is a Manifesto for the Fabric of Faith.
A. In chapter one, we learned that God created a bridge between himself and the world of man. AND, that:
B. The cohesion of faith among believers can be achieved through obedience to this bridge - the word of God.
C. In chapter two, we learned that revealed enlightenment leads to a transformation of human behavior. Old behaviors are replaced by more dignified behaviors.
D. In chapter three, we learned that parallel behavior pushes revelation into pragmatic application. Our lives must become a reflection of the word of God.
E. The purpose of all of this is to actively deploy the faith in Christ over the entire globe. This is done in the way we:

1. Transform our own behavior in learning how to “Deny ungodliness and worldly desires and live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”
2. By “Not stealing, but showing all good faith so that [we can] adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”
3. By subjecting ourselves to rulers and authorities
4. By availing ourselves to every good deed
5. By showing respect to all.
6. By behavingpeaceably, gently, and showing every consideration for all men
7. By teaching the world how to “look for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...”

So, the fabric of faith then consists of three things – revealed truth, the demonstration of faith in the individual believer, and availing ourselves to good deeds.

Paul does not present the fabric of faith as some mere abstract. Faith is the superstructure for all true believers. More than that, this living structure serves the Lord as a supernatural symbol to the world. But, a tear in the fabric of faith becomes a very real danger if faith is distanced from this book (the Bible). Prevention of a tear in the fabric of faith is a burden shared by all believers. Culture, sociology, and all other outside influences continue to test our resolve to preserve this fabric of faith.

 

[Stephen63]

I noticed that Paul sent Titus to appoint preaching elders to the home churches in Crete.

Does that insinuate Titus was more than a "pastor" of his area?

Some believe Timothy & Titus were working under Paul as apostles themselves, otherwise they wouldn't have such authority in the first place..... jus' sayin'.

 

[oldhermit]

I noticed that Paul sent Titus to appoint preaching elders to the home churches in Crete.

Does that insinuate Titus was more than a "pastor" of his area?

Some believe Timothy & Titus were working under Paul as apostles themselves, otherwise they wouldn't have such authority in the first place..... jus' sayin'.

I think you are misusing the term pastor as it appears in scripture. The modern day common use of this word bears no resemblance to its use in scripture.

 

[Stephen63]

I think you are misusing the term pastor as it appears in scripture. The modern day common use of this word bears no resemblance to its use in scripture.

I noticed that Paul sent Titus to appoint preaching elders to the home churches in Crete.

Does that insinuate Titus was more than a "elder"(corrected) of his area?

Some believe Timothy & Titus were working under Paul as apostles themselves, otherwise they wouldn't have such authority in the first place..... jus' sayin'.

Some believe Timothy & Titus were working under Paul as apostles themselves, otherwise they wouldn't have such authority in the first place.

What is your view?

 

[oldhermit]

Some believe Timothy & Titus were working under Paul as apostles themselves, otherwise they wouldn't have such authority in the first place.

What is your view?

I am very busy at present. I will be happy to respond as soon as possible.

 

[Stephen63]

I am very busy at present. I will be happy to respond as soon as possible.

You weren't so busy 13 minutes ago.....

Re: "EIS" OR "DIA" OR "HOTI" ??

Friend, your research on 'eis' is not only very selective but also very unschollarly and misrepresentative.

Originally Posted by Johnny_B

Εἰς
​

Root meaning: within, in. It was derived from ἐν and gradually took over its functions, so much so that in Modern Greek ἐν does not occur. In comparison into, in;as εἰσελθεῖν, to go into.
Resultant meaning: with the accusative case: into, unto, to, for. These meanings are very common. Εἰς is used more than seventeen hundred times in the New Testament, and only with the accusative case............Remote meanings:...This use is common in the papyri........(7) Because of Romans 4:20. εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, but because of the promise of God he did not waver in unbielf (cf. Matthew 3:11; Mark 2:18; Romans 4:20; Titus 3:14)




There is not one single English translation of which I am aware (and I have examined dozens) that translates εἰς as 'because of' in either Romans 4:20, Matthew 3:11, or Titus 3:14. Each of these texts are represented by forward motion movement or with the use of 'at,' but never 'because of.'' This is blatant and deliberate misrepresentation. Also, εἰς does not even appear in the text of Mark 2:18. Here, the word is Διὰ which is commonly translated as in, by, or through.

The sentence



μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ, κα with this verse we haveὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ in Matthew12:31 and Luke 12:32 is forceful evidence for a casual use of this preposition. What led to their repentance? Of course, it was Jonah's preaching. Matthew 3:11 furnishes future evidence: ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν. Did John baptize that they might repent, or because of repentance? If the former, we have no further Scriptural conformation of it. I the latter, his practice was confirmed and followed by the apostles, and is in full harmony with Christ's demand for inward, genuine righteousness. In connection with this verse we have the testimony of the first-century writer to the effect that John the Baptist baptized people only after they had repented. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter 5, section 2: "Who (John) was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another and piety towards Hod, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing (with water) would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness." (I want to add, Luke 3:8 "He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”)




There is no such thing as the 'casual use' of εἰς. This is an idea that was fabricated by A.T. Robertson in an attempt to change the language of the text. His claim is completely without evidence and is by his own admission, completely driven by his soteriology rather than by any rules of grammar. There are a few like Monty who finally agreed with him but the greater body of Greek scholarship regard this as complete foolishness. See what such scholars as Mounce, Beauer, McCord, Crouch, Wallace, Bruce, Clark, Moule, Block, and a host of others who are of Roberson's class who stand diametrically opposed to his fabricated use of εἰς and his attempt to reconstruct this text, and they oppose Robertson on the basis of the rules of grammar.

Again, no translation offers 'because of' as an option in Matthew12:31, Luke 12:32. The word commonly used here for εἰς is 'at' and properly so. The preaching of Jonah was the focal point of their repentance.


ii. D



eissmann in Light From the Ancient East gives several convincing quotations from the papyri to prove that



πίστὐεινεἰς αὐτὸν meant surrender or submission to. A slave was sold into the name of the god of a temple; i.e., to be a temple servant. G. Milligan agrees with Deissmann that this papyri usage of εἰς αὐτὸν, ​is also found regularly in the New Testament. Thus to believe on or to consider oneself the life-time serene of Jesus.




This is true but, you are completely misunderstanding what is being said here. In the classical style of the first century language the phrase "εἰς τὸ ὄνομα" - "into the name of" was often used as a legal term. This expression is found among ancient legal documents that recorded the transfer of property. For example, if one purchased a section of land, or a slace, or a dwelling for example, a title transfer would be drawn up to show that this property was now εἰς τὸ ὄνομα - in the name of - the new owner. When Jesus commanded his disciples to preach the gospel to every creature and baptize them εἰς τὸ ὄνομα the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, what he is commanding them to do is to baptize them into the possession of God. Christians are the objects of a property transfer - "out of the kingdom of darkness and into his marvelous light." Baptism then is a property transfer. This same language is used in Acts 2:38. Peter commanded those present to be baptized ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι - into the name of - thus into the possession of Jesus Christ.
You may want to see Wallace on this point.


Manley says that



εἰς is always used in the Accusative case, here's what Machen says about Accusative case, in his book, New Testament Greek for Beginners. Accusative case: for direct object, 34; after prepositions expressing motion towards, 82; as subj. of infix., 304, 306, 534; acc. of extent of space and time, 382; of specification, 470.

304 is the only one that applies to Acts 2:38. 304. ​So far, the infinitive has been viewed as a noun. But it is also part of a verb, and apart of a verb it can have not only, as the participle can, adverbial modifies and a direct object, but also, unlike the particle, a subject. The subject of the infinitive is in the accusative case. Example 4 is the only one using εἰς. (4) ταῦτα δὲ εἶπον ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μὴ γενένθαι ὑμᾶς δούλους τῆς ὰμαρτίας, ​and these things I said to you, with the tendency toward the result that you should not become servants of sin, or and these things I said to you in order that you might not become servants of sin.


Yes, εἰς is ALWAYS in the accusative case in the NT. I am not sure what point you are trying to make here.


Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest who taught Konié Greek at Moody Bible Institute, here's what he had to say that is a quote from Dana & Mantey.

BAPTIZE UNTO REPENTANCE. John the Baptist makes the statement, " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance" (Matthew 3:11). peter says, "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38) The word "unto: signifies "result." For instance, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16) The word "for" in the second text has the same meaning. Are we to understand that water baptism as administered by John the Baptist and Peter, resulted in the repentance of those who were the recipients of it, in the face of the fact that repentance is a work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the unsaved, this repentance being "unto life," that is, resulting in life (Acts 11:18)?



Yes, εἰς points forward to a result, never backward to a causation. The result is the forgiveness of sin. See Beauer.


The words "unto" and "for" in Matthew 3:11 and Acts 2:38 are from the Greek preposition εἰς. Dana & Mantey in their excellent treatment of Greek presuppositions based upon the papyri findings, give as one of the uses this word, "because of" This usage is found in Matthew 12:31 where men of Nineveh repented at or becauie of the preaching of Jonah, and in Romans 4:20, where Abraham did not stagger in unbelief, because of the promise of God. The word "stagger" here id from a Greek word which means "to vacillate between two opinions." Thus it was the repentance of those who received John's message which was the cause of their baptism. The same was true of Peter's at Pentecost. John's words were, "I indeed baptize you with water because of repentance," and Peter's, "Repent. everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ because of the remission of sins." That this is the correct translation and interpretation of our texts is also seen in the testimony of Josephus to the effect John the Baptist only baptized people only after they repented: (these are the same quote of Josephus and Dana & Mantey gave)......



I have already adressed this earlier. The proper rendering for εἰς in Matt 12:31 is 'at' not 'because of' and you will not find a schollar anywhere who would dare place his reputation on the line to translate this as 'because of' in any NT translation.