Title [Text: Titus 3:8-15]
This text is Paul's final exhortation to Titus. As I close the letter, I am giving the most important advice. I am going to introduce only four of them and try to receive grace.
1. “Speak firmly” (8)
It means to firmly state the above-mentioned truth. The message is to speak the gospel firmly, such as God's mercy and love, regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through Christ, and making you heirs according to the hope of eternal life. A strong gospel witness is the attitude that all witnesses will take. However, we are very passive. Because they have no confidence in the gospel.
I hope that the saints will obey the Lord's command to "speak firmly." It is reminiscent of the dignifiedness of Moses, who stood before Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus and strongly commanded, "Send my people." He too was afraid of Pharaoh at first, but he became more and more confident as he followed God's commands. Experience brings boldness. Please keep in mind that by accumulating the experience of witnessing the gospel, you can become more boldly preaching the gospel. There are three reasons to say so strongly in the text.
① Christians will be careful. That is, we are careful not to be deceived by false Christs. It is the most important part of the saints. We become deceived and fall for the moment. I hope that you will become Christians who know the truth and are always careful.
② We will strive for good works. Those who know the truth tend to strive for good works.
③ Because it benefits everyone. The gospel is beneficial to everyone. That's why you can say it's beautiful. During this year, we hope that we will become believers who spread the gospel more boldly.
2. Said to “Avoid” (9)
3. He was told to “stay away” (10-11)
This is how to deal with people who belong to heresy. Heresy literally means sect or sect. By insisting on their claims, they created factions or factions and enjoyed fighting the established orthodoxy.
Heresy in the text refers to the false teachers who prevailed in the Crete church. They opposed the correct teachings and traditions of the church by arguing about the Law, the genealogy stories, and the false stories of the Jews. Paul offers a way to deal with them.
① I told you to discipline me once or twice. It is to exhort and rebuke them to accept God's work of redemption and the doctrine of the church. Those who accept admonition and repent must forgive. However, it is very difficult for a person who has fallen into heresy to turn back.
② I told you to stay away. It means that you have to go to church and don't come close to them personally. Because if you remain in the church, you run the risk of enticing, misleading, and confusing the members. (2 Peter 2:1-3) Heretics are overflowing around us. I hope that we all have the wisdom to actively defend the truth and speak out loudly, while passively staying away from them. Therefore, I hope that we will become saints who will protect ourselves more thoroughly in the last days.
4. “Teach them to work hard on good things” (12-15).
Paul knew Titus' difficulties. So they tried to dispatch faithful servants who could help Titus, such as Ademana, Tychicus, Senah, and Apollos. Through this cooperation, the church can become more like a church and stand stronger. But the problem was to set up a life plan for them. He told them to treat them so that they would not be in need, and to teach the saints to work hard in this work. To serve the servants of the Lord is the most precious and blessed thing. The saints should enjoy the blessing by learning and putting this into practice. The story of the widow of Zarephath who served Elijah (1 Kings 17:8-24) and the story of the Shunammite woman who served Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37) are stories that give us great inspiration and lessons. These things are only possible when we have faith and a heart that fears God. I hope that all the saints will be greatly blessed by keeping these last counsels of Paul in their hearts and putting them into practice.
January 28, 2001