Lesson No. 56—God Expects You to Know Your Bible.

LESSON THEME:—TITUS

Titus 2:11-15.

• KEY WORD—”GOOD WORKS.”

• KEY VERSE—Titus 2:7.

• KEY PHRASE—”THE VIRTUES AND GRACES OF CHURCH OFFICERS AND CHURCH MEMBERS.”

Home Readings.

This brief letter sets forth 70 virtues and graces to be sought, and 30 vices to be shunned.

For family altar read:

• Sunday—A church officer should be a man of blameless character,—Titus 1:1-9.

• Monday—Rebuke false teachers,—Titus 1:10-16.

• Tuesday—Some virtues to be practice,—Titus 2:1-8.

• Wednesday—Christians should be a select people,—Titus 2:9-15.

• Thursday—Live as one regenerated and renewed,—Titus 3:1-7.

• Friday—Messages to Timothy and Titus have same emphasis,—1 Timothy 6:1-12.

• Saturday—Be devoted to good works,—Titus 3:9-15.

WRITER—Paul.

DATE—About 65 A. D. the same as I Timothy.

TO WHOM WRITTEN—Titus was a Gentile and Paul’s child in the faith, Titus 1:4. Also one of his co-workers, 2 Corinthians 8:23. When the church council was held at Jerusalem, Acts 15:13-19, to decide whether the Gentile Christians must be circumcised or not, Titus was made the test case and Paul’s plea for freedom from Jewish ordinances was granted. As Paul’s trusted friend, he went to Corinth with both the first and second epistles and tactfully and successfully persuaded the church to do the right thing in discipline and in the matter of divisions. Paul made a missionary journey to the island of Crete, and left Titus there in charge of the work. It was during Titus’ stay at Crete that the apostle wrote this letter.

OCCASION—Apollos was about to journey to Crete, and Paul, hearing that certain converts from Judaism were deceiving whole families with false teachings, he took the opportunity of sending a letter to Titus full of practical advice. He suggests that the way to counteract the harmful influences is to lay more emphasis upon sound doctrines and holy character.

PURPOSE—To set forth the virtues and graces that should exist in church officers and church members, and that these virtues and graces should be expressed in good works.

GREAT FACTS:—

1. Church-Officers.

2. Church-Members.

3. Good Works.

Great Facts I. The Kind of Officers a Church Should Have.

Titus 1.

Officers of the church should be men of irreproachable character, having one living wife, and whose children are not accused of being unruly. Not self-willed or quick-tempered, not addicted to drink or to fighting, or to questionable money-making. On the contrary, he should be hospitable, a lover of the right, discreet, just, a man of holy life and capable of self-restraint. One who holds doctrines that are according to the scripture that he may be able to encourage others by sound teaching, and to refute opponents. There are false teachers who for money will pervert the message of the gospel, and the Cretains themselves, as one of their teachers have said, “Are always liars, base brutes and lazy gluttons.” Rebuke such, sharply, that they may be sound in the Faith and pay no attention to those who would turn their backs upon the Truth. Everything is pure to the pm e-minded, but to those whose minds are polluted, and who are unbelievers, nothing is pure. They profess to know God, but disown Him by their actions, being degraded and disobedient, and are worthless as far as every good work is concerned.

LESSONS—

1. A minister must have but one living wife, but he is not compelled to be married as are the priests of the Greek church, neither should he be compel led to remain unmarried, as are the priest of the Roman Catholic church. This pas sage simply condemns polygamy.

2. A minister will be judged by his family life, he who cannot rule his own children wet cannot rule the church of God, 1 Timothy 3:5.

3. He must have all the moral and social qualities Of a good man, and should be known for his virtues and sympathies.

4. He must be doctrinally sound, not always running after new and novel theories, not a creator of the truth, but a teacher of it, remembering that the Truth has been sacredly entrusted to him.

5. These qualifications which are applied to ministers here are applied to other church office in 1 Timothy 3:8-10.

Great Facts II. Becoming Conduct for Church Members.

Titus 2.

Older men should be temperate, serious and discreet, strong in faith, love and endurance. So too, the older women should be reverent in their manner, divoiding scandal and not given to drink, that they may teach what is right and tram the younger women to love their husbands and children and to be housewifely. Young men should exercise self-control, and be models of a noble life in everything. Servants should be obedient to their masters, trying to give satisfaction in everything, not contradicting or stealing, but showing praiseworthy fidelity so as to recommend the teaching of God our Saviour in everything. For the loving-kindness of God leads us to renounce irreligious ways and live upright in this present world while we await the Appearing of our great God and Saviour. For He gave Himself for us that He might deliver us from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a select people zealous in good works.

LESSONS—

1. Paul not only soars high into the unspeakable mysteries of God and into the heighths and depths of God’s eternal purposes, but also goes into every detail of practical Godliness. He lifts up the humblest duties to a heavenly platform, he would bring every relationship into accordance with the laws of righteousness, and seeks to make all human life pure and happy.

2. John Selden was so thoroughly convinced of the superior value of the Holy Scriptures, as to declare that Titus, Titus 2:11-14, afforded him more solid Satisfaction than all he had ever read.

Great Facts III. Church-Members Should Be Devoted to Good Works.

Titus 3.

Be submissive to rulers and authorities and be ready for every good work. Speak ill of no one, avoid quarrelling and show a gentle spirit in dealing with others. Remember the time when we ourselves had all the faults that we hate in others. But through the kindness of God our Saviour we were saved, not as a result of the good works we had done, but in fulfilment of His merciful purposes. He saves us by that Washing which was a New Birth to us, and by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, which power He poured out on us richly through Christ Jesus our Saviour. Have nothing to do with foolish discussions and controversies, for these are useless and futile. If a man is causing divisions among you, after warning him once or twice, have nothing more to say to him. You may be sure that such a man has forsaken the Truth and is in the wrong, he stands self-condemned. Let all our people devote themselves to doing good, so as to meet the most pressing needs, and that their lives may not be unfruitful.

LESSONS—

1. The washing and the renewing in Titus 3:5 are both done by the Holy Spirit. Regeneration always consists of two elements, first cleansing, second, renewing, or the giving of new life, John 3: 5, and Titus 3:5, both mean this. “Except a man be cleansed by the Spirit’s application of the blood of Christ, and except the Spirit give him new life, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” See also Hebrews 9:13-14, where we are told that it is the blood of Christ that purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Also Revelation 7:14 where the white-robed ones are said to have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

2. The doctrines of grace are the true fountains from which all good works flow. We should, therefore, devote ourselves to good works,

Questions on the Lesson.

1. Give the key word and key verse.

2. How many virtues and vices mentioned in Titus?

3. Tell who wrote it and when.

4. Tell about the life of Titus.

5. What the occasion of the letter?

6. What the purpose?

7. Name the great facts.

8. What kind of officers should a church have?

9. How about the minister’s married life?

10. How about his family life?

11. How about his moral and social qualities?

12. How must he be doctrinally?

13. Do these qualifications apply to other officers?

14. What should be the conduct of older men?

15. What of older women?

16. What of younger women?

17. What the conduct of young men?

18. What of servants?

19. Show that Paul went into the details of practical Godliness.

20. What did John Belden say?

21. What is meant by the washing of regeneration?

22. What are the true foundations of good works?

23. Give three reasons for devoting ourselves to good works.