Title: Why Are You Different?
Text: Titus 3: 1-8
Date: January 26, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Believers are to maintain good works in this life. When the believer encounters foolish and disobedient sinners, malicious and hateful men and women, what reminds the believer to deal gently, and in meekness.
I. REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE
Titus 3: 3: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
What will bring a believer down from self-righteous pride? Down from thinking ourselves to be something when we are nothing? Down from speaking evil of others as if we made ourselves better than another? Remember that this is description of us:
Romans 3: 9: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15: Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16: Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Ephesians 2: 2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Is God saying that all men are evil? Some don’t seem as bad as others. The Savior said,
Mark 10: 18:…there is none good but one, that is, God.
Romans 3: 23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ecclesiates 7:20: For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
1 John 1:10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Someone might say, “Well, I have never committed murder?” Have you ever been angry?
Matthew 5: 21: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:…27: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
The problem is the heart: the very core, the very seed of sin from which we were conceived and from which we grew.
Mark 7: 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Ecclesiates 9:3: This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Believing fathers, we are given this word of instruction (Titus 2: 2). As you endeavor to serve God as the head of your house where will get this soundness, this love, this patience?
Believing mothers and young believing women, you are given this word of instruction (Titus 2: 3-5). When you are opposed what keeps you from speaking evil and becoming a brawler with your tongue and to do these things? What will keep the young believer as you encounter peer pressure, pressure to pursue the things the world teaches you to peruse.
Remember what you were: Titus 3: 3: For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But remember something else, remember who made you to differ:
II. REMEMBER WHO MADE YOU TO DIFFER.
Titus 3: 4: But after that…
After all that time that out of our wicked hearts proceeded
· Foolishness against God and men
· Disobedience to God and to all authority
· After being so deceived in our dead, wicked hearts
· Slaves to divers lusts and pleasures
· After living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another…
Titus 3: 4: But after that—not wrath and hatred appeared unto us--but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Was it because we straightened up our act? Was it because we did some random acts of kindness to others?
Titus 3: 5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
We were God-haters, hating God and hating one another—that is what God says of us. It was not by any merit in us—not by works of righteousness which we have done—that is what God says. What was it then?
Titus 3: 5: but according to his mercy he saved us,…
The kindness and love of God appeared in your heart personally—not because of anything in us…but according to his mercy.
· When did he show you mercy? (Titus 1: 2)—before the world began
· How did God’s mercy appear to you? (Titus 1: 3)—through preaching—he sent the word of his mercy to you.
Believing young men here is your instruction (Titus 2: 6-8). What will make you obey God rather than this ungodly world? Remember what you were: v3:sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Remember who made you to differ: v4: But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, v5:..but according to his mercy he saved us,…Was it enough to merely send the gospel to a dead sinner? No.
Together with the word came the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3: 5:…by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Note: Sinners are born again—the new birth—and renewed by both, the word and God the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus used ‘water’ as a symbol referring to ‘the word of God.’
John 3: 5: Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The word of God is the instrument used by God in regeneration
Psalm 119: 50: This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
1 Corinthians 4: 15: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
James 1: 18: Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Lord Jesus said:
John 6: 63: It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.
1 Thessalonians 1: 5: For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
Our first fleshly birth, we enter this world a sinful creature. When a sinner is born again by the Spirit and the word of God, he enters the kingdom and family of God a new creature in Christ Jesus!
John 15: 3: Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Titus 3: 5:…by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
For believers working at our jobs, here is our instruction (Titus 2: 9-10). Here is instruction for every believer as citizens (Titus 3: 1-2). What if you have an unbelieving boss? What if we have unbelieving civil leaders, or teachers? In all these things what will cause a believer to be gentle and show meekness unto all men?
Remember what you were—remember who made you to differ. God the Father’s mercy, God the Holy Spirit’s regenerating and renewing work. And remember this mercy came by Jesus Christ
Titus 3: 6: Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour
The gospel is of Jesus Christ and him crucified.
2 Timothy 1: 8: Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
God the Father shed his love, kindness and mercy on us through Christ.
2 Timothy 1: 9:…Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
The work was accomplished by Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1: 10: But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
4. All grace was communicated in regeneration and renewing out of Christ's fullness, the Spirit himself being given forth through Christ.
John 1: 16: And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
5. Every supply of grace, by which the work is carried on, is wrought in us by Christ's hands
Ephesians 2: 10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Now, as we endeavor to maintain good works. Remember what you were (v3) Remember who made you differ (v4-6)
III. AND REMEMBER WHAT YOU NOW ARE
Titus 3: 7: That being justified by his grace,
From all of our sin—past, present, and future—by his abundant mercy
· We are justified
· By his grace
Because CHRIST bore our sins in his own body on the tree…we are justified—he was made our sin and now we have been made his righteousness
Romans 8: 1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
And there is more: you who are born of his grace are heirs of God.
Titus 3: 7:…we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
From eternity past by adoption and now are we the sons of God and joint heirs with Christ by Holy Spirit. We have the hope of eternal life—Christ in you the hope of glory
Titus 3: 8: This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, [so] that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto me
Let us never exalt ourselves proudly against others or treat them unkindly. Everything we are, all that we have, and all that we shall be
· From a rebel to a regenerated child of God
· From a rebel to a justified child of God made righteous in Christ
· From a rebel to an heir.
· From a rebel to a glorified eternally alive child of God
All is attributed to the love and kindness and grace and mercy of God our Savior.
Amen!