This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
There are ample opportunities that we have in life to join in an argument or debate and social media has only enhanced their frequency. In Paul's letter to Titus, Paul warns Titus about the dangers of becoming involved in "foolish controversies", which for Titus meant arguments about genealogies and the Law of Moses. What are the equivalent for today's pastors to avoid? It may not be a popular opinion with some, but in my mind, politics are a minefield that can yield little good, but great harm for a pastor or church. Far better to focus on endorsing Christ than placing our trust in a politician, after all, the problem of humanity is a spiritual one, and therefore its solution must be spiritual, not merely political. Along those same lines, the endless discussion about when Christ will return is equally fruitless for a pastor to become involved in. It is our job to make sure our flock is ready, not worry about looking for signs of the End, that knowledge is safely in the hands of the Father.
After warning Titus about his own conduct, Paul goes on to recommend serious discipline for anyone who would be divisive within the church. The Greek word used by Paul is actually the NT's only usage of "heretic", a word which originally was primarily concerned with disruptive conduct, later it became synonymous with unacceptable theology. Disruptive people within the church cannot be tolerated, to turn people against each other for your own ends is a clear sign of a heart blackened by sin, as such, Paul tells Titus to warn such a person twice and after that have nothing to do with him. Unity in the Church, both locally and universally, is a big deal, it was Jesus' last prayer for his followers before his Passion, in order to foster it, pastor need to avoid stirring up trouble themselves, and they need to be ready to use that shepherd's staff should the wolves come looking to prey on the sheep.
Following his description of the wretched state of humanity apart from God in verse three, Paul highlights the dramatic turn in human history when the kindness and love (lit. philanthropy in the Gk.) of God appeared. Instead of wrath, justifiable, especially from our Creator, God sent his grace, in the person of Jesus Christ, propelled by his kindness and love. Why? Because certain individual people deserved to be helped? No, because of his mercy. It had to be mercy. It needed to be because God's holiness and justice were at an impasse with God's kindness and love. Mankind could not be reconciled to God, as is, because of our rampant sinfulness and rebellion, nor could we obtain enough righteousness of our own to ever make up for the guilty verdict outstanding against us; mercy was the only option. The mercy of God was not found in ignoring the consequences of sin, but instead in redirecting the cost of sin from those who were guilty and deserved no mercy, but received it anyway, to the one who was guiltless yet willingly died without mercy to provide it for us. The cross and resurrection made the mercy of God possible, enabling his love and kindness to triumph, and opening the door for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to not only wash us in rebirth, but continue to cleanse an renew us as we await the promise of the children of God, a reunion in heaven with our Father, our Savior.
As Paul finishes up his directions to Titus regarding Christian ethical behavior, he focuses that topic on the respect that the people of God owe to Titus, as a man of God, to the government, and to their fellow members of society. In all three cases, pride is the enemy and humility is the answer. For most Christians, it won't be the first topic, respecting the leadership of the Church, that will give them difficulty, but one of the latter two. Paul, however, gives no wiggle room, requiring that Christians show respect and be obedient to whichever government they find themselves under. This was, by any objective standard a more difficult task for the Cretans living under Roman rule, or for Christians living under corrupt governments around the world today or in the past than it is for American Christians who not only have a historically representative and efficient government, but the right to protest freely against it while still being a good citizen. In light of that easier task, why is it that many American Christians follow the lead of the politicians and talking heads on TV by engaging in the same crass and rude behavior in the political realm? Why is it that Christians feel they can post on social media things that they ought never to say, regardless of who it is directed at?
When interacting with family, neighbors, or co-workers, Christians likewise have an obligation to be polite, kind, and compassionate, and no room for the slanderous, hateful speech that much of society indulges in. Paul ends the topic by reminding God's people that they once were so far removed from God that they lived lives of malice, envy, and hatred; used to, but thanks to God, no longer.
What impact does the knowledge that a Christian has of how the story ends have upon his or her life? In Titus 2:13-14, Paul continues with the previous two verses' idea of how grace teaches us to act morally by expanding the perspective of our need to be a people who are "eager to do what is good" to include God's overall plan and purpose for ourselves, Christians in general, and the world. While we learn from grace, we also await the "blessed hope" of the return of Christ in glory. That knowledge ought to give Christians optimism, encouragement, hope, and instill in us boldness as we know that we are already on the winning side of the future when we are on the side of the king of kings. We have hope for our own lives, that heaven awaits us beyond the grave, but we also have hope for the world, for Christ will return, not to strive once more in the world, but to reign. In the meantime, God's plan is to create a people brought together by faith in Christ, a people purchased by his blood and transformed by the Holy Spirit, who will be his instruments for the kingdom of God in this world. How will we accomplish the plan of God, by being a people who are eager to do what is good. Our calling is a high one, but we have been equipped for it by the Holy Spirit, and we know that our side cannot lose, more than that, that it is guaranteed to be victorious in the end, for Christ will come again in glory.
