DOING WHAT IS GOOD

Titus 3:1-15

Key Verse 3:8

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Titus has two major points: one is theoretical (sound doctrine) and the other practical (what a Christian should do in his practical life). 

In Chapters 1-2 Paul talked about the importance of teaching  sound doctrine. Now, in Chapter, he touches upon a practical issue of life, that is, the need for one to do what is good.

1. In verses 1-2 Paul instructs Titus to remind people to: 

1) be subject to rulers and authorities;

2) be obedient;

3) be ready to do whatever is good;

4) slander no one;

5) be peaceable;

6) be considerate; and 

7) show true humility toward all men.

Who do the people described above resemble? What does “remind” mean?  Why is it necessary? 

** The image of Jesus Christ. Note: to be subject to rulers and authorities does not mean to do whatever they ask you to do. For example, the Roman Emperor promoted the worship of the Roman Emperor as [human] god. Christians are not to worship the Roman Emperor. They are rather to worship God the Father, for he alone is the true God. Yet the Christians were not to use force to overturn the Roman rule. Rather, they were to obey their authority, still keeping their integrity as  Christians. In this way, many Christians suffered martyrdom. 

** Remind = cue, prompt, inform, notify, tell...

** Man is forgetful. In addition, man's mind works just like a tire, for unless it gets worked out continually, very quickly it goes flat like a flat tire. 

Furthermore, as it processes zillion bits of different information through it, unless it is guided properly, it ends up getting extremely cluttered, and becomes filthy and  is thereby rendered undesirable. 

Man's mind came from God. It is part of God's image. It works best when it is made pure, filled with the Spirit of God. 

2. Read verse 3. What does this passage tell us about the life of an unsaved man?

** It talks about the cause and effect of a man becoming the way he becomes.

1) The cause: the word "foolish" or "deceived" indicates that upon being deceived by the devil, man ends up losing faith in the Lord, becomes stupid enough to think sinning against God (i.e., becoming disobedient to God) as something beneficial, when in fact it only results in losing what is the most valuable, that is, the relationship with God the Father the source of true happiness. 

2) The effect: disobedient, enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures; becomes a man of malice, envy, wounding machine, object of hatred, etc. and so forth. 

3. Think about verses 4-7. What do they tell us about: 1) God; 2) His motive in doing the work of salvation; 3) the way He saves man; and 4) the purpose of salvation? 

** God is kind and loving. 

** His mercy. He loves us not because we are lovable, but because we are not lovable. If he loves us because we are lovable, that already indicates that God's motive is self-seeking, for by loving what or who is lovable, God is deriving some pleasure out of his act of loving. But by loving what is unlovable, he is being totally altruistic. 

** Washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured on us generously through Jesus Christ, our Savior. 

** To adopt us as heirs (of himself and the world he is going to renew), fulfilling the hope of eternal life for us. 

4. Read verses 8-9 and describe: 1) things to stress (8); and 2) things to avoid (9). What do these instructions have in common? 

** Things to stress: v. 8

** Things to avoid: v. 9 (four things to avoid)

** Excellent, profitable, and useful. The common point is to produce a man who is capable of bearing good fruit. 

5. Think about what Paul says in verses 10-11. Why is it important not to ignore a divisive person? Why is it also important not to grapple with him too much? 

** They tend to destroy the fellowship, breaking the vessel (unity) of love.

** Maybe two reasons: first, they already made up their minds not to repent, so that it would be of no use to try to continue to help them out; and second, if one continues to grapple with them, they will eventually wear us out, draining our energy to do what is good.

6. In verse 14 Paul repeats his emphasis on doing what is good. (1:16; 2:7,14; 3:1,8) Why? (1:12; Genesis 1:28; 12:2-3)

** Paul emphasizes this for God sent Jesus to help us to bear good fruit while on earth. Doing what is good = bearing good fruit that lasts forever. 

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Special emphasis was made especially knowing the problem of the Cretans as Titus 1:12 says: Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."

The end