I promise that Joe and I do not
talk about our messages. We do not talk about our messages,
but I have some things I want to say before I go to my text. And I do have a point by saying
what I'm going to say, but this past week I started looking for
all the places in the New Testament where it says something like,
it is written. And where it would reference
an Old Testament passage directly. And I found quite a bit of those.
I didn't write down the number, but Joe gave them to you. But I did, you know, I knew there
were some other places that actually referenced scripture that didn't
say it is written or something like that. It had other words.
So I did a search online and actually somebody had did the
research. So, you know, and I was thankful
for that. 900 plus times. And I didn't check all these.
I didn't verify if they were all correct. But some of the
ones I did look at were valid. They did reference Old Testament
passages. And of course, I did something I didn't think about.
I learned today with Joe saying the New Testament even references
the New Testament passages. We know that Christ told the
Pharisees that they searched the scriptures. and that the
scriptures, that is, at that time, the Old Testament testified
of Jesus Christ. Christ tells us in the volume
of the book, it is written of me. But we are also told in Peter
that we have a more sure word of prophecy. It's talking about
the word of God written down. That's what it's talking about
there in Peter. So to go to the scriptures is a good thing. In
fact, if we go anywhere else to get our doctrine, we are looking
in the wrong place. But anyway, when I looked at
this list, I noticed that there were a few books which did not
have any references listed. Now, just to be clear, and Joe
clearly told you this, but these passages that don't directly
reference an Old Testament passage, it doesn't mean they disagree
with the Old Testament. But it didn't have no direct
reference to an Old Testament passage. But those books are
Titus, Philemon, and 2 John. I did look through those. I didn't
see any that looked like a direct reference, so I take it that
they were correct. But this led me to my text today,
which is Titus, Titus chapter three, if you can be turning
there. But I tell you this because this is how I come up on my text
today on Titus three, but I was shown something later on in the
week where some of these gainsayers were saying something about Titus
three. So, and I guess I need to turn there too, don't I? Titus
chapter three, and I'm gonna read versus 1 through 11. Put them in mind. to be subject to principalities
and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing
all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lust and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. but after
the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is
a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful
to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men, but avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions
and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and
vain. A man that is an heretic after
the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that
is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself. So here's what I want to talk
about today. It's not about us. Our qualification,
or that is what qualifies us or gives us the ability, What
does this point to? Jesus Christ is our message and
these subverters. And what do I mean when I say
this? Number one, it's not about us. We read in Titus 1 about
some folks who are called gainsayers. That is those who want to argue
all the time. Other names given them are unruly,
or that is, hotheads, vain talkers, that is, senseless talkers, and
deceivers, someone that misleads someone using words. But they
say some things about us which are true, just as they did with
the Cretans in chapter one. Paul says, this witness is true,
therefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the
faith. It also says in Titus 3.3 that we were sometimes these
things. Let's read Titus 3.3. 3.3 again. For we ourselves also
were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lust
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating
one another. When it comes to you and I, as
I've said before, They have things that they can accuse us of. We
are guilty of a lot of things that they might accuse us of.
But it is not about us. It does offend us when there
are those who say these things about us. For these things, us,
not them, should be rebuked because we need it. We are liars. We come forth from the womb speaking
lies. We are evil beasts, always ready
to bite and devour one another. This flesh, if it has its way,
we would tear one another apart. Slow bellies. We always want
someone else to do the work, and we get the benefit from it.
And that's talking about one another. This is certainly true. We need someone else to do the
work, that's for sure, because we can't do it. Now I know this
is specifically talking about the Cretans, but it applies to
all of us. We have this sinful nature still
with us, and we have to be rebuked all the time. It says in the
third chapter of Titus, in part of our text, we ourselves were
sometimes foolish and disobedient and so on. There was a time when
we did the very same things they do. We lived after the same things
they lived after. We are to remember the pit from
whence we were digged. Now I want you to understand
what I am saying. I am not saying that what these
gainsayers are saying and doing is okay or right. But it is not
about us. They do and say the things they
do because they hate Christ. Christ is not enough for them.
They have to have some part somewhere in their salvation. They deny
the Lord having saved his people by his merits and by his grace. Since they cannot get to him,
they will attack us. Not only will they attack us
and say things that are true, they will tell lies on us. It
is bad enough for someone to tell the truth on me. Much less
make up lies about me and spread those around. But these gainsayers
do this. What are we told in 1 Peter 4,
14? If ye be reproached for the name
of Christ, happy are ye. For the spirit of glory and of
God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified. So our qualification, who qualifies
us or gives us the ability? You could say it that way. God
qualifies us. I mean by qualifying us that
he enables us or he gives us the ability. He makes us his
servant and he does this by giving us faith, the faith of God's
elect. Titus 1.1, Paul. a servant of God and an apostle
of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and
the acknowledging of the truth. There is but one faith and it
is that faith that God gives to all his people. It is not
a common faith to all men without exception, but it is common to
all those who possess it. Titus 1. to Titus, my own son,
after the common faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. What is the evidence of that
qualification? What is the evidence of one who
has been given this faith by God? We acknowledge the truth. This is purely by His grace through
that faith given to us. What is this truth that we acknowledge
that is after godliness? Verses two and three. In hope
of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the
world began, but hath in due times manifested his word through
preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment
of God our Savior. The truth we acknowledge is God's
word. Jesus Christ is his word personified. But we have never seen Jesus
Christ with our eyes. Some have, but we have not. What
did Christ tell Thomas in John 20, 29? Jesus saith unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not
seen and yet have believed. But God, when he is pleased to
do it, will send you his gospel to you from a preacher manifesting
his word, Jesus Christ, to you. So what does this point us to? Number three, Jesus Christ, who
is our hope of eternal life, this faith looks to him. Those
who have been given the faith of Christ, when they hear this
word proclaimed, the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified,
they see their hope of eternal salvation. This is a hope that
is far better than the hope you get from hearing the gospel of
the law. That was tongue in cheek. Preaching
the law does not give men and women any hope. Preaching the
law does not do anything good for me. I know some might say,
preach the law so that it will turn men and women to Christ.
That is not what it will do. If you preach the law, this flesh
will take hold of that and begin to think it can start keeping
that law. The law was God's schoolmaster. He owns it. It is our schoolmaster. He gives it to us. But he appoints
that schoolmaster. We do not. We preach Christ and
him crucified, and that will tell them where their hope is.
God promised this in Christ, not in the law. Do I mean you
can never mention or should never mention the law when you preach?
If that is what I'm saying, I've already did something that I'm
saying not to do. I'm not saying that. But we are
never told to preach the law to bring someone to Christ. We
preach Christ to bring men and women to Christ. Romans 10, Joe's
already went here, Romans 10, 13 through 15. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then
shall they call on him in whom they have not heard, not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring
glad tidings of good things. They must hear about Christ to
call upon the name of the Lord. What does this faith given to
us point us to? Does it point us to the law?
When God gives us life and faith, does he do this so that we now
look at the law in a different way? That law that we are dead
to, that law we are freed from, that law that is a killing letter,
that law that shuts our mouth. Does this grace and favor of
God giving us faith, does he do this so that we can now truly
obey his precepts? No. There are no scripture that
says anything different than what I have mentioned. That is,
it shuts our mouth, it kills us. If we are one of Christ,
we are dead and we are freed from that law. No one will or
can find any passages that says the law does anything other than
this. They can go back to all the types
and symbols and try to make things fit if they want to. But even this has a witness against
it in God's Word. John 1.45 we read. This is just
one example. Philip findeth Nathanael and
saith unto him, we have found him of whom Moses in the law
and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. The law and the prophets all
wrote and spoke of Jesus Christ. Those Old Testament scriptures
never spoke of us at any time being able to obey the Ten Commandments. Everything spoke of Jesus Christ,
both the law and the prophets. He is that glory that excelleth. So what is our message? Number
four, Jesus Christ is our message. We are His servants and it is
by His faith given to us that we are enabled to believe Him
and proclaim Him. Jesus Christ is our only hope
of salvation as it tells us here in Titus 1 verse 2. In hope of eternal life which
God that cannot lie promised before the world began. It is
in the hope of the eternal life which is to be found in Jesus
Christ, which was promised from before the foundation of the
world. God cannot lie, and he promised this to those whom he
gave to Jesus Christ the Savior. This is a sure foundation to
stand on. Jesus Christ is the word personified
it is in him that dwells the fullness of the Godhead Colossians
2 if you want to turn there go ahead and let's turn there Colossians
2 Colossians 2 and I want to read
verses 8 through 14 Colossians 2 verse 8. Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him which
is the head of all principality and power. in whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting
off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with
him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead. and you being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together
with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out
the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and it took it out of the way, nailing it to
his cross. God manifest in Jesus Christ,
the word, through preaching. This is the point of preaching,
to manifest the word, who is Jesus Christ, and speak of those
glorious things he has done. Paul gives Titus some instruction
on ordaining elders. Paul gives the qualifications
for these men. And I'm not going to go into
those today, but this is what God tells us in his word about
those who were to be bishops. These are to convince or that
is to admonish the gainsayers. How do they do this? Holding fast, that is to adhere
to it and to care for it. For what though? The faithful
word that they have been taught. Jesus Christ, which has been
manifest to them through preaching, this is what they are to hold
fast to. You admonish the gainsayers through
preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified. All of us are to behave
ourselves as it becometh the gospel. That is true. We're not
to use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but be temperate
and sober-minded. Verse 12 of Titus 2. teaching us that denying ungodliness
and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly
in this present world. How is this done? Verses 13 through
15. looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us
from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people
zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. We are
to speak evil of no man. This does not mean don't say
bad things about someone if those things are true. It means do
not lie on someone. But certainly when it comes to
God's people, love covereth a multitude of sin. I'm talking about God's
people. Be no brawlers. This certainly
means you shouldn't be out to get in fights with people. but
it doesn't just mean fisticuffs. You can brawl with someone using
words. We've seen that. Always wanting
to argue with someone. Everyone else is always wrong
and you have to set them straight. We preach Christ and him crucified,
the salvation of men manifested through the gospel. We do this
remembering the pit from whence we are digged. We were like this
ourselves before. But what changed that for us
who were like this? Titus 3 verses 4 through 8. but
after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is
a faithful saying, and these things I will, that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful
to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men. The kindness and love of God
our Savior, that is Jesus Christ, but this love which is toward
man appeared. It had nothing to do with our
works, and it still has nothing to do with our works. It was
all according to his mercy and grace that he saved us. Here
in Titus, it is mainly talking about how he saves us in time
through the gospel. It certainly includes those things
and mentions some of those things that he did for us in his cross
work. How did he do this? That is,
how does he save us now? He washed us by regeneration.
just as he cleansed Cornelius, he does to all of those who are
his, when it pleases him. We already read that from Colossians,
that circumcision made without hands. But what else? Renewing of the Holy Ghost. This
all being done through Jesus Christ our Savior, God justifying
us by his grace. It was his favor to justify us,
and this he does by giving us faith. The very faith of God
himself, which always looks to Jesus Christ. It looks to him
and his works. We are to maintain good works.
As I've said before, what example are we given of good works in
the scripture? the only good works that I know of that are
spoken of, anointing Jesus Christ at his feet, tears of sorrow
for that which he had to do because of us, but also tears of joy
because he did do it for us. But it is in total submission
to him. So knowing all of this, what
about these subverters? What do these subverters want
to do? Titus 3.9, but avoid foolish questions, and genealogies,
and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable
and vain. Foolish questions. How many angels
can fit on the head of a pin? That's an example. Genealogies,
this is what I can think of. baptizing infants where they
take the scripture where it says the promise is to your seed and
to your children in Acts 2 as meaning if you are saved and
baptized then that automatically gets passed down to your children
so you just sprinkle them with water and they're fixed up. It
just keeps on going down the line. Another one would be I
was baptized by a Baptist preacher who was baptized by a Baptist
preacher who was baptized by a Baptist preacher and so on.
Endless genealogies. contention, debating the word
of God. We do not debate, we proclaim. But these want to debate, debate,
debate. Striving about the law, fighting
about the law. That means anything about the
law. The law was not where the promise is. All these things
it says are unprofitable and vain. They do us no good and
are empty. If someone wants to do these
things, talk about these things, and they are admonished a couple
of times, and they're still schismatic, meaning they still want to remain
in their false doctrine, they are to be rejected by God's people.
This is a command to God's people and what we are to do when it
comes to people who are of this ilk. These who are like this, it says
here, they are subverted. They are perverts. The word means
perverted. So this is what it's saying.
It also says they sinneth and sometimes God openly manifests
this perversion for the whole world to see. It says here they
sinneth being condemned of themselves. What does that mean they're condemned
of themselves? They say and do not. They say
you are to do this or to do that and they themselves do not do
it. they condemn themselves. They say, as believers, you are
now to keep the law, but they do not keep the law. In fact,
they do far worse than not keeping the law. They are perverse, it
tells us. The problem with these gainsayers,
that is, those who want to argue, schisms, and want arguments,
schisms, and divisions, the problem with what they say is, in saying
those things, they say they deny Jesus Christ. There are times
when you hear these subverters spouting off their empty, unprofitable
words, and they read passage like it says in verse one of
chapter one of Titus, godliness, they see those kind of things.
And you see all these things it tells us to do here, all these
works that it talks about that we do, things that we're supposed
to do. You can tell by how they talk
that this is somehow saying that now a believer, when he becomes
a believer, then starts to keep God's ten commandments. But this
says nothing of the kind, so let's look at it further. Something
here is said to be after godliness, or that is according to godliness. So when we see that, what do
we do? we go back and see what it says
prior to it so we know what it's saying. That is, after or according
to godliness. In chapter one, verse one, it says here in verse one, it
says, the acknowledging of the truth is after godliness. But we cannot stop there because
of the other words used. We have an and, a conjunction. It joins two things together,
so then what do we have? The faith of God's elect and
the acknowledging of the truth. It is this which is according
to godliness. Those who have the faith of God's
elect and acknowledge the truth are servants of God and of Jesus
Christ. Now, we are not all apostles
or pastor teachers. The body of Jesus Christ is made
up of many members. All these members, though, have
something in common. This is not common to all men,
as I've said before, but it is common to all those who are servants
of God and of Jesus Christ. That is faith. This faith brings
with it the acknowledging of the truth. This, that is faith,
and the acknowledging of the truth is according to godliness. Now, someone might ask, does
that mean or does that include the Ten Commandments? What does
Scripture say, Galatians 3, 12? And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Again, someone
might say, but in Galatians 3, it is not talking about the Ten
Commandments when it says the law was not of faith. First of
all, anyone who's saying this, they're a liar. That is, in Galatians
3, it's not talking about the Ten Commandments. I've heard
this ridiculous lie, and it's not true. But Galatians 3 is
referencing the Old Testament in Leviticus 18, 5. I'm not going
to go through that today because of time. But in Leviticus, at
least starting in 18, God tells Moses this, Leviticus 18, 5.
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if man
do, he shall live in them. I am the Lord. Then God continues
to tell Moses commandments. Every so often after God does
this, that is give God Moses commandments, God then says things
like this in Leviticus 1937. Therefore shall ye observe all
my statutes and all my judgments and do them. I am the Lord. Commandment after commandment
after commandment. But then we also read in 2 Corinthians
3, verses six through nine. I'm gonna turn there. 2 Corinthians
3. And this is familiar to you all.
I did this before. 2 Corinthians 3, verses six through
nine. Who also hath made us able ministers
of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit.
For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the
ministration of death, written and engraven in stone, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold
the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory
was to be done away, How shall not the ministration of the Spirit
be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation
be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness
exceed in glory. The law of the Ten Commandments
is the ministration of death. Not my words, but God's word. The ministration of the Spirit
is the ministration of righteousness. The Lord is that spirit, it says. Jesus Christ is that spirit and
he is the ministration of righteousness. By his spirit, through his faith
given to us, we see and look unto that glory that exceleth.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ and what he has done. Titus 2.11.
Titus 2.11. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men. For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. The grace of God
is found in Jesus Christ the Lord. He came to this earth made
of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under
the law. This is what teaches us what
it does in verse 12 of Titus 2. teaching us that denying ungodliness
and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly in this present world. But this grace of God is what
teaches us that. This is what we are to preach
to men and women. We are not to preach to men and
women the law, the Ten Commandments. That is the ministration of death.
We are to teach men and women Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
the righteousness of God without the law. Those men who God places in places
like I'm in today, according to this book, they have certain qualifications,
it tells us here in Titus. They are instructed to hold fast
to this faithful word. This word that tells us of the
salvation of men, that is Jesus Christ and him crucified. There
is a reason for this, and it's not just the bishops. If you
read through Titus, you can see Paul basically says to teach
all of God's people to be this very same way. But we are to
hold fast this word and for this reason. There are those who are
out there who are gainsayers. They lie, they want to debate,
they want to deceive. Especially, it says, they of
the circumcision. Why is it that we should hold
fast to the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ alone? because
their mouths must be stopped. These gainsayers, these that
are of the circumcision, those who are about getting men and
women under the law back in bondage, their mouth must be stopped is
what it says. How do we do this? We keep preaching
the truth, keep preaching the truth, keep preaching the truth.
But we are to be sound in faith. We will only do this by the power
of God. But we are to be sound in the
faith. Not listening to these Jewish
fables and commandments of men. These things turn from the truth.
Titus 1 verses 15 and 16. Unto the pure all things are
pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing
pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess
that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable
and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Hold fast
that faithful word of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That sound
doctrine which is able to give comfort to the needy and stop
the mouth of those who do not believe. Amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
allowing us to be here today. Thank you for those who are here,
dear Lord, that don't normally come. comforting to see that. And dear Lord, I pray that your
name has been honored and glorified and they also receive comfort
from that. And I pray that you open all
of our hearts, minds, and souls that we may receive your words. Be with those who are traveling. Be with those who are sick, dear
Lord. And you know what is needed for them all, dear Lord. But
we thank you for everything that you've done for us. You've done
everything for us, dear Lord, in Jesus Christ. And we thank
you that and pray this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.