Titus

[Alan]

Brethren,

Welcome to the Bible Study on Titus!

Alan

Edited August 23, 2015 by Alan
error

[Invicta]

Bro Alan

I couldn't get that link to work.

Did you try to copy and then paste it?

David

 

[Alan]

David,

Last night I tried to copy and paste the lesson, but it did not work. I will try again. If that does not work I will contact Matt.

Thank you for bringing the matter to my attention.

Alan

[Alan]

Titus 1

Greeting

Verses 1 and 2, “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 which is after godliness. In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

Paul the Apostle was a man of God. As a man of God, he was a servant of God, he believed, and practiced, that Jesus was Lord and he was just a servant. Paul followed the teaching and the practice of the Lord Jesus.

Servant & Apostle

The Apostle Paul knew, even if others did not, that he was called to be an apostle. He expounded to Titus that he was an apostle chosen of God, called, personally, by the Lord Jesus Himself. The Lord Jesus called Paul, (then called Saul), in person, on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-16.

The scriptures are very plain that Paul was chosen, “...by the will of God, [not man],” 2 Timothy 1:2, to replace Judas Iscariot to be the twelfth apostle. As in all of his other epistles, Paul had to state that he was an apostle due to the picking of Matthias, by man, in Acts 1:15-26

Furthermore, there are only twelve Apostles personally selected by the Lord Jesus. Once the original twelve apostles died the office of the apostles was permanently stopped. In the New Jerusalem, the names of the twelve apostles, and only the twelve apostles, are eternally written down on the foundation of the city for all of the saints to see, “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” Revelation 21:14

Faith of God's Elect

 “... according to the faith of God's elect.” Paul now states that all of this was done, “... according to the faith of God's elect.” Let us first consider faith is the most important part of being part of God’s elect. Without faith a person has no salvation, is not part of the body of Christ, does not have the Holy Spirit, and is not part of the “elect.”

God, through His foreknowledge, knows who will be saved and when they will be saved. Therefore, we read in 1 Peter 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

In connection with the, “faith of God's elect,” please read, and study, the following passages. Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” To help our understanding of what Paul is referring to we will need to keep in thought Paul’s whole dissertation of election, predestination, and the will of God as recorded in Ephesians 1:1-14 and Romans 8:28-33. God has complete foreknowledge of all that will transpire in this world from the beginning of time and He will accomplish His will in all things

Truth - Godliness

 Truth and godliness go together. A man of God will accept the truth, the doctrines, of the scriptures.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

Eternal Life

God is eternal and He is life. As only God can create life and only He can give eternal life. It is not in the power of man, nor Satan, to either create life or give eternal life. It is not the heart of God to have man die and spend eternity in a devils hell. Because He loves us very much, He desires us to live with Him for eternity. He desires to give us eternal life, through Jesus Christ His son.

God gives us hope. God gives the Christian the hope of eternal life. And, because God cannot lie, this hope is sure and solid. We can rest assuredly that God will perform His promise of eternal life in heaven to all those that believe in Christ as their Saviour. And, because God is God, He was able to make this promise of eternal salvation before the world was created! Praise the Lord! Because of the foreknowledge of God, He knew that man would sin, therefore, God made the plan of salvation, and the hope of eternal life even before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:3 & 4. Before the foundation of the world, God promised eternal life to those who would believe! God is truly wonderful and loves us very much.

 

Edited August 25, 2015 by Alan
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[Musician4God1611]

Brother, can we expound some more on Truth and Godliness. It seems that such an important topic should have some more.

[Alan]

Brother, can we expound some more on Truth and Godliness. It seems that such an important topic should have some more.

Yes. I think it would be a good idea that would be beneficial for all of us. We will first make a foundation: Truth.

First - Truth

Truth is an inherent part of the nature of God, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. "Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth." Psalm 31:5

And, it is a characteristic that God wants all of His saints to develop in their lives. "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalm 51:6

Furthermore, God wants all men, in all ages, in all countries, to come to the truth: "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." 2 Timothy 2:25

As Paul brought out in Titus 1:1, the scriptures are inherently truthful. The scriptures determine what is truth and what is error; specifically doctrine. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Timohty 4:3 and 4

The 'fables' that Paul mentioned are not only religious fables that are written in spurious books like the Apocrypha, Buddhist writings, and Taoist writings, but would include false doctrines in the churches today.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Alan
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[trapperhoney]

this is very interesting.  my husband had intended to start a series at church on the armor of God and he got the introduction done.  came time to start on the belt of truth and he got sidetracked   he felt it was important to deal with what the truth is, so that is where he is headed -- a covering of basic biblical doctrines, a foundation of truth.  will have to mull over this a bit.

[Alan]

tapperhoney,

We do hope that the lesson on Titus will help both you and your husband. I think your husband is one the right track concerning truth and the foundation. Looking forward to any discussion points you or your husband want to bring out in the study of Titus. As we study the truth of the scriptures and you our your husband would like to add something that I neglected to bring out, our we need to dwell on some other aspect of Titus that I do not discuss as much as I should, please let us know.

Alan

[beameup]

Paul was not "chosen" to replace Judas.  Matthias replaced Judas, to establish the Twelve Apostles to the Nation of Israel/

Paul was "chosen" as the only Apostle to the Gentiles, and to him was "revealed" the Gospel of Grace (without works).

"mixing" the Gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of Grace is what the Catholic Church did at its inception (and still does).

Unfortunately, most of the Protestants just "follow suit" and preach a confusing mix of the two (yes even most IFB).

Edited August 24, 2015 by beameup

[Alan]

Brother, can we expound some more on Truth and Godliness. It seems that such an important topic should have some more.

We will expound and discuss the second part of your question: Godliness.

Godliness

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6 

Godliness is an attribute that is an inherent attibute of God himself. It is a great gain to every Christian to have godliness in his life. God is Holy and in both the Old and New Testaments God wants His holiness, His godliness, to be a living part of our lives. The apostle Peter quotes Leviticus 19:2 in 1 Peter 1:15 and 16, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." God wants us to partake of His divine nature of holiness as a characteristic in our own lives after salvation.

"In all manner of conversation," is not only in our speech, but in our daily living. How we converse with others is a matter of holiness. Holiness is the ultimate characteristic that every Christian should stive to obtain in his character, walk in life, and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. 

The apostle Peter builds upon the subject of holiness, (with examples of characterisitcs leading up to godliness), in his Second Epistle.

2 Peter 1:3 - 7, "According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that ye might be partakes of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."

Throughout eternity we will be reminded of the holiness of God: the essence of His godliness. Revelation 4:8, "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying,  Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."  

 

Edited August 24, 2015 by Alan
grammer

[Alan]

beammeup

Thank you for your comments and frank discussion. The following is my response.

 

Revelation 21:14, and Matthew 19:28, is very clear that there are only 12 apostles. To say that Matthias is the apostle for the nation of Israel and that Paul was just the apostle to the Gentiles is a private interpretation. Is Paul the 13^th Apostle as some folks say? If so, than Revelation 21:14 and Matthew 19:28 is not true. Yes, Paul was called the apostle to the Gentiles but they does in absolutely no way, in any manner, mean that there was going to be a new man called to the Jews and one to the Gentiles.

1. Paul was indeed chosen personally by the Lord Jesus Christ both in presence and by voice on the road to Damascus. Matthias was not chosen by the Lord Jesus: Matthias was chosen by the casting of lots.

2. Psalm 109:8, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.” The 12^th. apostle to replace the office, or Apostleship, of Judas Iscariot, was only one office. There is no, may I repeat, no, scripture references in the Old Testament that there would be a 13^th Apostle, nor any scripture prophesying that there would be an office to the Jews and one to the Gentiles. To differentiate between the office to the Jews and one to the Gentiles is a private interpretation, (hyper-dispensation), and not scriptural truth.

3. The Lord Jesus plainly stated concerning the 12 apostles, and then to the individual who replaced Judas Iscariot, “And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28 If there are 13 apostles, where is the 13^th tribe of Israel in the Millennial kingdom?

4. The mixing of the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of grace smacks of hyper-dispensationalism and not scriptual truth. The only way of salvation before the Law, during the Law, during the presence of the Lord Jesus on the earth, during the Church Age, during the 7-Tribulation period, and during the 1000 Year Reign of Christ is the same: By grace through faith, in the mercy of God.

5. To qualify as an apostle the Lord Jesus had to call "chose," the individual by name: Matthew 10:1 & 2; Mark 3:13 & 14 “And he[Jesus] goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.” "Paul, and apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.") Galatians 1:1 The Lord Jesus called Paul He did not call Matthias. Matthias was called by "man." Paul was chosen by the Lord Jesus, when the Lord Jesus gave the vision to Ananias in Acts 9: 10-18 we hear these very carefully selected words by the Lord Jesus Himself, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."

           Paul was not only chosen by the Lord Jesus Himself, Jesus said Paul was "chosen," Furthermore, the Lord Jesus said that Paul was, "...to bear

          my name before the Gentiles,and kings, and the children of Israel." The Lord Jesus said, "... and the children of Israel." To say that Paul was just chosen as an apostle to the Gentiles is a disregard for the carefully selection of the words of the Lord Jesus.

       6. You said, “"mixing" the Gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of Grace is what the Catholic Church did at its inception (and still does).

Brother, that thought and belief, in my personal estimation, is an unjust comparison.

beammeup,

I do hope that the above response to my position, and some clarification, will be of a help to you. It is my hope that we can remain friendly and frank in our discussions.

Alan

Edited August 20, 2016 by Alan
punctuation spelling Aug. 20, 2016

[Covenanter]

Paul was not "chosen" to replace Judas.  Matthias replaced Judas, to establish the Twelve Apostles to the Nation of Israel/

Paul was "chosen" as the only Apostle to the Gentiles, and to him was "revealed" the Gospel of Grace (without works).

"mixing" the Gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of Grace is what the Catholic Church did at its inception (and still does).

Unfortunately, most of the Protestants just "follow suit" and preach a confusing mix of the two (yes even most IFB).

Good point BMU, though the 12 had the direct commission from the Lord to be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We never hear of most of them by name again in Scripture, though some may be in Jerusalem in Acts 15. Presumably they were obedient to their Lord. Paul with Barnabas were commissioned by the Holy Spirit speaking to the Antioch church. Both are considered Apostles in Acts 14:4,14 

Peter & the 120 were in in prayer before they considered the Scriptures calling for a replacement for Judas. There is no suggestion that they were mistaken. 

We know of Peter, James & John, & possibly Philip. It is likely that, like Paul they went first to synagogues wherever they went, where they existed. An obvious line to follow would be the Jews of the dispersion who came from the countries recorded in Acts 2, to instruct these new Christians, & spread out from there. There are stories/accounts of their lives & ministry in church history, but how reliable are they.

As for ""mixing" the Gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of Grace" there is only ONE Gospel, one saving name - Jesus.

# written before Alan's reply.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2015 by Covenanter

[Alan]

Covenanter said, "We know of Peter, James & John, & possibly Philip. It is likely that, like Paul they went first to synagogues wherever they went, where they existed. An obvious line to follow would be the Jews of the dispersion who came from the countries recorded in Acts 2, to instruct these new Christians, & spread out from there. There are stories/accounts of their lives & ministry in church history, but how reliable are they."

I thoroughly agree with your conclusion. Excellent observation.

Also, you observation of Acts 1:8 in relation to the apostles is also very noteworthy and helpful to the discussion.

Thank you very much for your observations and comments.

Alan

[Musician4God1611]

But might I contend that even without Matthias there are still at least 13 Apostles? Look at Hebrews 3:1.

[Alan]

But might I contend that even without Matthias there are still at least 13 Apostles? Look at Hebrews 3:1.

Hebrews 3:1, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

Hmmm..... Glad you brought Hebrews 3:1 to our attention.

May I give you my thought. In essense, the Lord Jesus, as the builder of the house (see Hebrews 3:2-6), would be considered the "head," of the house, the builder, not the house itself, and would be worthy of more honour than the house itself. So, Christ would be the supreme example (as called of God), but, not be mentioned as an 13th apostle; as in relation to the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem nor in judging in the 12 tribes of Israel during His 1000 Year Reign.

Hebrews 3:3,"For this man [Christ] was counted of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house."

Alan