Lesson 418 - Junior

Memory Verse

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men"  (Titus 2:11).

Notes

A Letter

The Apostle Paul was a man of God and a missionary. When it was not possible to visit the people of the church, God inspired him to write a letter to them, to encourage and help them. Some of the books of the New Testament are God-inspired letters that Paul wrote. We have studied several of them. Some of the epistles were written to groups of Christian people, like those of the Churches at Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and others. Some letters were written to one person, like the two epistles to Timothy, which we have studied.

Our lesson today is a letter written to Titus, whom Paul called "my partner and fellow-helper" [2CO:8:23]). Titus had gone with Paul on different trips. He was a Gentile who believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems that Titus was saved through the preaching of Paul because Paul called him, "mine own son after the common faith."

Island of Crete

At one time Paul and Titus had been together on the island of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea, just south of what is known today as Greece. It is about 150 miles long, with mountains, rich valleys, and many people. It is sometimes called the island of a hundred cities.

The ancient writers and historians have said that the people of Crete were daring sailors and famous bowmen, given to piracy, lying, and every form of dishonesty. One of their own people, thought to have been Epimenides, said that the "Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." They were so evil that a word was named for them: to "cretanise" was to tell an untruth. It is reported that there were no wild animals on the island of Crete but according to that poet the people acted like evil beasts -" rough and fierce, given to gluttony and lies.

It was on this island that Paul left Titus to organise churches. It would not be easy but it was a great opportu-nity to tell the people that Jesus could make them truthful and upright. There were some Christian believers but Titus was there to give them instructions, for we read, "Let all things be done decently and in order" [1CO:14:40]).

There is no record of how the churches were started on the island of Crete. On the Day of Pentecost some people from Crete were in Jerusalem. They witnessed the wonderful scene when the "promise of the Father" -" the Holy Ghost -" filled the believers. God gives all people a chance to be saved; perhaps some of those Cretians heard Peter's sermon and were saved [ACT:2:11], [ACT:2:41]).

Titus was given the work of appointing proper leaders. They might be called elders, bishops, or ministers. They were to be in charge of congregations. God required them to live the Word of God as well as preach the truth, just as He requires today.

False Teachers

There were in Crete, as well as in other places, religious people who were false teachers, "unruly and vain talkers and deceivers." Some taught "Jewish fables, and commandments of men" rather than the true Word of God. Titus was instructed to stop the mouths of these people who were "teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake" -- those who preached for money and had not a love for the truth. Their mouths were to be stopped by preaching of the truth and by living according to the Gospel.

Love of God

By appointing leaders and ministers who loved the truth and who lived what they preached, the false teachers could be defeated. There are high requirements for faithful leaders. One does not have those good things in his life unless he has been born again, as Jesus taught. "Ye must be born again" [JHN:3:7]), in order to enter the Kingdom of God or even see it [JHN:3:3], [JHN:3:5]).

The leaders needed the love of God in their heart. We have studied I Corinthians 13, which is known as the love chapter because charity means the love of God (Lesson 355). When one has that kind of love in his heart the Lord can use him to spread the Gospel. Paul wrote to Timothy, "Now the end of the commandment is charity [love] out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" [1TM:1:5]).

Love of Fellow Men

Some of the qualities, which God's leaders must have are listed. They include: being sober -" which affects one's self, being just -" which is one's actions towards his fellow men, and being holy -" which is toward God. One cannot be holy in his religion or worship without it affecting his actions towards others. The writer of the Book of James shows the difference between false and true religion. He said: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world" [JAM:1:27]).

Faithful

"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." This is a key to effective service for God. One does not overcome the enemy by argument or by force but by the Word of God.

When one lives according to the Word of God, the Spirit will abide upon his life and he will be able to exhort and convince unbelievers, thus helping to win them to the Lord.

Good Works

What a contrast there is between a true child of God and one who has not been born again! Some claim to know God but their actions prove that they do not have His love, His Spirit, and His power within them. They really deny Christ because they do not open their hearts to Him so He can come in and change their lives.

Not only do true ministers of God live according to the Bible but also every child of God lives a good life. "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works." Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" [MAT:5:16]).

Salvation

A person is not justified or saved by good works [GAL:2:16]). "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" [EPH:2:8-9]). Any person can be saved if he repents, turns to God, and believes His promises, "for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." This includes persons like the evil Cretians and those like the rich young ruler who had observed the Law from his youth, yet lacked one thing [MAK:10:21]).

After one is saved, good works follow. God looks for them in His people. The world also expects to see good works in the lives of God's people. Jesus gave His life to redeem us from "all iniquity." He will cleanse (purify or sanctify) His people and they will be able to do good works. "We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." By the grace of God one who is saved does live just that way -" without committing sin -" here in the world today.

Hope

Those who are following Jesus have a wonderful hope in their heart of seeing Him when He comes to take His own away [1TS:4:17]). Jesus will appear in the sky to catch away those who are looking for Him [HEB:9:28]).

Hope is a part of the Christian's armour -" "for an helmet, the hope of salvation" [1TS:5:8]). Hope is "an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast" [HEB:6:19]). When one has that hope, he consecrates his life to Jesus, lives carefully each day, and works for the Lord. "We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" ([1JN:3:2-3]).

Questions

1. What is an epistle?

2. Who was Titus?

3. Why was he in Crete?

4. Why did Paul write to Titus?

5. In verse seven, what five things are listed that are not in the life of a "bishop," or minister?

6. List six qualities that must be in the life of a servant of God (verse 8).

7. What is sound doctrine?

8. To whom has the grace of God appeared?

9. Explain this in your own words: "We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

10. What is the hope of a Christian?