Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
TITUS 3
Saved in Order to Do Good
1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 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.
9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Final Remarks
12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.
Application Notes
3:1 As Christians, our first allegiance is to Jesus as Lord, but we must also obey our government and its leaders. Christians are not above the law. Our Christian responsibility involves obeying the civil law and doing what we can to be good citizens. At times, we should not submit to the government; we should never allow the government to force us to disobey God. However, we must note that Jesus' disciples never disobeyed the government for personal reasons. When they disobeyed, it was in order to follow their higher loyalty to God. Their disobedience came with a price: They were threatened, beaten, thrown into jail, tortured and executed for their convictions. Like them, if we are compelled to disobey, we must be ready to accept the consequences. (See Acts 5:29 and Romans 13:1-14 for more on the attitude Christians are called to have toward the government.)
3:2 How does one show gentleness? Gentleness, or true humility, is a very elusive character trait, yet the Bible regards it as an important quality. This quality helps build bridges between leaders and workers and makes the gospel more attractive to outsiders. Jesus referred to himself as "gentle and humble in heart" (Matthew 11:29). In Romans 12:3, Paul wrote the clearest definition of humility apart from Jesus' own example: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you."
Humility, then, means having an honest estimate of our abilities and a self-concept that honours God. He knows who we really are. We show false humility when we have an inferiority mindset or needlessly discount our own abilities. God gives each person gifts and worth. We throw away humility (or trade humility for pride) when we have a superiority mind-set. inflate our own contributions, sing our own praises, or depreciate others. True humility acknowledges that we all are precious and have worth in God's eyes. True humility recognises the contributions and accomplishments of others.
3:3 Living a life of personal gratification and giving in to every sensual desire leads to slavery to our old, sinful nature. Many think freedom consists of doing anything they want, but this path leads to a slavish addiction to satisfying our desires with little regard to helping others and serving Jesus. A person who lives this way is no longer free but is a slave to what his or her body dictates (2 Peter 2:19). Christ frees us from the desires and control of sin. If you struggle in this area, ask God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to give you self-control to flee from sin's tempting influence (see 1 Corinthians 10:13 and the notes on Proverbs 7).
3:4-8 Here, Paul gives a profound summary of what Christ does for us when he saves us. We move from a life full of sin to one full of God's Holy Spirit. This transaction begins with God's kindness and love. All our sins, not merely some, are washed away. The cleansing process, however, will occur throughout our lives until we reach heaven. When we become Christians, we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour. We have a new life through the Holy Spirit, and he renews our hearts (also see Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:22). None of this occurs because we earn or deserve eternal life. Paul reminds us to have confidence and hope in God's plan of redemption.
3:4-6 Paul mentions all three persons of the Trinity in these verses because all three participate in the work of salvation. Based upon the redemptive work of his Son, the Father forgives us and sends the Holy Spirit to wash away our sins and continually renew us. The Holy Spirit was first generously poured out on the Day of Pentecost and filled the first believers there (Acts 2:1-41). God is not stingy; he gives in abundance. He has all you need and more.
3:4-5 Some have taken Paul's references to washing here to refer to water baptism. Others believe Paul is referring to spiritual baptism with an emphasis on internal cleansing. Paul. however, keeps the action of washing and renewing together under the work of the Holy Spirit Washing does indicate that Paul is referring to water baptism, but this is also a sign, or metaphor. for the Holy Spirit's entire work of giving us new life. The new birth is a metaphor for becoming the new person Paul referred to in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Renewal is the ongoing process that begins when we first trust in Jesus. When our sins are washed away, we gain eternal life with all its treasures.
3:8 In this chapter, Paul stresses that believers must devote themselves to doing good. Paul understood good works as faithful service. acts of giving. and involvement in the community. While good works can't save us or even increase God's love for us, they are true indications of our faith and love for Christ. Right belief produces real fruit. (See Ephesians 2:8-10. where Paul shows the key role good works play in the life of grace.) Paul did not make this aspect of discipleship optional. How can you serve the people around you? What can your church do to help all members identify and initiate the type of service they can do best?
3:9 Paul warns Titus, as he warned Timothy, not to get involved in foolish and unprofitable arguments (2 Timothy 2:14). This does not mean we should refuse to study, discuss, and examine different interpretations of difficult Bible passages. Paul is warning against petty quarrels, not honest discussion that leads to wisdom. If a foolish argument develops, try to turn the discussion back to what the Bible says, and pray for discernment to identify and address the real issues fueling the argument, or politely excuse yourself.
3:9 The false teachers were basing their heresies on spiritual pedigrees and speculations about the Jewish laws (see 1 Timothy 1:3-4). Similar to the methods used by false teachers in Ephesus and Colossae, their case was built on genealogies of angels. We should avoid engaging in arguments with false teachers, not even bothering to get involved in their foolish discussions. Overreaction sometimes gives more attention to their points of view.
3:10-11 A person must be warned when he or she is causing division that threatens the unity of the church. This should not be a heavy-handed action but a warning to correct the individual's divisive nature and restore him or her to fellowship. A person who refuses to be corrected should be put outside the fellowship: As Paul said, those people condemn themselves by deciding their viewpoints have more authority than the Bible or the collective wisdom of the elders and pastors of a church. (For help in handling such problems in the church, see Matthew 18:15-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15.)
3:12 The city of Nicopolis was on the western coast of Greece. Artemas or Tychicus would take over Titus's work on the island of Crete so Titus could meet Paul in Nicopolis. Tychicus was another of Paul's trusted companions (Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7). Titus would have to leave soon because sea travel was dangerous in the winter months. 3:13 Apollos was a famous Christian preacher. A native of Alexandria in North Africa, he became a Christian in Ephesus and was trained by Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:24-28; 1 Corinthians 1:12).
3:15 The letters of Paul to Titus and Timothy are his last writings and mark the end of his life and ministry. These letters are rich treasures for us today because they give vital information for church leadership. They provide a strong model for elders, pastors, and other Christian leaders as they develop younger leaders to carry on the work, following Paul's example of preparing Timothy and Titus to carry on his ministry. For practical guidelines on church leadership and problem solving, carefully study the principles found in these letters.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)