Monday, October 28th: Jeremiah 51:54-52:34, Titus 3:1-15, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 26:18-19 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 51:54-52:34, Titus 3:1-15, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 26:18-19

It was so sad to read about the defeat of the Israelites, the killing and capturing of slaves, and the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem.  What was sad was that it was unnecessary and preventable, if only the people had continued to follow God or repented of their rebellion at any point after warning after warning by prophet after prophet.  Perhaps the people mistook God's patience for leniency, perhaps they just wanted to continue in their sin no matter the consequence, but the day of reckoning finally came.

The ultimate day of reckoning will come sometime.  We don't know when.  And we would be foolish to mistake God's patience for leniency.

God is always ready to provide grace when we repent.  We see this in our Titus passage....
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.

Psalm 100 is a very familiar psalm and one of my favourites.

Our Proverbs passage is also striking....
¹⁸ Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
¹⁹ is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

It reminds me of the cruel things people say to each other, followed by "just joking".  Joking and teasing can be fun, but it needs to be good natured and it has to be fun for everyone, not just the person making the joke at someone else's expense.  We can't expose our poor behaviour or mean or thoughtless words by claiming we were just joking.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Lamentations 1:1-2:22, Philemon 1:1-25, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 26:20

Friday, July 6th: Micah 1-3; Titus 3 ~ Emma

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Micah 1-3; Titus 3

“Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.” - Titus‬ ‭3:9‬

Many things are “black and white” in the bible, but there are also a lot of “grey areas.” These are the kinds of things that aren’t worth arguing with other believers about. 

Things like: “should we be tithing more than 10%?” “Should we let kids play sports on Sundays?” “Is dancing an “okay” form of worship?”

These arguments are not essential to our salvation and have been debated over for a long time, and as long as we’re waiting for Jesus’ return, people will keep debating them.

Instead of arguing over these “grey areas”, we should encourage each other in the faith, and pray for each other. Because we definitely don’t want to become like the Pharisees who thought religion and rules were more important than a faith and relationship with God.

Let’s focus on lifting each other up today.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Micah 4-7; Philemon 1

Wednesday, July 4th: Isaiah 1-3, Titus 1 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 1-3, Titus 1 

I memorized the book of Titus several years ago.  I can't say it from memory anymore, but it comes back very easily as I read through it.  When I memorized it, I was going through a book by Janet Pope about bible memory, and she made comments about the verses as we went along (following, in blue).  I won't mention them all, but it's amazing how much is in every verse if you actually stop and think about it.

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness

Who? Paul.
How does he describe himself? A servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Why is he writing? For the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth.
Where does the knowledge of the truth lead? It leads to godliness.
Is this what you want? Yes.
Then go after truth. That's why we're doing this. There is so much in this one verse. Think about it. Pray about it. Let it come alive in you.

2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
Ask questions: Who, what, where, when, why and how.
Where is my faith resting? On the hope of eternal life.
Who promised this? God
When? Before the beginning of time.
What attribute of God is mentioned? He does not lie.
Wow! How sure is your faith? As sure as God Himself.

And that's just two verses!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Isaiah 4-6, Titus 2

Thursday, November 2nd: Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3

Titus 3:3-7 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. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 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, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
This is one of my favourite passages.  To me it is a reminder that "there but for the grace of God, go I".  I am not better than anyone else.  Without God I am foolish, disobedient, deceived and ensured by sinful pleasures.  And I can do nothing to change that or to redeem myself.

But God can and He did!  In His mercy, He loved us.  We did nothing to deserve that love.  But He sent His son to live a sinless life, to die in our place taking the punishment we deserved, to conquer death and sin by rising again, justifying us and making us heirs with eternal life!

Amazing grace!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Jeremiah 30-31; Philemon

Wednesday, November 1st: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2

Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
A few years ago I memorized the book of Titus, and this was one of my favourite passages.  There is so much truth contained here!

It is only by God's grace that we are saved.
God's grace is offered to all people.
God's grace teaches us to say no to evil and yes to righteousness.
The world will try to sway us, but grace will provide a way out.
Though we still live in a fallen world we have a blessed hope of eternity to come.
Jesus Christ himself willingly chose to die in our place so that we could be redeemed.
Not only are we redeemed, we are also purified, and eager to do what is good!


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage:  Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3

Tuesday, October 31st: Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1

Titus 1:16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
There are, unfortunately, people like this within the church today.  Anyone can claim to be a Christian.  But we can say one thing and mean another.  Or we can say one thing but not even understand what we're saying.  There are definitely people who claim to be Christians, that are not.

But this is also a good reminder for those of us who are genuine believers. Do our lives reflect what we say we believe?

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2

Friday, December 9, 2016: Titus 1-3

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Titus 1-3

“These, then, are the things you should teach.  Encourage and rebuke with all authority.  Do not let anyone despise you.”  Titus 2:15

Teach.  Encourage.  Respect.

Three items on Titus’ to do list, and three items that should be on ours too.  

Titus was urged by Paul to teach.  The teachings included practical advice for the contemporary Christians.  Some Christians during this time believed the wrong things, and behaved the wrong way.  This was the result of false teaching.  Titus had to correct the people who were wrong, and he had to be firm with them.      

In addition to teaching, Titus was responsible for encouraging the Christians.  One way to encourage is to tell others what God has done in the past for you.  To further that, we can be encouraged by what God has promised us in the future.  “so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life”.  Titus 3:7b  

To be effective at encouraging, one would have had to provide kindness; treating others in a considerate, hospitable manner, and assisting them in their needs.   When a foundation of kindness has been established you can then challenge them in their daily walk (correction).

Proper correction will lead to respect.  This is evident with children towards their parents (hopefully) and would be the same for Titus.  He had something important to teach them and he needed their respect.  One important way of achieving respect, is to behave the correct way.  

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”  Titus 2:7-8  

I found today’s reading to be a very useful manual.  Titus is a short book within the Bible, but its message is big.  Every Christian should be self-controlled in their life, and eager to oppose sin while pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: 2 Timothy 1-4

Sunday, March 29th: Proverbs 16-18, Titus 3 ~ Tammy

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Proverbs 16-18; Titus 3

There were a number of well known proverbs in our passage today, but a few others caught my eye as I read our passage....

Proverbs 16:31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life
Our culture does not value the elderly.  We don't view them as productive, and therefore they must be useless.  What a waste!  The elderly have so much to teach us.  Though age does not always equal wisdom, age does provide years of experience from which to draw wisdom.  And, as the saying goes, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  We can learn from their mistakes and from their experience.  We can also learn from their stories.  Jesus spoke in parables often because we are drawn to them and they are an excellent teaching tool.  When we ignore or marginalize the elderly we are missing out on a treasure trove.  

Of course, the elderly aren't only to be treated with respect because of what they can teach us.  The elderly, like all humanity (including the handicapped, the unborn, the less than) have value not because of what they do, but because they are made in the image of God and He has declared them worthy through His death and resurrection.

Another common theme in today's proverbs is the importance of taming the tongue, of using it for good instead of evil.  A great reminder for me!

Our Titus passage contains another one of my favourite passages.....
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
What a beautiful description of the gospel message.  We all were once all those awful things, until Christ.  Until Christ.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift of mercy and grace!


 Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Proverbs 19-21; Hebrews 1

Saturday, March 28th : Proverbs 13-15, Titus 2

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Proverbs 13-15; Titus 2

I find Proverbs a difficult book to study in chapter chunks - I feel like almost every verse could use it's own post, and that it's difficult not to stop and carefully think through each one.

A couple general themes stood out to me though.  One is the importance of humility and being willing to learn - both from the Word of God, and from wise mentors around us.  Of course, it's difficult to learn from wise mentors if we have not consciously chosen to surround ourselves with them.   We need to make sure we have a strong spiritual support system in our lives, and that, once we have it, we make use of it!

More recurring themes include being careful to use our words to edify instead of destroy, living a life of obedience to God which is almost always completely counter-cultural, living according to the wisdom of the Word instead of the wisdom of the world, recognizing that justice will reign in both this life (though not necessarily materially or physical, but always spiritually) and in the next, that joy is found in the Lord and not in our circumstances, that it is far more valuable to be spiritually rich than financially rich, and that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of everything.

A couple of favourites for me (some to cling to, some to convict, some to encourage).....



Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.


Proverbs 14:26-27 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.


Proverbs 14:30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.


Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

I love the book of Titus!  Partly because it is the first book of the Bible I have memorized.  Unfortunately, I have gotten out of the habit of reviewing it and so I don't have it completely  memorized anymore (I memorized it in the NIV1984 version and I can't find an audio Bible that still carries that version which makes it difficult to review easily), but it is still very familiar to me.

One thing that jumps out at me in our passage is that we all have a responsibility to both learn from those older than us, and to teach those younger than us (and that is determined more by spiritual maturity than by actually age).   It is so important for our faith to be rooted in sound doctrine!  We cannot teach what we don't know.  We cannot live out what we don't know.  We cannot defend what we don't know.  We cannot recognize false teaching if we don't know genuine teaching.  It is so important for us to take the time to read, study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God.

This chapter also contains one of my favourite passages in the Bible - and it also happens to be a great summary of the gospel message.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.



Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Proverbs 16-18; Titus 3

Friday, March 27th: Proverbs 10-12, Titus 1 ~ Elizabeth

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Proverbs 10-12 and Titus 1

In today's Proverbs readings the material blessings enjoyed by families should be pursued by prudent and diligent work done honestly. God blesses such labor and uses it to provide for the needs of His people. We should be careful not to forget that it is God who provides us with all that we need to support our body and life. Likewise, we must never resort to wickedness or dishonesty in an attempt to secure a better profit for ourselves. The righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus not only delivers from death, but it also ensures that our heavenly Father will provide us with everything we need. The words we speak can be either a source of life and comfort, edifying those around us, or a source of strife and wickedness, stirring up hatred and division. Always choose your words prudently, being careful never to speak gossip, lies, or slander about another person. Defend those whose reputation is under assault and forgive those who sin against you. Jesus was a victim of false accusations; the blood He shed on the cross covers all of our offenses. Both the righteous and the wicked face tempests and challenges. Yet the righteous, who travel the way of the Lord and who live in the fear of the Lord, are blessed with stability, joy, and the promise of everlasting life. The Lord is you hope, health, stronghold, and way.

Proverbs teaches the wisdom of living by righteousness as taught by the Lord. Worldly logic tells us that we become wealthy by hoarding what we have. But God's Word tells us that true riches come to those who give generously. We should always return a portion of our income to the service of God (who gives us all things) and support our neighbors according tot heir need. After all, this is God's wonderful way of dealing with His children. He has generously given us all that we need, including the life of His one and only Son for our salvation.

Paul opens his Letter to Titus and the churches on Crete with a greeting that asserts his authority, recaps God's plan for salvation, and notes his personal bond with Titus. Most of his greeting revolves around the Gospel, because this is so central to Paul's life that he can hardly speak (or write) without mentioning it. God saves us from sin and condemnation and makes us fit for His kingdom. The only logical response to such love, grace, and generosity is, like Paul, to overflow with His praises and share this joyous news with others. Through Jesus Christ, the Father rescues us from our shortcomings yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Step by step, Paul outlines the requirements for those who wish to lead as stewards of God's Church. Then he turns his focus to the false teachers, who do not measure up in understanding or teaching the truth, in their corrosive behavior, or in their motives. As living, active members of God's Church, potential leaders should aspire to know and understand His truth and to serve in the roles He provides. They and their families need to live a godly life that avoids empty talk, deceit, and any teaching that turns away from God's truth. Purity is a tall order, though, and we cannot make ourselves pure. Yet God steps into our lives and purifies us by His Gospel. Thank God that through Jesus Christ, He makes us pure and leads us through His trustworthy Word!

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Proverbs 13-15; Titus 2

Wednesday, February 26th

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Leviticus 19-20, Psalm 41, Mark 13

Today's scripture focus is Titus 3:12-15

Titus 3:12-15

English Standard Version (ESV)

Final Instructions and Greetings

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: The Last Word on Relationships
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Once More: The "Good" Life

In our passage today, we find out more about the historical details of this letter.

Rayburn: As we mentioned in our introduction to this letter several months ago, Paul wrote Titus, perhaps in largest part, to tell him to join him in Nicopolis, on the Adriatic coast of Greece. But Titus can’t leave to join Paul until his replacement arrives. Paul understands that the work in Crete is not complete and is unwilling to require these young churches to fend for themselves. We know nothing else of this Artemas, but Tychicus is mentioned on several occasions in the New Testament and in 2 Tim. 4:12 we learn that he was sent to Ephesus to relieve Timothy, indicating, perhaps, that Artemas was the one sent to replace Titus in Crete.

[Zenas and Apollos] no doubt carried Paul’s letter to Titus. We don’t know anything else about Zenas, but Apollos was the gifted Alexandrian, whom we find in Acts 18 receiving instruction from Priscilla and Aquila, and whose later teaching at Corinth was so enthusiastically received that it created a division between his followers and those of Paul. So far as we can tell, Paul and Apollos themselves were always on good terms and this statement is further indication of that.

This is the tenth and last reference in this short letter to the Christian life as a doing of what is good. Obviously the hospitality and help asked for on behalf of Zenas and Apollos serves as an example of what Paul is after. The NIV’s “daily necessities” is not a literal translation. What Paul wrote is literally “necessary needs,” that is, pressing or urgent needs. It seems he is still talking about such things as providing help to strangers coming through. In other words, Paul is eager that the Christians on Crete learn to be ready at all times to do good, to invest their lives in the service of others and, all the more, in the service of the gospel. Then, when the opportunity arises, as it often will, they will be ready. That is Paul’s prescription for a fruitful life or what Paul calls a productive life.

As Christians, we are to live lives of purity in obedience to God, from a thankful heart and for His glory.  That involves service.  But what, exactly, are we to do?  Sometimes, we get so distracted in trying to figure out our grand purpose, that we miss the forest for the trees.  We need to do what is set in front of us to do.  And then the next, and then the next.  As God gives us opportunity, as He places people and needs in our lives, we need to meet those needs and serve those people, which will bring us to the next opportunity and the next after that.

MacArthurs adds some encouraging thoughts here as well.  As Christians, we are to work together as a team.
You're a part of a team, we're all inter-dependent, we need to be supportive and trusting and delegating. We all share. We move to assist each other, what's ever best for the cause. That's a very important thing in spiritual leadership.

This is an evangelistic epistle.... But the key to evangelism is right relationships. That involves shunning false teachers, rejecting factious people. It involves helping fellow servants and loving faithful friends. You see, the whole thing in evangelism, the whole credibility issue is built on the character of our lives. And the only way to pull this off is his final conclusion, "Grace be with you all." Apart from God's grace it can't happen. By His grace it can.


I've really enjoyed digging deeper in this book as it's the first (and so far, only) book of the Bible I've memorized.  It will provide much deeper meditation as I continue to review it!

Tomorrow - Daniel!

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Daniel 1:1-8

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Leviticus 21-22, Psalm 42, Mark 14

Tuesday - February 25- Tiffany

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Leviticus 17-18, Psalm 40, Mark 12

Today's scripture focus is Titus 3:8-11

 

Titus 3:8-11

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.

 

 I read this passage, and then read all of chapter 3. Verse 8 is actually referring to the 4 verses before it:  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.

 

And while verse 8 belongs with the verses before it, it also is a good precursor to verses 9-11.  In verse 9, avoiding foolish controversies, arguments and quarrels about the law is pretty straight forward, but what about "genealogies?" According to my Archeological Bible, this most likely refers to Old Testament history. In which case, genealogies makes sense considering how many family trees we read through when studying the OT.

And I believe that is important. We need to know what we believe, and we need to stand behind our beliefs, but silly arguments  about tiny details do not bring people closer to Jesus.

 

I also like the advice given in verse 10.  It is difficult for me to walk away from a person sometimes when they are just insistent on arguing with me. I feel guilty if I don't attempt to smooth things over and leave a conversation on a good note.  But Paul tells Titus here not to bother with those who just enjoy arguing. Warn them twice on the problems caused by an argumentative spirit, and then walk away.  No point into dragging yourself down.

 

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Titus 3:12-15

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Leviticus 19-20, Psalm 41, Mark 13

Monday, February 24-by Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Leviticus 15-16, Psalm 39, Mark 11

Today's scripture focus is Titus 3:3-7

³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The first thing that jumped out for me from today's verses was: "were once". ³ For we ourselves were once foolish, [were once] disobedient, [were once] led astray, [were once] slaves to various passions and pleasures, [were once] passing our days in malice and envy, [were once] hated by others and [were once] hating one another. 

Were. Once. really? Most days in my life seem more like "are always" than "were once". However, we are reminded that each day is a new start... a new chance to say that we "were once" behaving in a way that is counter to what God desires. 

Lamentations 3:22-24

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

John MacArthur suggests:

I just will remind you of the general tone in which we approach these particular verses. New Testament churches were small islands in a sea of paganism. You see, they existed in an absolutely pagan culture. The Gentile world knew nothing about the Bible. It knew nothing about biblical morality. It knew nothing about Christian values. It knew nothing about a godly sense of mercy or justice. It knew nothing about a proper understanding of freedom within the framework of moral code. It was purely and totally and comprehensively and utterly pagan. These churches were born them in a culture with no Christian influence. There was no cultural Christianity. There was no Christian influence on social behavior or on the belief systems. The Gentile world was literally engulfed in idolatry, all of it designed by Satan. Their cultures were totally controlled by a Satanic agenda worked out through utterly and totally depraved human beings involved in worshiping demons.

So the churches then were in direct opposition and contrast to everything within the framework of cultural life. Given that obvious understanding, we might assume if we listen to Christians today in America that the early church should have made its primary agenda to impact culture, to try to get the various nations into which the church had been born adopt some kind of politically Christian agenda. Somehow the early church, some would seemingly want to tell us, should have put together some kind of biblical morality, some kind of biblical value system and worked very hard to get the nations to adopt that biblical moral code. However, the early church never did that. It had nothing to do with that. It did not concern itself with whatever the moral code of the nation was. It was not concerned about social behavior. It was not trying to influence culture politically or judicially or legislatively. The early church existed to do one thing and that was to reach lost people with the gospel. That was the beginning and the end of their purpose and that is still the church's purpose, that is still our only purpose, that is why we are in the world.

We are all sinners. We "were once" sinners. Through Christ we are redeemed and it is through Him alone that we can be "were once" sinners. We are all the same. All sinners. All foolish. All disobedient. All led astray. All slaves and passing our days in malice and envy. 

This reminded me of some of the lyrics to a casting crown song "Jesus, friend of Sinners": 

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

"The world is on their way to You, but they're tripping over me". What I choose to do and say affects the people around me--who are actually just like me-- sinners. However, each day I have the grace of God to become more like Him and less like me.

John MacArthur ends his message so eloquently:

That's not how it's done, folks. You might get a crowd and you might even preach the gospel and have some people saved, but you're going to have immature carnal ignorant believers whose lives are not going to demonstrate to the culture the transforming saving power of God. When the church comes together, it comes together to be spoken to with boldness and called to holy living and out of the Word of God because those who take the Word of God seriously are going to engage in the good deeds that are going to become good and profitable for the watching world. That's the mandate. We can't just be sad. We can't certainly be hostile. We've got to pray for those in our culture and our society who are lost. We've got to pity them and love them with the love of God and show them Christ's saving power in our lives. The church does not need now to become more like the world, it needs to become utterly and distinctively the church so that there is such an obvious difference that the world can see it clearly. We're doing exactly the opposite and that's the tragedy. For us here we have a mandate, we can't fix everything but we can be what God wants us to be here. And God will in His grace use us to bring many to righteousness.

Father, we thank You again this morning for Your Word. We are a people who can say we believe You. If You speak we listen. We take Your Word seriously and we want, Lord, to live the kind of lives that You want us to live so that we can demonstrate a transformed person is like. And then they'll know You have transforming power. Help us to live holy lives, lives of compassion and love, lives of grace and kindness and mercy that they might see in us the first born of heaven, even Jesus Christ and His love and compassion and pity and His virtue. And seeing what we are might conclude their God is a saving God and come themselves for salvation. To this end we pray for Christ's sake. Amen.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Titus 3:8-11

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Leviticus 17-18, Psalm 40, Mark 12

Friday, February 21st

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Leviticus 13-14; Psalm 38; Mark 10

Today's scripture focus is Titus 3:1-2

Titus 3:1-2

English Standard Version (ESV)

Be Ready for Every Good Work

3 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: The Christian's Responsibility in a Pagan Society Part 1
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Being Good

Sometimes it seems like no matter how often we've heard something, another reminder is in order.  That's what our passage today suggests.  "Remind them".   Obviously these were things the Cretans knew or had heard before, but about which they needed to be reminded.

Rayburn:
There are two reasons why these Christians especially might need to be reminded of these duties. First, the Cretans were notorious in the ancient world for their rebelliousness and insubordination. Second, new Christians, with their glorious new sense of loyalty to the Almighty God, might think the pretensions of human rulers of little consequence. Why should they obey petty human rulers when their allegiance is to the Triune God, the Maker of heaven and earth? But Christians have obligations as citizens of this world and it is particularly important that theymeet those obligations precisely because they are Christians. In the then current situation, the last thing the gospel needed was unnecessarily to be associated with political rebellion....

Not easy commandments to keep when you are surrounded by people whose view of life and of morals you are now convinced is profoundly wrong. Not easy commandments to keep when you are likely to be the butt of a great deal of negative comment by those who think your conversion to Christianity passing strange.

Interestingly, “peaceable and considerate” are found again as a pair in the qualifications for elder in 1 Tim. 3:3. We are reminded again that the qualification for an elder is simply that he be a mature, practiced, and faithful Christian man. Nothing is required of him that is not required of us all.

“Meekness,” what the NIV translates here as “humility,” is the Christian’s attitude not toward God, but toward man and, clearly in this case, toward all men, not simply fellow Christians.

MacArthur:
we are living in a sub-Christian America. We want to say we're Christians, we just don't want to commit to what Christianity is. Our Christianity has become hollow. We are clearly pagan but we wear the mask of religion. 

It really is the unfortunate reality that we're living in a pagan culture, and it's so easy to get caught up in our cultural worldview and lose sight of a biblical perspective.  But we need to keep this perspective in mind - our mission is to bring people to God.  It is not to moralize the nation, it is to save the nation!  That can only happen from the inside out.  That doesn't mean that we don't care who becomes Prime Minister (or President, depending where you live), but it means that we shouldn't be spending all our energy into trying to legislate morality, but rather we need to realize that the issue is salvation.  And a huge part of demonstrating the saving, transforming power of God is by living that transformed life.  The way we live, among Christians and non-Christians, is crucial in order for our proclamation to be believable.

Then Paul lists some very practical ways in which to do so.

We need to be subject to rulers and authorities and obey them - whether they're good ones or bad (unless obedience means violating God's commands).
We need to be ready for every good work - we need to be aggressively good, purposefully good, intentionally good.
We are not to speak evil of anyone - pretty self explanatory.  Note this doesn't mean we cannot confront people, but we need to do so in respect and with pure motives.
We are to avoid quarreling.  We should not be hostile or argumentative, but rather peaceful and friendly.  Again, this doesn't mean we never have confrontation when necessary - but we don't go looking for a fight.
We need to be gentle - kind, considerate, patient, and reasonable.
We need to show perfect courtesy - we don't fight for our rights, we don't have an agenda.
And we're supposed to do this for all people - that means everyone.

God loves all men. God desires that all men be saved, he says. God wants you to pray for all men. The grace of God has appeared to all men. You live your life before all men so that they can see the transformation.

Only Christians can live like that. That's our duty. That's how we have to live.

For His glory and the salvation of His people.

Rayburn finishes it off with a bit of a sucker punch....

There is a kind of public goodness that is uncontroversial. We shouldn’t lie about others – slander – we ought to be considerate and kind. Being so is more difficult than people think and Christians have access to a power for living this life that others do not; but the idea of goodness itself is not controversial in many of these ways. But the combination of virtues is another thing altogether. To combine sexual purity with kindness in this modern culture; to combine willing obedience to the government with an absolute and uncompromised loyalty to the living and true God; to combine a genuine meekness and humility before all men – grounded upon the knowledge of our own sinfulness and unworthiness and Christ’s love for us while we were his enemies – I say, to combine that humility in a husband with his wife’s submission to him in their marriage; to combine strict and conscientious truth telling with a genuine love for other people; to combine a saying "No" to malice toward others and saying "Yes" to love; it is in this fullness of goodness, in this life of comprehensive virtue that a distinctly Christian goodness is found.

Don’t ever forget this! Being kind from time to time is not what Paul means by devoting oneself to being good. Not slandering someone is not what Paul means by doing whatever is good. If that is all we do we might as well be Muslims or secular humanists. You cannot live a Christian life piecemeal. It is in the wholeness of goodness, in goodness practiced in many directions at the same time, in this goodness that is attitude and speech and behavior all at once that we find the goodness of which Paul speaks. It was that goodness that Christ practiced in his life and by which he left us an example that we should follow in his steps. In part this goodness mirrors what other people recognize as goodness and in part it is distinctively and uniquely Christian; but both parts must be present in us at the same time. If we are comfortable in our Christian living, it is a certainty that our view of the Christian life is too small; we are thinking of and caring for too few things; we are thinking the whole thing too easy.

That is why we must have Christ and the Holy Spirit at work in us and on our behalf. To be good in so many ways at once is beyond the ability of any frail and fallen human being. We can hardly keep in our heads at once all the things required of us that we should live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. There is a sense in which the serious Christian will be gasping for air, sucking wind, as long as he lives in this world for all the straining his mind, heart, and will must do to present himself pure and holy before God....the Christian life is difficult and especially for this, that you have to do so many things at the same time.

But how like Paul and how like the rest of the Bible to pile it on. Not one virtue, but many at once. We would prefer that he speak about self-control and talk at length about that. We could get our minds around that. We could commit ourselves to that. But Paul urges upon us self-control and temperance and love and kindness and truth-telling and peaceableness and obedience and everything else that he assumes we know he means by saying that we are to devote ourselves to doing what is good. What a world heaven will be, full of people who are all those things, all the time! You and I set our sights too low. We content ourselves with one virtue or another, when we ought to be seeking a dozen at the same time. If we do not feel that without Christ we can do nothing, and if we are not always, almost in desperation, looking to him for the grace and help to enable us to live a truly godly life, it is almost certainly because we have a view of the Christian life that is altogether too simple, too easy. We have made it a few things, when it is really many things. True goodness is many things all at once!

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Titus 3:3-7

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Leviticus 15-16, Psalm 39, Mark 11