Text: Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (vs12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (vs13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (vs14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works.”
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.21, Pages33-34;a comment on Titus 2:11-13 II. THE EFFECTS OF THE GRACE OF GOD. “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” This grace first manifests itself by teaching, just as the first thing in creation was light. It must begin with teaching, and the Spirit of God is given “to teach all things”(St. John 14:26). The original word implies the idea of a disciplining process, effected by the grace of God to correct the inherent naughtiness of the heart. 2. The grace of God works toward the rejection of evil, for it teaches us “to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts.” (1) The denial is in the heart and deed. It involves the denial of self (St. Luke 9:23). (2) It is the rejection of ungodliness in heart and life. (a) Ungodliness includes lack of reverence for God, blasphemy, and lack of religious faith. (b) It includes all living without all that are living without having a true relationship with God regardless whether they are blasphemers or not. Thus a man can be considered ungodly who seeks only for his own pleasure, distinction, or happiness in the world. (c) Ungodliness implies the deeper enmity of the heart to God (Rom.8:7) (3) It is the denial of worldly lusts; including the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and vain glory of life--- “all that is in the world”--- which embody the enmity to God. Thus it denies (a) sensual lusts (2 Tim.2:22); (b) the inordinate desire of worldly things which may be lawful within themselves. 3. The Grace Of god Produces Positive Effects. “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” (1) It secures the due regulation of individual life. “Soberly” This refers to the duties we owe ourselves. (a) In keeping a fair balance of judgment intellectually; (b) in keeping a due mastery over our passions---“a sobriety in speech, in behavior, in apparel, in eating, and drinking, in recreations, and in the enjoyment of lawful satisfactions.” (2) It secures the faithful discharge of all duties to our fellow-men. “Righteously” Justice is an exact virtue , which can be easily measured, and is therefore the basis of commercial and civil life. A single failure in justice makes a man unjust. Therefore it is most necessary we should give our neighbor his due, and not compromise ourselves by conduct which would bring injury to the gospel.
(3) It secures godliness. “Godly” that is, with God, in God, for God. This godly life is a dedication to God and spent in his fear.
The Walk Of The Believer Is A Walk In Faith
IV. THE ATTITUDE OF THE BELIEVER IN RELATION TO THE FUTURE GLORY. “Looking for the blessed hope and manifestation of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The believer’s position is that of waiting for and looking unto the coming of the Lord. The patriarchs waited for his first coming; we wait for his second coming. 1. The Believer’s Waiting Attitude Is Inspired By A Blessed Hope. (1) This is “the hope of glory” laid up for us in heaven, which is associated with the Son Of God, when we shall see him as he is.(2) It is a blessed hope, because of all the blessings it brings to the believer.”
EXPOSITION
1. The Basis Of The Walk Of The Believer Is Fellowship With God.---1 John 1:5-10 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. (vs6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (vs7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. (vs8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (vs9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (vs10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
2. True Religion is The Practice Of The Walk Of The Believer ---Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?---James 1:27 “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.”
3. The Walk Of The Believer Is Actually To Walk In Christ.---Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (vs7) Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
4. The Walk Of The Believer Is A Walk In Faith---2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
5. The Walk Of The Believer Is A Walk In Love To God In Following His Commandments.---Second John 2:6 “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
6. The Walk Of The Believer Is A Walk Of Circumspection In The World In Which The Believer Redeems His Time Profitably---Ephesians 5:14-21 “Wherefore he saith, (paraphrase Isaiah .60:1-2)Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (vs15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, (cautiously or carefully) not as fools, but as wise, (vs16) Redeeming the time, because the days area evil. (vs17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (vs18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (vs19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (vs20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (vs21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
7.The Walk Of The Believer Is A Walk In The Newness Of Life ---Romans 6:3-7 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into death? (vs4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. (vs5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (vs6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (vs7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.”