Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Titus 3:8
[This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
8 14. The abiding practical holiness of Good Works
8. See summary at the beginning of the chapter, and note in Appendix E on The Faithful Sayings.
This is a faithful saying ] Render as 1Ti 1:15, where see note, Faithful is the saying. We begin a new paragraph embodying ‘another of the compendious fruitful utterances,’ thus uniting the wisdom of many, the wit of one, of God’s prophets. As in the other cases, it is to be referred to the following clause, and here to that which comes after the parenthesis, see to it that they which have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. So Bp Wordsworth, ‘a formula introducing a solemn asseveration which declares the practical character of the doctrine of Regeneration by Baptism the teaching of St Paul in the Pastoral Epistles on the necessity of good works,’ 1Ti 2:10; 1Ti 5:10 ; 1Ti 6:18; 2Ti 2:21; Tit 1:16; Tit 2:7; Tit 2:14; Tit 3:14 ‘they who have been born anew in baptism have entered into a solemn covenant with God, by which they obliged themselves to a new and holy life.’ The particle ‘in order that’ may be taken as part of the quotation, as Conybeare suggests, and as used with the subjunctive for an imperative; cf. Eph 5:33, ‘and (let) the wife (see) that she fear her husband;’ Mar 5:23 ‘(I pray thee), that thou come and lay thy hands on her;’ Cic. Fam. 14, 20, ‘ibi ut sint omnia parata.’ See Winer 43, 5, a.
these things] should be rather, concerning these things.
affirm constantly ] Rather, the compound implies affirm confidently. The word is only (in N.T.) here and 1Ti 1:7; the middle as there and Tit 1:5.
they which have believed in God ] Lit. believed God, the least emphatic of the constructions with ‘believe,’ that is, the earliest and simplest form of faith, the personal going out of the soul to the personal God and Father, that ‘takes Him at His word.’ So how natural, at the end of a life’s experience which built up the Christian Creed, is St Paul’s return to the simplest elements of the personal trust which has underlain the life and doctrine all the time (perfect tense as here) ‘I know whom I have believed and do believe,’ ‘I know who is my trust,’ 2Ti 1:12; cf. Act 16:34.
might be careful ] May make it their study; nowhere else in N.T. but frequent in LXX., e.g. 1Sa 9:5, ‘leave caring for the asses and take thought for us,’ and in classical Greek.
to maintain good works ] Lit. to ‘stand forward,’ in N.T. only in St Paul, as in 1Ti 3:4 ; 1Ti 5:17, of ‘presiding over’ ‘ruling’; so in LXX.; but in classical Greek in the sense here, ‘to be master of,’ ‘practised in,’ as a secondary sense, as well. Here the word carries further the thought in the Greek of ‘good;’ the good works are not only to be good in themselves, but seen to be good; Christians are not only to do such good works, but to let their light shine, to be to the front, in doing them. The corresponding word for a wrong zeal is used by St John: 2Jn 1:9, ‘Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching.’ The use of these two verbs in their special sense, and the order of the words for evident special emphasis, confirm the view taken here, as by Bp Wordsworth and others (A.V. certainly, R.V. probably), that this clause is the ‘Faithful saying.’ We may perhaps render it as such, and try to mark the several points noted, in a proverbial couplet;
‘Is God thy trust? Then make the study thine
In all good works to let thy candle shine.’
These things are good ] As is St Paul’s way, the word ‘good’ from the immediately preceding context, serves to make the transition to another point. ‘Good works’ are necessary, all these practical counsels in fact are good and will bring their profit to men; for positive teaching of plain duties is the best safeguard against error.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This is a faithful saying – See the notes at 1Ti 1:15. The reference here is to what he had been just saying, meaning that the doctrine which he had stated about the method of salvation was in the highest degree important, and entirely worthy of belief.
And these things I will that thou affirm constantly – Make them the constant subject of your preaching. That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. This shows that Paul supposed that the doctrines of the gospel were fitted to lead people to holy living; compare Tit 3:1, and the notes at Phi 4:8. The good works here refer not merely to acts of benevolence and charity, but to all that is upright and good – to an honest and holy life.
These things are good and profitable unto men – That is, these doctrines which he had stated were not mere matters of speculation, but they were fitted to promote human happiness, and they should be constantly taught.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Tit 3:8
Maintain good works –
I.
What we once were. A threefold set of evils is here described.
1. The first set consists of the evils of the mind: We were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived. We were foolish. We thought we knew, and therefore we did not learn. Every lover of vice is a fool writ large. In addition to being foolish, we are said to have been disobedient; and so we were, for we forsook the commands of God. We wanted our own will and way. We were unwilling to yield God His due place either in providence, law, or gospel. Paul adds that we were deceived, or led astray. We were the dupes of custom and of company. We were here, there, and everywhere in our actions: no more to be relied upon than lost sheep.
2. The next bundle of mischief is found in the evils of our pursuits. The apostle says we were serving divers lusts and pleasures. The word for serving means being under servitude. We were once the slaves of divers lusts and pleasures. By lusts we understand desires, longings, ambitions, passions. Many are these masters, and they are all tyrants. Some are ruled by greed for money; others crave for fame; some are enslaved by lust for power; others by the lust of the eye; and many by the lusts of the flesh.
3. We were also the bond slaves of pleasure. Alas! alas! that we were so far infatuated as to call it pleasure! Looking back at our former lives, we may well be amazed that we could once take pleasure in things whereof we are now ashamed. The Lord has taken the very name of our former idols out of our mouths. A holy man was wont to carry with him a book which had three leaves in it, but never a word. The first leaf was black, and this showed his sin; the second was red, and this reminded him of the way of cleansing by blood; while the third was white, to show how clean the Lord can make us. I beg you just now to study that first black page. It is all black; and as you look at it it shows blacker and blacker. What seemed at one time to be a little white darkens down as it is gazed upon, till it wears the deepest shade of all. Ye were sometimes erring in your minds and in your pursuits. Is not this enough to bring the water into your eyes, O ye that now follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth?
4. The apostle then mentions the evils of our hearts. Here you must discriminate and judge, each one for himself, how far the accusation lies. He speaks of living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. That is to say, first, we harboured anger against those who had done us evil; and, secondly, we lived in envy of those who appeared to have more good than we had ourselves.
II. What has been done for us?
1. First, there was a Divine interposition. The love and kindness of God our Saviour, which had always existed, at length appeared when God, in the person of His Son, came hither, met our iniquities hand to hand, and overcame their terrible power, that we also might overcome.
2. Note well that there was a Divine salvation. In consequence of the interposition of Jesus, believers are described as being saved: not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Hearken to this. There are men in the world who are saved: they are spoken of, not as to be saved, not as to be saved when they come to die, but saved even now–saved from the dominion of the evils which we described under our first head: saved from folly, disobedience, delusion, and the like. Whosoever believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God has set forth to be the propitiation for sin, is saved from the guilt and power of sin. He shall no longer be the slave of his lusts and pleasures; he is saved from that dread bondage. He is saved from hate, for he has tasted love, and learned to love. He shall not be condemned for all that he has hitherto done, for his great Substitute and Saviour has borne away the guilt, the curse, the punishment of sin; yea, and sin itself.
3. There was a motive for this salvation. Positively, According to His mercy He saved us; and, negatively, Not by works of righteousness which we have done. We could not have been saved at the first by our works of righteousness; for we had not done any. No, says the apostle, we were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and therefore we had no works of righteousness, and yet the Lord interposed and saved us. Behold and admire the splendour of His love, that He loved us even when we were dead in sins. He loved us, and therefore quickened us.
4. There was a power by which we were saved. The way in which we are delivered from the dominion of sin is by the work of the Holy Ghost. This adorable Person is very God of very God. This Divine Being comes to us and causes us to be born again. By His eternal power and Godhead He gives us a totally new nature, a life which could not grow out of our former life, nor be developed from our nature–a life which is a new creation of God. We are saved, not by evolution, but by creation. The Spirit of God creates us anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. We experience regeneration, which means–being generated over again, or born again.
5. There is also mentioned a blessed privilege which comes to us by Jesus Christ. The Spirit is shed on us abundantly by Jesus Christ, and we are justified by His grace. Both justification and sanctification come to us through the medium of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Once more, there comes out of this a Divine result. We become today joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and so heirs of a heavenly estate; and then out of this heirship there grows a hope which reaches forward to the eternal future with exceeding joy.
III. What we wish to do. Be careful to maintain good works.
1. This precept is full in its meaning. What are good works? The term is greatly inclusive. Of course we number in the list works of charity, works of kindness and benevolence, works of piety, reverence, and holiness. Such works as comply with the two tables of command are good works. Works of obedience are good works. What you do because God bids you do it, is a good work. Works of love to Jesus, done out of a desire for His glory, these are good works. The common actions of everyday life, when they are well done, with a view not to merit, but one of gratitude–these are good works. Be careful to maintain good works of every sort and kind.
2. This precept is special in its direction. To the sinner, that he may be saved, we say not a word concerning good works, except to remind him that he has none of them. To the believer who is saved, we say ten thousand words concerning good works, beseeching him to bring forth much fruit, that so he may be Christs disciple. For living works you must have a living faith, and for loving works you must have a loving faith. When we know and trust God, then with holy intelligence and sacred confidence we work His pleasure.
3. This precept is weighty in importance, for it is prefaced thus: This is a faithful saying. This is one among four great matters thus described. It is not trivial, it is not a temporary precept which belongs to an extinct race and a past age. This is a faithful saying–a true Christian proverb, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. Let the ungodly never say that we who believe in free grace think lightly of a holy life.
4. I am afraid that this precept of being careful to maintain good works is neglected in practice, or else the apostle would not have said to Titus, These things I will that thou affirm constantly. There are still persons in our Churches who need to have the ten commandments read to them every Sabbath day. It is not a bad plan to put up the ten commandments near the communion table where they can be clearly seen. Some people need to see them; though I am afraid, when they come in their way, they wink hard at some of the commands, and go away and forget that they have seen them. Common morality is neglected by some who call themselves Christians.
5. This, mark you, is supported by argument. The apostle presses home his precept by saying: These things are good and profitable unto men. Men are won to Christ when they see Christianity embodied in the good and the true. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The connection of faith and good works
Truth is many sided. And though like a pure gem, it is on all sides equally bright, it cannot all be seen at once. No merely human mind can so take it all up as to give to every part the same sharp and well-defined outline. Truth in the mind of Christ was like light in the sun, pure and undivided, and ever came out in its glorious integrity. In the minds of his followers it was like light in the prism, in which the rays are separated, or like light in the bow, in which, according to certain laws, the rays are first refracted, and then reflected in the drops of rain, and in which we see the conquering splendour of the light in its struggle with darkness. Faith and works were never separated–not even in idea–in the teaching of Christ. In His own mind they were indissoluble, and so in His instructions. If faith did not express itself in corresponding action, He denied the existence of the principle, or rather He treated men as still on the side of the world and of self. His apostles, on the contrary, gave to all truth their own mental cast and colouring, and unless these various colours are allowed to meet and mingle, we shall lack the pure light. Though Paul and James are treating of one and the same subject, each has his own mode of statement; and the light in which he places it depends on his own individual state of mind. Both apostles are teaching and enforcing the same doctrine, but the parties whom they have in view are not the same. The teachers occupy exactly the same position; but those to whom they address themselves have assumed entirely opposite and conflicting points. The contrariety is not in the statements of the inspired men, but in the minds of Christian professors. Each is a firm believer in the article of justification by faith, but it has different phases, and according as it appears to the one or the other, is his representation. The aim of St. Paul is to set forth Gods method of forgiveness and acceptance through the mediation of His Son;–that this is revealed for faith, and that through faith alone do we come to participate in all the provision of redeeming love. Faith, and not, justification, is his theme. There is but one ground of dependence–but one foundation on which the soul can rest her hope of eternal life, and from which all works are necessarily and forever excluded. But having been once brought to repose our faith in the Divine method of salvation, it remains that we give evidence of the fact. We cannot be in communion with the Redeemer of our souls without partaking His higher life; and we cannot be in communion with the Spirit of life without producing the fruits of the Spirit. Hence the challenge of St. James addressed in words of sharp-pointed irony to those who were boasting of their faith as something separate and separable from a life of practical holiness–Show Me thy faith without thy works. If it have no outward expression, how is it to be known or discovered? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. As the spirit is the inward animating and informing principle, and manifests itself in the outward acts and movements of the body, so faith has in it an element of life, which cannot but develop itself in practical godliness and holy activity. It follows that there is not one faith to justify a sinner and another faith to justify a believer. The same faith justifies both; or rather, the faith which brings a man to simple dependence on the propitiation set forth by God for the remission of sins, has in it such a force and vitality as ever afterwards to come out in those buds and blossoms which have their fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life. If this simple fact had been but kept in view, no discrepancy would have been found in the statement of these two inspired men. The one wholly excludes the human element from the Divine method of reconciliation and life, and demands the most childlike faith in Heavens revealed and published plan of mercy–the other sets it in the clearest light that wherever this pure unsophisticated faith has existence in the soul, it will ever manifest itself in a course of lofty and persevering righteousness. While faith, and not justification, is the subject treated of by both apostles, it may not be amiss just to glance at the doctrine commonly denominated justification by faith. There are two errors common on this subject. First, justification is confounded with acquittal; and, secondly, man is said to be treated as righteous for the sake of the righteousness of another. Now if he be acquitted, he needs not to be treated as righteous. He is righteous; and is entitled to be dealt with according to his rectitude. And if he be righteous, it is absurd and contradictory to speak of his acquittal. Man has sinned; and the proof of his guilt is overwhelming. With the sentence of condemnation lying heavy upon his heart, he may be pardoned, but he can never be declared to be innocent. But is not the righteousness of Christ said to be imputed to us, and that we become righteous on the ground of His righteousness? In creeds, and catechisms, and commentaries, it certainly is so, but nowhere in the Book of God. The righteousness of Christ is a phrase which never occurs but once in the whole of the Christian Testament. When the great apostle of the nations would heighten our idea of the grace of God, by setting the blessings of redeeming love over against the evils entailed upon our race by the introduction of sin, he says, As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. He does not represent the righteousness of the One, as something imputed or transferred from Christ to man, but simply as the procuring cause of our forgiveness and life. The righteousness is put for the whole work of the Saviours mediation, and this is declared to be the sole ground on which the blessings of Divine mercy are extended to our fallen world. Nor is more than this to be extracted from the deep saying of this same apostle, when in words that breathe, lie thus expresses the inmost feeling of his soul: I have suffered the loss of all things, that I may win Christ and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ–the righteousness which is of God by faith. The idea here is, that he was supremely anxious to be kept from even the attempt of laying a foundation in his own strivings and doings for his acceptance with God, and that he might ever be led to repose by a simple faith in the one Divine method of forgiveness and salvation. The righteousness of God is Gods revealed plan of saving man through the propitiatory offering of His Son. Faith in this propitiation involves an act of perfect self-renunciation, an acknowledgment of conscious sin and weakness, and a resting upon another for help and succour. Our justification introduces us into a new and loftier relation. Our Father in heaven may not treat us as righteous, but He will most surely bless us as His adopted ones. If we can prefer no claim we may yet possess all good. If salvation can never be of works it can ever be of grace. If life is not a right it is yet our high privilege and our mightier joy. This life is progressive. As the first ray of light that gilds the mountains height predicts a meridian sun, and as the first blush of the opening flower promises a full and perfect bloom, so the faintest indications of the life of God in the soul assure us of continued growth and progress, till, from its fulness and exuberance, it burst into all the beauty and perfection of heaven. The power that quickens is the power that purifies. There are spots on the disc of the sun, only they are invisible through the effulgence and the fulness of his light, and there are but few spirits so highly sanctified and refined as to render indiscernible, through the glory which surrounds them, those sin spots which daily alight upon their renewed nature. Nor can the work of inward holiness be perfected so long as we are in this body of death. It is in the act of shaking mortality off that the Spirit puts forth his last and latest effort in the soul; and it is only when the soul has burst her prison wall, let fall the last link of the chain which bound her to earth, and is on her way to the great world of light, that she is conscious of her final and everlasting separation from sin. Up to that mysterious point we may become day by day more closely assimilated to God our Saviour. Our sanctification is inseparable from our justification. It is not enough that we live. It is the will of God that we should enjoy the fulness of life. Life can have fellowship only with life. We must, therefore, detach ourselves from every opposing element and influence. We must give up the material and the visible for the spiritual and the unseen. Enjoyment without activity would not be an unmixed good. It follows that as life is quickened and our nature is purified, we are freed from sloth and sluggishness. The soul moves with a freedom and a swiftness corresponding to the unconfined liberty of heaven. That is a world of never-ending activity, and, in proportion as we rise into conformity with the pure spirits that surround the throne of God, shall we, like them, employ all our renovated powers in holy and active service? Christianity is love–universal, unbounded love–and embraces within itself the present and the everlasting interests of man. And the more we partake its spirit, the more entire will be our consecration–the more unreserved our activity and our service. Let no one be startled and offended with the doctrine of good works. They necessarily flow from faith. They are faith in action. They are the living effluence of the tide of Divine love, which refuses to be confined within any prescribed limits, and flows out in deeds of unwearied benevolence and piety. He who repudiates a life of well-doing in the dreamy belief that in the same proportion he is exalting the grace of God, is not the man whose character exhibits the closest correspondence to the pure and sublime requirements of the Book. It is a grand mistake to suppose that the law is repealed by the gospel. In Christianity the law reappears; only it is transfigured and glorified. Every utterance which was given in the thunder tones of Sinai, is re-echoed with heightened emphasis in the Sermon on the Mount, only it comes silent as the light and gentle as the dew from the lips of Incarnate Love. We hold that salvation is by grace and not by works; but where the works are wanting the grace cannot be present. Our activity and our service will be the everlasting recognition and expression of the fact that we have been redeemed by blood and saved by grace. We should be unfaithful to our ministry and to your souls did we dare to say that sin committed by a professed believer is less criminal or less damnable than what we discover in the unregenerate and the unholy. Sin is sin by whomsoever committed, and involves the same tremendous consequences. It is of infinite moment that they who believe in God should be careful to maintain good works–that their life should be pure, their character transparent, and their conduct patent. Their principles should be above suspicion, and their whole course of action such as may challenge the higher light of the world to come. (R. Ferguson, LL. D.)
The practice of good works
I. It is not enough to believe what God hath said to be true, and to give our assent to the certainty of Divine revelation, unless our belief influences our heart and life. Christs laws, as well as any other, run in this disjunction–either do or suffer; either live holily, or perish everlastingly: nothing is therein promised, but upon condition of our obedience. The main thing our Saviour aimed at all His life was to restore human nature to its primitive purity and perfection, and to advance true piety and holiness in the world; to bring men to a good opinion of and a ready compliance with Gods laws, so that it influences all their actions, faith not being enough to denominate a man a true Christian, unless he goes on to add to his faith virtue, etc.
II. The practice of good works, taken either for piety towards God or charity towards man, is absolutely necessary for all unto salvation.
1. They render our services more acceptable unto God. Purity and holiness in the heart, before these be or when there is no opportunity to work, are in themselves good; but when they are demonstrated by godly and charitable actions, then smell they sweet, and are sacrifices well-pleasing.
2. By them Gods name is more glorified (Mat 5:16).
3. By them we shall be the greatest gainers or losers, in that by them we make our calling and election sure (2Pe 1:10).
III. Why those are more indispensably obliged to be exemplary in all good works, who have been more particularly acquainted with Gods will, and early instructed in it. As we may be supposed to have been, whose parents were our spiritual guides, as well as fathers of our flesh, and under whose roof we were early seasoned with their daily instructions and good example. We shall, therefore, reflect upon their memory and care, we shall cause others to uncover their ashes with dishonour, unless we adorn that faith our fathers believed, which they taught us, and which we saw them practise. (Thos. Whincop, D. D.)
On the necessity of good works
I. The certain truth and credibility of this saying or proposition, that they which have believed in God ought to be careful to maintain good works.
1. If we consider the great end and design of religion in general, which is to make us happy, by possessing our minds with the belief of a God, and those other principles which have a necessary connection with that belief, and by obliging us to the obedience and practice of His laws.
2. If we consider the great end and design of the Christian religion in particular, which was to reform the world, to purify the hearts and lives of men from corrupt affections and wicked practices, to teach men to excel in all kinds of virtue and goodness.
II. The great fitness and necessity of inculcating frequently upon all that profess themselves Christians, the indispensable necessity of the practice of the virtues of a good life. (Abp. Tillotson.)
Good works
I. That believers are under obligations to maintain good works is so evident, not only from the text, but from the whole tenor of the Scripture, that I know of no sect of Christians that pretend to deny it. But, with regard to their place and importance as connected with our salvation, great mistakes have been made. It will certainly then be worth our pains to inquire from the oracles of God, How far and in what respect are our good works necessary to be maintained with regard to salvation.
1. In my negative answer to this question, I must first observe that we are not to do good works in order to change Gods purposes and designs towards us; or to excite His benevolence and compassion to us. Our business is to come to Christ and learn of Him, to bow our necks to His yoke, to do good works from faith in Christ, and out of love and obedience to Him; and in that way to hope in God for mercy, for Christs sake, and for His own sake, and not for ours.
2. We are not to do good works with a view to qualify us for our reception of Christ by faith, or for obtaining an interest in Him. The gospel brings glorious tidings of salvation to perishing sinners. It exempts and excludes none who will come to Christ for life, who will come to Him as lost sinners under a sense of their guilt and unworthiness, who will buy of Him wine and milk without money and without price, and who will take the water of Life freely.
3. I must further add that we are not to do good works in expectation that we shall by them obtain a title to the future inheritance. Heaven is a purchased possession; our title to it, our qualification for it, our perseverance in the way that leads thither, and our eternal enjoyment of the glorious inheritance, are all purchased by the blood of Christ. In all these respects Christ Jesus is our Hope; and when we rejoice in hope of the glory of God, we must rejoice in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh.
4. I shall only add that we must not depend upon our good works for renewing supplies of grace, and for continual progress in holiness, and comfort unto Gods heavenly kingdom. We are not only justified by faith, but we must be sanctified by faith too, and of Christs fulness must receive even grace for grace.
II. I proceed now to show you in what respects good works are of necessity; and to that purposes they must be done by all those who would approve themselves Christians indeed.
1. Good works are necessary as being one design of our redemption and effectual calling. Though not the fountain and foundation of a renewed nature, they are always the streams that flow from that fountain, and the super structure upon that foundation. Though they do not sanctify us they are the natural and necessary actings and operations of a sanctified heart.
2. Good works are necessary, as they belong to the way leading to heaven. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. We must not only enter in at the strait gate, but walk in the narrow way which leadeth unto life. They who would hope for heaven hereafter must have it begun in their souls here. Their hearts must be in some measure conformed to the Divine nature and will, that they may be qualified for the enjoyments and employments of the heavenly world.
3. Good works are necessary as acts of obedience to Gods commands, and a just acknowledgment of His dominion over us. Our freedom from the curses and demands of the moral law as a covenant of life is so far from freeing us from our duty towards it as a rule of practice, or excusing us from a careful observation of its precepts, that the glorious liberty we are made partakers of is given us for this very end that we may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
4. Good works are necessary as expressions of our gratitude to God for all His goodness to us, more especially for gospel grace, and the influences of His blessed Spirit. They who have ever tasted that the Lord is gracious, and have any suitable sense of their obligations to Him, will study what they shall render to the Lord for all His benefits; they will delight in endeavours to glorify Him, they will be solicitously careful of a constant conformity to His will, and a peculiar delight in following after holiness.
5. Good works are necessary to honour our profession, to adorn the doctrine of God bur Saviour, and to bring glory to His name.
6. Good works are likewise necessary to our inward peace and comfort. A truly tender conscience will always remonstrate against the indulgence of any sin, either of omission or commission. And how unhappy and miserable must that man be to have his heart condemning him; to have a worm gnawing in his breast, to have conscience applying the terrors of the Lord, and representing to Him his guilt and danger! And yet this cannot be avoided without a life of good works. We cannot have grounds of rejoicing, but from the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God we have our conversation in the world. (J. King, B. A.)
Morality the proper subject of preaching
Among the many causes which have concurred to render our holy religion thus unsuccessful, the indifference and neglect with which many sects of Christians have been accustomed to treat the moral precepts of the gospel deserves, I think, to be considered as none of the least. By giving an imaginary importance to subjects of speculation, concerning which wise and good men have always thought, and will probably continue to think, differently, they have turned aside the attention and zeal of mankind from those things in which their present and future happiness are really and principally concerned. My design is to counteract the influence of these prejudices, as far as I am able, by showing that the principal end of public preaching is to recommend the practice of virtue; and that those who attend upon it should be best satisfied with such discourses as clearly explain and strongly inculcate the several branches of morality as it comprehends our duty to our Maker, our fellow creatures and ourselves, without entering further into subjects of speculation and controversy than is of evident importance to the moral improvement and happiness of mankind.
1. I observe, in the first place, that if the duties of morality and religion were made the principal subjects of public preaching, it would remove or prevent many evils which have arisen from the contrary practice. The divisions and contentions, the persecutions and cruelties, which have disgraced the Christian Church, from its first establishment to the present day, are so well known that I may be excused the painful talk of entering into a particular enumeration of them. The time, however, seems to be at length arrived, in which men are beginning to see the folly of hating and persecuting one another for a difference in opinion on subjects concerning which it is impossible that they should be agreed. And shameful indeed must be the weakness, and fatal the delusion of mankind in the experience of so many ages hath not been sufficient to teach them this one plain but important lesson, that all zealous contentions about particular modes of faith or worship are unfriendly to the interests of religion, and the happiness of the world. From these circumstances one may hope that the present time is the dawning of a happy day, in which all distinctions of sects shall be abolished and all dissentions and animosities will be forgotten; in which we shall all love one another with pure hearts fervently, and shall cordially unite in the worship of one God, the Father of us all. And what can be more likely to hasten the approach of this delightful period than for the ministers of religion to overlook and as much as possible discourage every party distinction and useless speculation, and constantly to direct the attention of their hearers to those subjects concerning which we are all agreed, and in which we are all immediately interested; I mean the great duties of morality and religion?
2. Another reason why these duties should be the constant subjects of public preaching is because we may speak concerning them with the greatest perspicuity and certainty. That we ought to venerate the most excellent and perfect of all beings; that we should devoutly and thankfully acknowledge the hand which feeds and clothes us, and gives us richly all things to enjoy; that we should cheerfully submit ourselves to the direction of that Being who ordereth all things well; that we should observe the great laws of equity in all our transactions with mankind; that we should pity, and, if possible, relieve a brother in distress; that we should love our friends, be grateful to our benefactors, and forgive our enemies; that we should behave with honour and generosity, kindness, and charity towards all men; that we should govern ourselves with prudence and discretion, and diligently cultivate the powers which God hath given us; these are truths as obvious as they are important; truths concerning which all mankind in every country, and of every sect, are agreed. They are, therefore, of all others, the most proper subjects of public discourse.
3. I add this strain of preaching is best adapted to the understanding and taste of the generality of mankind. If a preacher endeavours to establish received opinions, or if he takes pains to overturn them; if he recites the comments of the most learned and celebrated fathers of the Church on difficult texts of Scripture, and supports them; or, if on the other hand, he attempts to explain them in a different manner, and, on this explanation, to ground a more rational scheme of faith; he may perhaps amuse and please a few; but he will, most probably, offend some, soar above the understandings of many, and reach the hearts of none. But if he exhorts his hearers to maintain good works; if he appeals to their consciences for the reasonableness and importance of the duties which he recommends; if he gives them just and lively representations of the influence which the observance or neglect of these duties will have upon their peace and happiness; if he touches the springs of gratitude, benevolence and humanity, of self-love, of hope and fear in their hearts, and calls forth every power and passion within them to assist him in pleading the cause of virtue; he will generally find his audience attentive and serious, and may hope to send them away not only pleased but improved.
4. Further, we may remark, that to exhort Christians to maintain good works is the proper business of the Christian ministry. Jesus Christ was eminently a Preacher of righteousness. This character He supported during the whole course of His public ministry. All the doctrines which He taught; all the wonderful worlds which He performed; all the pains and sufferings to which He submitted, were with this immediate view, that He might take away sin and bring in everlasting righteousness. Now, by what means can the teachers of religion so properly merit the character of Christian ministers as by pursuing the same important plan with Him whom they acknowledge as their Lord and Master?
5. The last consideration which I shall mention to evince the reasonableness of making the duties of morality and religion the constant subjects of public preaching is, that they are of the highest importance to the happiness of mankind, and that, in comparison with them, all other subjects are unprofitable and vain.
6. I will conclude by earnestly recommending it to you to take heed that you hear with the same design with which your ministers do or ought to preach, that you may be confirmed in all goodness. Attend upon public preaching, not with a view to have your favourite opinions established, your curiosity gratified, or your imaginations amused; but to have your evil habits corrected, your good dispositions strengthened, and your characters continually improved. Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only. (W. Enfield.)
The maintenance of good works the fruit of faith
This text places Christian morals upon a basis sufficiently firm and extended to support the fabric. Well aware of the absolute necessity of preaching sound principles in order to attain to a holy practice, and of the mighty influence which evangelical doctrine, if rightly understood and fairly stated, hath upon holiness in the life, St. Paul heaps privilege upon privilege, and within the compass of three short verses, enumerates the leading articles of our holy religion–giving such a view of them in their connection and influence upon practice, as must delight, constrain and ravish the heart of every believer. From hence I would humbly suggest this general remark, which, by the favour of our God, I intend to prosecute in the sequel of this discourse–whoever in the ministry would really advance the interests of holiness must be constant assertors and unwearied defenders of the doctrines of free grace.
I. Glance at those things in the faithful saying which our apostle would have the ministers of Christ to affirm constantly, for the express purpose of promoting holiness. The very humbling doctrine of universal depravity (Tit 3:3). We have little reason to be proud or vainglorious, severe or censorious of others, or to despise those who have not obtained mercy with ourselves–a vice which frequently deforms the character even of a child of a God. But by frequently insisting upon the doctrines of universal depravity, the graces of humility, meekness, mildness, tenderness, and benevolence are perceived to be of the highest request for adorning the Christian character, and promoting the happiness of men; and hence the necessity as well as the advantage of affirming it constantly.
2. The Divine benevolence to man (Tit 3:4). According to this statement, the gospel of our salvation is a system of love–of Divine love–of the love of God towards foolish, disobedient, and enslaved men.
3. Our salvation is all of grace (Tit 3:5). Men cannot be too diligently cautioned against seeking salvation by the works of the law, nor too distinctly taught to ascribe the glory of the whole to the Lord our righteousness.
4. Grace displayed in regeneration (Tit 3:5). The reality and necessity of regeneration, the Divine Agent by whom the gracious change is accomplished, the manner in which this happy change is effected, with the unbounded mercy and love displayed, both by the Father and the Son, in giving the Holy Ghost for such a purpose. These things cannot be too constantly affirmed: for, till this change be wrought on the nature and the heart, no true reformation will ever adorn the life.
5. Justification only by grace (Tit 3:7). This is a cardinal article in the scheme of salvation, according to the Scriptures. Well may the preservation or loss of it be designed the mark of a standing or falling Church. It is the glory of the gospel, the melody of the joyful sound, the admiration and the joy of redeemed men, the most powerful motive to holiness which can be presented.
6. The title secured by justification to the enjoyment of eternal life (Tit 3:7). It is both pleasant and very encouraging to mark, in this statement preceding my text, how regeneration, justification, adoption, and eternal glory, are so linked together in the same chain, that by holding one of the links, the happy possessor is infallibly secured of all the rest. A most glorious and eternal truth–an assurance eminently calculated to enliven the believers hope of eternal life in Christ. And whosoever hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, as Jesus Christ, his hope is pure.
II. Show that the constant affirmation of the doctrines of the Gospel is the only scripture method of preaching good works. Good works is a general expression for the practice of holiness, or the performance of every part of new obedience, whether it respect moral, civil, or religious duty. To maintain good works, according to the signification of the original word, is to take the lead in the practice of them. The term is of a military illusion. As the officers of an army stand before, or a little in advance of the line, both to display heroism and preserve the order of the troops, so the believer in God is expected and commanded to stand forth, in the view of the world, in the sight of the Church, and particularly in the presence of younger disciples of Christ, as examples of regularity, sobriety, tenderness, and devotion. To be emulous to excel, so as to provoke one another to faith, to love and to good works. An emulation this eminently worthy of being cherished! To be careful to maintain good works, is to be wholly intent upon the study and the practice of new obedience; for, except the mind feel a deep interest in holiness, from a love to God and a desire to be like Him, the external performance of good works will be cold, formal, and remiss. Hence it follows that the constant affirmation of these doctrines, so happily calculated to cherish the exercise of faith, must be peculiarly friendly to the interests of holiness; nay, more, that the constant affirmation of these things is the only Scriptural and consistent plan of engaging the believer in God to be careful to maintain good works. This I hope to make manifest to your satisfaction from these four considerations.
1. These doctrines contain the principles, powers, and privileges, by which alone any of the human race become qualified for maintaining good works.
2. In these doctrines the believer is presented with the most powerful and proper motives and inducements to maintain good works.
3. These doctrines, when firmly believed, excite an inveterate antipathy at everything contrary to the nature and holy will of God.
4. The constant affirmation of these things affords the Christian moralist every advantage to state his subject in all its force. (W. Taylor.)
On the necessity of Christian morality
I. The necessity of good works in regard to ourselves.
1. The practice of good works is necessary to prove the reality and sincerity of our faith. Faith or belief is a hidden principle which no man can see, and there is no other way of testifying that we possess this principle, but by the benevolent sentiments which it breathes, and the good actions which it prompts us to perform.
2. Good works are necessary to promote our moral improvement, We know very well that there is such an indissoluble connection between a true faith and eternal salvation, that the man who is a sincere believer will be justified and sanctified and glorified; but his sanctification is entirely distinct from, and is only a consequence of, his faith and justification. It is therefore necessary that the principle of a Divine life should operate in transforming him from glory to glory, and from one degree of religious and moral improvement unto another, until he be conformed to the image of the Son of God, and attain to the measure of the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus. It is not merely necessary that he should cease to do evil; but he must learn to do well. In short, by a diligent and unremitting attention to the duties of religion and morality, he must cultivate the principle of universal righteousness and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.
3. Good works are necessary to qualify us for heaven. They are necessary to form us to the temper and disposition of Christ, who went about continually doing good; in order that the same mind may be also in us that was in Him; for we may depend upon it, that if we have not the spirit of the Lord Jesus, we are assuredly none of His.
II. How these things are good and profitable unto men.
1. These works are good, because they flow from a faith or belief in the command of God, and are done from a principle of conformity to His will.
2. But the apostle trot only characterises these things as good, he also affirms that they are profitable unto men. We shall, therefore, conclude, by briefly pointing out how these good works are especially profitable to those to whom they are performed; and we are espressly enjoined in Scripture to do good to all men as far as we have opportunity. Now, all who believe in God have it in their power, more or less, to do good to the bodies and the souls of men. This is one substantial reason why we are required to prove our faith by our works. He has ordained many to be rich, and more to be poor, that those to whom He has been bountiful might glorify Him with His own. He has bestowed wisdom and knowledge upon many, that they should instruct the ignorant, reclaim the wandering, and those who are out of the way. He commands us to defend the fatherless and plead for the widow; to be the strangers shield and the orphans stay; to relieve the oppressed; to pour the balm of consolation into the wounded spirit; to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, that the blessing of those who are ready to perish may come upon us. (D. Stevenson.)
Good works
I. Define good works.
1. That our works may be good, they must be
(1) Performed by good persons;
(2) Required by Gods Word;
(3) Done from a sound principle;
(4) Done to a right end.
2. How these good works must be maintained
(1) Attention to Gods Word;
(2) Solicitude to know Gods mind;
(3) Watchfulness against temptations;
(4) Embracing every opportunity of doing good;
(5) Pressing forward in knowledge;
(6) Exciting others to do the same.
II. The faith which produces good works.
1. Knowledge of God.
2. And of the Word of God.
3. Faith is a composing grace.
4. A receptive grace.
5. An operative grace.
6. A rooting grace.
7. A humbling grace.
8. An elevating grace.
9. A strengthening grace.
10. A uniting grace.
11. A working grace.
12. A saving grace.
III. How good works are profitable to men.
1. As evidences of true faith.
2. Testimonies of gratitude to God.
3. Strengthening to assurance.
4. Edifying to others.
5. Condemning the world. (T. B. Baker, M. A.)
Practical Christianity
I. Practical Christianity is good in itself.
1. It accords with the will of God.
2. It is an object of moral approbation to all minds.
II. Good in its influence. Nothing is so useful to men as a Christly life. (Homilist.)
Some hints to preachers
I. Fundamental truths are to be continually enforced.
II. Practical preaching is ever out of season.
III. Christian duties are of universal application.
IV. Trivial questions out of place in the pulpit. Inferences
1. It is possible to have repetition without sameness: affirm constantly.
2. Belief that does not change the life is useless (Jam 2:17)
3. The law is to be obeyed in spirit, rather than letter. (F. Wagstaff.)
Creed and conduct
The things that Titus is to affirm constantly, as we shall see presently, are the doctrines of Christianity. What for? In order that they which have believed in God might be orthodox? Guarded against heresies? Certainly! But something more than that. In order that they might give their minds to being foremost, as the word might be rendered, in good works. That is what you are to preach your theology for, says Paul; and the only way to make sure that your converts shall live sober and righteous lives is to see that they be thoroughly saturated in the great and recondite truths which I have taught you.
I. The Gospel is degraded unless it is asserted strongly. These things I will that thou affirm constantly; or, as the word might be rendered, asseverate pertinaciously, persistently, positively, affirm and assert constantly and confidently. That is the way in which Paul thinks it ought to be spoken. These things. What things? Well, here they are (verses 4-7). There are all the fundamentals of evangelical Christianity packed into three verses. They are all there–mans sin, mans need, the Divinity of Jesus Christ, His sacrificial death, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the act of faith, the inheritance of eternal life. And these are the things which are to be asserted with all the energy and persistency and decisiveness of the speakers nature. Paul did not believe in fining them down because people did not like them. He did Dot believe in consulting the spirit of the age, except thus far, that the more the spirit of the age was contrary to the truth, the more need for the men that believed it to speak out.
II. This positive assertion of the truths of revelation is the best foundation to lay for practical godliness. I will that these things thou affirm constantly, in order that they which have believed might be careful to maintain good works. Rightly understood and presented, the great body of truth which we call the gospel, and which is summarised in the preceding context, grips daily life very tightly, while, on the other hand, of all the impotent things in this world, none are more impotent than exhortations to be good, which are cut away from the great truths of Christs mission and work. The world has been listening to these ever since it was a world, and it is not a bit better for them all. There is only one thing that supplies the requisite motive power for practical godliness, and that is the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His indwelling in our hearts. The motives that the gospel gives for goodness, for holiness, for purity, for self-sacrifice, for consecration, for enthusiasm, for widespread sympathy and benevolence, for contempt of the material and the perishable–the motives that Christianity gives for all things that are lovely and of good report–are the strongest that can ever be brought to bear upon men, as regards their fulness, their depth, their sweetness, and their transforming energy. Then, if it be true that the best foundation for all practical goodness is in the proclamation and the possession of the great message of Christs love, two things follow. One is that Christian people ought to familiarise themselves with the practical side of their faith, just as Christian ministers ought to be in the habit of insisting, not merely upon the great revelation of Gods love in Jesus Christ, but upon that revelation considered as the motive and the pattern for holy living. And another consequence is that here is a rough but a pretty effective test of so-called religious truth. Does it help to make a man better? It is worth something if it does; if it does not, then it may be ruled out as of small consequence.
III. The true test and outcome of professing faith is conduct. In the text the fact that these Cretan Christians believed in, or rather, perhaps, we should translate simply, believed God, is given as a reason why they ought to maintain good works. That is to say, those who profess to have Him for their Lord and Father, those who avow that they are Christians, are by that profession bound to a conduct corresponding to the truth which they say they have received; and to conformity to the will of the God in whom they say that they have believed. Religious knowledge is all very necessary, but what is it for? It is to make us like God. Religious emotion is very necessary, too, and very delightful. It is right that Christian men should feel the glow of love and gratitude, the joy of forgiveness, the lofty and often unspeakable delights of calm communion with Him. All these are essential parts of a deep and true Christian character, but all these are for a purpose. If we are Christians we know God and we feel the emotions of the religious life, in order that we may be and that we may do.
IV. No one will keep up these good works who does not give his mind to it. That they might be careful to maintain. The word that the apostle employs is a very remarkable one, only used in this one place in the New Testament; and the force of it might be given by that colloquialism which I have ventured to employ–Giving their minds to maintaining good works. You have to make a business of it if you would succeed in it. You have to make a definite effort to bring before you the virtues and the excellencies which you ought to possess, and then to try your best to have them. And my text suggests one chief means of securing that result, and that is, the habit–which I am afraid is not a habit with a great many professing Christians–the habit of meditation upon the facts of the gospel revelation looked at in their practical bearing on our daily life and character. We should bring ourselves into that atmosphere, and saturate our minds and hearts with the thoughts of Gods great love to us in Jesus Christs death for us, of the pattern in His life, of the gift of His Spirit, of the hope of inheritance of eternal life. We should, by frequent meditation, submit ourselves to the power of these sacred thoughts, and we shall find that in them, one by one, are motives which, twisted together, will make a cord of love that shall draw us up out of the pit of selfishness and the mire of sense, and shall attract us joyfully along the path of obedience, else too hard for our reluctant and unaccustomed feet. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Good works
By flowers, understand faith; by fruit, good works. As the flower is before the fruit, so is faith before good works; so neither is the fruit without the flower, nor good works without faith. Faith and works–Twas an unhappy division that has been made between faith and works. Though in my intellect I may divide them, just as in the candle I know there is both light and heat; but yet, put out the candle, and they are both gone; one remains not without the other. So tis betwixt faith and works; nay, in a right conception, fides est opus (faith is work); if I believe a thing because I am commanded, that is opus (work). (T. Selden.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. This is a faithful saying] . This is the true doctrine; the doctrine that cannot fail.
And these things I will] And I will, or desire, thee to maintain earnestly what concerns these points. The things to which the apostle refers are those of which he had just been writing, and may be thus summed up:-
1. The ruined state of man, both in soul and body.
2. The infinite goodness of God which devised his salvation.
3. The manifestation of this goodness, by the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
4. The justification which they who believed received through his blood.
5. The mission of the Holy Spirit, and the purification of the heart by his influence.
6. The hope of the resurrection of the body, and the final glorification of both it and the soul through all eternity.
7. The necessity of obedience to the will of God, and of walking worthy of the vocation wherewith they had been called.
8. And all these points he wills him to press continually on the attention of believers; and to keep constantly in view, that all good comes from God’s infinite kindness, by and through Christ Jesus.
They which have believed in God] All Christians; for who can maintain good works but those who have the principle from which good works flow, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
These things are good and profitable] They are good in themselves, and calculated to promote the well-being of men.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This is a faithful saying: we had this phrase before, 1Ti 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2Ti 2:11. It may be applied to what went before, or what follows.
And these things I will that thou affirm constantly; this is the doctrine I would have thee preach, maintain, and stand to.
That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works; that those who assent to these things as true, and have cast their souls upon God and Jesus Christ for the fulfilling of them, may (considering good works are the condition annexed to the promise of this eternal life and salvation) be careful to practise all that God hath commanded them in all their relations.
These things are good and profitable unto men; all these things are true in themselves, and profitable for men to know and understand.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. Greek, “faithfulis the saying.” A formula peculiar to the Pastoral Epistles.Here “the saying” is the statement (Tit3:4-7) as to the gratuitousness of God’s gift of salvation.Answering to the “Amen.”
these things, c.Greek,“concerning these things (the truths dwelt on, Tit3:4-7 not as English Version, what follow), I will thatthou affirm (insist) strongly and persistently, inorder that they who have believed God (the Greekfor ‘believed in God’ is different, Joh14:1. ‘They who have learnt to credit God’ in what He saith) maybe careful (‘Solicitously sedulous’; diligence is necessary)to maintain (literally, ‘to set before themselves so as to sustain’)good works.” No longer applying their care to”unprofitable” and unpractical speculations (Tit3:9).
These thingsTheseresults of doctrine (“good works”) are “good andprofitable unto men,” whereas no such practical results flowfrom “foolish questions.” So GROTIUSand WIESINGER. But ALFORD,to avoid the tautology, “these (good works) are good unto men,”explains, “these truths” (Tit3:4-7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
This is a faithful saying,…. Meaning the whole of what is before expressed, concerning the state and condition of God’s elect by nature; the appearance of the love and kindness of God to them in the effectual calling; the salvation of them, according to the mercy of God, and not by works of righteousness; regeneration, and renovation by the Spirit of God, in which such an abundance of grace is communicated; and justification by the free grace of God, as God’s way of salvation; and by which men are made to appear to be heirs of eternal life, and to have hope of it: now all, and each of this is a faithful saying, is true doctrine, and to be believed, professed, and published: wherefore it follows,
and these things I will that thou affirm constantly; that is, the above doctrines; the Arabic version renders it, “I will that thou be firm in these things”; and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, “I will that thou confirmest them”: the sense of the apostle is, that he would have Titus be assured of those truths himself; be at a point about them, and without any doubt or hesitation concerning them; and abide firm and constant in them, and speak of them with certainty, boldness, and confidence to others; and endeavour to confirm and establish them in them: for which purpose he would have them be frequently inculcated and insisted on; and that with this further view,
that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works; for “that”, does not design the subject matter of the charge, or what the apostle would have constantly affirmed, but the end, and final event and issue of it; and nothing can more strongly engage to a studious concern for the performance of good works than the frequent insisting upon the above doctrines of grace: “by good works”, are meant, not merely honest trades, and the lawful occupations and businesses of life, which should be carefully attended to, and diligently followed, in order to be useful and profitable to themselves, their families, and others; but every good work, every branch of duty, moral, civil, and religious: to “maintain” these according to the signification of the word used, is to excel in them; to outdo others; to go before others, by way of example, and so to provoke to love and to good works; and to make them the employment and business of men’s lives; for which there should be a thoughtfulness, a carefulness, a studious concern, especially in those who “have believed in God”; who are regenerated and renewed by the Spirit of God, and are justified by faith in the righteousness of Christ; who believe in him for peace, pardon, righteousness, life, and salvation: these are under great obligations to perform good works; the love of Christ should constrain them to them; and they are the only persons that are capable of doing them well, for they are sanctified, and made meet, and ready for every good work; they are created in Christ Jesus to them; they have the Spirit of Christ in them, and the strength of Christ with them, without which they cannot be performed well; and they have faith in Christ, without which it is impossible to please God.
These things are good and profitable unto men: which is to be understood not of good works, though these are good in themselves, and profitable to men in their effects; being done among them, and before them, they set them an example of doing good likewise, when evil communications corrupt good manners; and many of them issue in their temporal good, profit, and advantage: but rather the doctrines of the Gospel are here designed, which are before briefly treated of, and are said to be a faithful saying; and which the apostle would have affirmed with, certainty and constancy, in order to engage believers to the performance of good works; and that for this reason, because these doctrines are “good”, excellent, valuable, and precious, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones: the author, matter, end, and use of them are good; they come from God; they are concerning Jesus Christ, and his grace; they contain good tidings of good things; and are exceeding useful to influence faith, hope, love, and a cheerful obedience to the will of God: they are profitable in the hands of the Spirit of God for conviction, conversion, comfort, and edification; for the quickening and enlightening of dead and dark sinners; for the reviving, establishing, and building up of the saints; they are the wholesome words of Christ, and are according to godliness, and are nourishing, when other doctrines eat as a canker: and this sense is confirmed, not only by what goes before, but by what follows after in the next verse; where insipid notions and controversies are opposed unto them, as unprofitable and vain.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The saying ( ). In verses 4-7.
I will (). See 1Ti 2:8.
That thou affirm confidently ( ). Indirect command. For the verb see 1Ti 1:7.
That they may be careful ( ). Sub-final use of with present active subjunctive of , old verb, only here in N.T.
To maintain good works ( ). Present middle infinitive of , intransitive use, to stand before, to take the lead in, to care for. Paul is anxious that “believers” may take the lead in good works.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Affirm constantly [] . Past o. See on 1Ti 1:7. Constantly, not continually, but uniformly and consistently. So Book of Common Prayer, “Collect for Saint John Baptist’s Day,” ” and after his example constantly speak the truth. ” Rend. affirm steadfastly.
Might be careful [] . N. T. o. Quite often in LXX Frequent in Class. To think or consider; hence to take careful thought, ponder, be anxious about.
To maintain [] . Mostly in Pastorals, and usually in the sense of ruling, as Rom 12:8; 1Th 5:12; 1Ti 3:4, 5. The sense here is to be forward in. 156 Profitable [] . Past o. o LXX Comp. 1Ti 4:8; 2Ti 3:16.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “This is a faithful saying.” (pistos ho logos) “Faithful or trustworthy is the word.” This refers to the certainty of salvation, and the right of heirship for each child of God, through obedient service to Christ to reign with him in the coming kingdom age, through the church, Eph 3:21.
2) “And these things I will that thou affirm constantly.” (kai peri touton boulomai se diabebaiousthai) “And concerning these matters I wish you (Titus) to affirm confidently.” As the cross must precede the crown, so must salvation precede obedient service which brings degrees of reward and heir-setting positions of varying degrees in the reign of Christ, Mat 10:41-42; Mat 16:27; 1Co 3:14; Col 2:18; 2Jn 1:8.
3) “That they which have believed in God.’ (hina hoi pepisteukotes theo) “In order that those having believed God.” After salvation one is called to good works, Rom 4:1-5.
4) “Might be careful to maintain good works.” (phrontizosin kalon ergon poistasthai) “May take thought to stand forth in good works.” Eph 2:10; Jas 1:22; Jas 2:18; Jas 2:24; 2Jn 1:8.
5) “These things are good and profitable unto men.” (tauta estin kala kai ophelima tois anthropois) The “these things,” that are good and of profit to all men, refers to their obedient service of good works that give them, not an entrance into heirship, but an “abundant entrance”, 2Pe 1:5-11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
8 A faithful saying He employs this mode of expression, when he wishes to make a solemn assertion as we have seen in both of the Epistles to Timothy. (1Ti 1:15; 2Ti 2:11.) And therefore he immediately adds: —
I wish thee to affirm these things (263) Διαβεβαιοῦσθαι under a passive termination, has an active signification, and means “to affirm anything strongly.” Titus is therefore enjoined to disregard other matters, and to teach those which are certain and undoubted — to press them on the attention of their hearers — to dwell upon them — while others talk idly about things of little importance. Hence also, we conclude that a bishop must not make any assertions at random, but must assert those things only which he has ascertained to be true. “Affirm these things,” says he, “because they are true and worthy of credit.” But we are reminded, on the other hand, that it is the duty and office of a bishop to affirm strongly, and maintain boldly, those things which are believed on good grounds, and which edify godliness.
That they who have believed God may be careful to excel in good works, (or, to extol good works, or, to assign to them the highest rank.) He includes all the instructions which he formerly gave concerning the duty of every person, and the desire of leading a religious and holy life; as if he contrasted the fear of God, and well-regulated conduct, with idle speculations. He wishes the people to be instructed in such a manner that “they who have believed God,” may be solicitous, above all things, about good works.
But, as the verb προΐστασθαι is used in various senses by Greek authors, this passage also gives scope for various interpretations. Chrysostom: explains it to mean, that they should endeavor to relieve their neighbors by giving alms. Προΐστασθαι does sometimes mean “to give assistance;” but in that case the syntax would require us to understand that the “good works” should be aided, which would be a harsh construction. The meaning conveyed by the French word avancer , “ to go forward,” would be more appropriate. What if we should say, — “Let them strive as those who have the pre-eminence?” That is also one meaning of the word. Or, perhaps, some one will prefer what I have enclosed in brackets: “Let them be careful to assign the highest rank to good works.” And certainly it would not be unsuitable that Paul should enjoin that those things should prevail in the life of believers, because they are usually disregarded by others.
Whatever may be the ambiguity of the expression, the meaning of Paul is sufficiently clear, that the design of Christian doctrine is, that believers should exercise themselves in good works. (264) Thus he wishes them to give to it their study and application; and, when the Apostle says, φροντίζωσι (“let them be careful,”) he appears to allude elegantly to the useless contemplations of those who speculate without advantage, and without regard to active life.
Yet he is not so careful about good works as to despise the root — that is, faith — while he is gathering the fruits. He takes account of both parts, and, as is highly proper, assigns the first rank to faith; for he enjoins those “who believed in God” to be zealous of “good works;” by which he means that faith must go before in such a manner that good works may follow.
For these things are honorable I refer this to the doctrine rather than to the works, in this sense: “It is excellent and useful that men be thus instructed; and, therefore, those things which he formerly exhorted Titus to be zealous in affirming are the same things that are good and useful to men.” We might translate τὰ καλά either “good,” or “beautiful,” or “honorable;” but, in my opinion, it would be best to translate it “excellent.” He states indirectly that all other things that are taught are of no value, because they yield no profit or advantage; as, on the contrary, that which contributes to salvation is worthy of praise.
(263) “Meaning, ‘and I would have you constantly insist on these truths; so that those who have believed in God may maintain good works.’ The cause of the obscurity, and consequent diversity of interpretation, arose from the Apostle not having here shewn how it should be, that the doctrine of salvation by grace should produce holiness of life. But he has done it in another kindred passage, namely, Eph 2:9, where, after having at large treated on the subject of salvation by grace, (as here,) adding that it is not of works, lest any man should boast, he subjoins, αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν, κ.τ.λ. where the γὰρ refers to a clause omitted, q. d. (Yet works must be done,) for, etc. Hence it would seem that καλῶν ἔργων here must have the same sense as ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς there; and consequently it must not be limited, with many eminent commentators, to works of benevolence, still less to the business of our avocation, but be extended to good works of every kind.” — Bloomfield.
(264) “The original word προΐστασθαι has a beauty and an energy, which, I believe, it is impossible for our language to preserve by any literal translation. It implies, that a believer should not only be exercised in, but eminent for, all good works; should shew others the way, and outstrip them in the honorable race; be both a pattern and a patron of universal godliness.” — Hervey.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Tit. 3:8. Affirm constantly.R.V. confidently. Not like a man who is only half convinced of the truth of what he states, nor like a man who is ashamed of what he says, though he may acknowledge its truthfulness. Might be careful to maintain good works.To be interested to the point of anxiety in the maintenance of noble works.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Tit. 3:8
Good Works
I. Are in harmony with the genius of the gospel.This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly. The gratuitousness of Gods gift of salvation, the great theme of gospel revelation, is an ever-present and powerful motive to practical benevolence. The vain and unprofitable questions reprobated by the apostle do not incite to good works, but are a serious hindrance. The gospel is the only system that helps us to be good and do good. In some of the American lakes the boats are strangely hindered in their progress. They are drawn downwards, and the use of the oar is difficult, because of the magnetic power of deep mud concealed below the surface of the waters. So it is in the lives of men and the life of the world. Good works are vessels that cannot advance without difficulty over the waves of life, because of evil which, as mud, has slowly gathered. There must be purgation: new proclaimings and enforcing of the gospel must become as the powerful, cleansing flow of a great stream.
II. Must spring from an active faith.That they which have believed in God. Faith enables us to see that God is good, approves of good, and will bless only what is good. We learn to credit all that God says as being true and faithful, and we become anxious and diligent to do what will please Him. We believe also that He will certainly punish every dereliction of duty. Faith is a power ever working in the direction of good.
III. Must be consistently and steadily maintained.Be careful to maintain good works. Good works, says Luther, do not make a Christian; but one must be a Christian to do good works. The tree bringeth forth the fruit, not the fruit the tree. None is made a Christian by works, but by Christ; and being in Christ, he brings forth fruit for Him. Do all the good you can (1Ti. 6:17-19), in all the ways you can (1Co. 15:58), to all the people you can (Mat. 5:44-45), at all the times you can (Pro. 3:27-28), as long as you can (Ecc. 9:10); do all to the glory of God (1Co. 10:31).
IV. Are beneficial to ourselves and to others.These things are good [to ourselves] and profitable unto men [to others]. A good deed has a reflex influence. Like mercy, it is twice blessed; it blesses him who gives and him who takes. It adds to the volume of the beneficent force that is working out the regeneration of the world. We cannot bless others without being blessed ourselves.
Lessons.The gospel is the ministrant of universal good.
2. To do good we must first be good.
3. Good works have no merit, but no one is a Christian without, them.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
3.
TRUTH AND ERROR Tit. 3:8-11
Text 3:811
8 Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men:
9 but shun foolish questions, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse;
11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.
Thought Questions 3:811
138
What is the faithful saying?
139
Concerning what things is Titus to affirm confidently?
140.
Were the saints on Crete so weak that they needed constant help? Explain.
141.
What things are good and profitable to all men? Who is included in all men?
142.
Try to approximate the circumstances prevailing with Titus, as he followed out the command to shun foolish questionings, etc., i.e. just how would he accomplish it?
143.
Are foolish questionings and genealogies the same as strifes and fightings about the law? Discuss possible distinctions.
144.
In what sense unprofitable and in what sense vain?
145.
Who is to determine when a man is factious? It could be done with the churches on Creteit can be done nowhow?
146.
Just what is involved in the first and second admonition?
147.
Is this a discussion of disfellowship?
148.
How could Titus be so confident that certain men were perverted, self-condemned?
149.
Define the word perverted, i.e. in its context.
Paraphrase 3:811
8 This doctrine, that men are justified and made heirs merely by Gods grace, is true; yet, concerning these heirs, I command thee strongly to affirm, that they who have believed in God should take care to promote good works. These are the things honourable and profitable to men: They are good for others, as making them happy; and most profitable to ones self, as productive of happiness both here and hereafter.
9 But the frivolous questions proposed by the Judaizers, and the genealogies by which they pretend to prove individuals rightly descended from Abraham, and their strifes and fighting about the law, resist; for they are unprofitable, and destitute of foundation.
10 An heretical teacher, who, after a first and second admonition, continues in his evil courses, cast out of the church, and have no further communication with him, because he is irreclaimable;
11 Knowing that such a teacher is utterly depraved, and in teaching false doctrine from worldly motives, sinneth, being self condemned.
Comment 3:811
Tit. 3:8 As near as we can conclude the faithful saying is contained in verses four through seven. It is with the content of this word, Paul is concerned. He urges Titus to speak with all confidence and assurance. Unlike the law teachers who knew not of the things they so confidently affirmed, Titus can speak with the confidence of inspired and experimental knowledge, There is a grand purpose in such continual instruction; that they who have believed may be careful to maintain good works. Unless men are often reminded of their duties and privileges, they soon forget. Titus had been heralding forth the good news. Paul, urges him to keep it up and to look for the fruit in the lives of the saints in the form of good works.
To what does the little phrase: These things are good and profitable to all men refer? What are the things and who are the men? We cannot relate this to only the faithful saying of the verses immediately preceding. We believe it has a wider applicationindeed to all that is written in the letter. All the advice and doctrine here written is good and profitable, not alone to the Christians, but to all menbelievers or unbelievers. If the world wants a good and profitable philosophy of life, they cannot do better than to follow Paul.
Tit. 3:9 Now to the negative side of the work of Titus! As Titus was to continue to teach the whole council of God, he was also urged to continue to ignore silly questions and discussions about genealogies. When strife and word-battles arise, turn your back upon them. Do not enter into a discussion as to who is right or wrong, Neither is rightthey are both wrong. Here is the place for contempt. Lenski describes such persons as, . . . full of a lot of silly stuff that was unworthy of serious attention and created nothing but fussing and fighting with true Christians, and deceived those Christians who were not yet well grounded. (Ibid., p. 941). Such advice is very much like that given by Paul to Timothy (Cf. 1Ti. 1:4-7).
Tit. 3:10. How shall we relate Tit. 3:10 with Tit. 3:9? Or should we see a connection between the two verses? We believe the heretical man of Tit. 3:10 is one who has been beguiled from the faith by the teachers of Tit. 3:9. If such treatment as described in Tit. 3:10 is accorded the disciples of false doctrine, what shall be the action taken against the teacher? It will be the same. A factious man is any man who holds any opinion different from the Scriptures. It makes little difference if the opinion be considered important or unimportant. If he teaches it as from God and it is not in accord with the Word of God, he is a heretic! He should be treated in the manner here described. Please notice that a factious man and a heretic are the same mana heretic is one who holds his own opinion in the realm of faith.
Tit. 3:11. This verse indicates the seriousness of the sin committed, from the viewpoint of the one committing the sin. Such a one is perverted or turned out from the true doctrine of Christ, When the elders from the church attempt to lead him back into the path of truth, he rejects both attempts. Yet all the while his conscience condemns him. This is no pagan unbeliever; this is a prominent member of the Church. Even while loudly and energetically promoting his own opinion, he is yet aware that he is wrong and is, therefore, sinning. But because of the popularity, the money or the prestige, he will not listen; he will not changeit costs him too much by human values. No one need condemn him; he is self-condemned. What a havoc such a one can cause both to himself and to those who heed him. Let all the members of the churches give such a one the cold shoulder of indifference.
Fact Questions 3:811
91.
What is it Titus is to affirm confidently? Show how his effort would be like, yet different from, the law-teachers of 1Ti. 1:4-7.
92.
Who are the persons involved in the little phrase, all men of Tit. 3:8 b? What is profitable to them?
93.
What is to be done when strife and word-battles arise? Is there a present day application of this situation? If so, discuss.
94.
Show how Mat. 18:15-17 relates to Tit. 3:10.
95.
How does one become a heretic? Is there an admonition here to public disfellowship? Discuss.
96.
What is the meaning and use of the term perverted as used in Tit. 3:11?
97.
Explain how such a one as the heretic is self-condemned. Do you believe this applies to all factious men and women? Discuss.
98.
What are some of the comparisons and contrasts of Cretan churches and those today?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(8) This is a faithful saying.Then St. Paul, having, in those few but sublime words we have been considering, painted our present happy statehappy even on earth, where the glorious promised inheritance was still only a hopeand having shown how that this blessedness was the result of no efforts of our own, but that we owe it solely to the tender love and to the divine pity of God for mancries out, Yes, faithful is this saying!
And these things I will that thou affirm constantly.I will that ever and again, in the congregation, these words of mine, woven into the tapestry of creed, or hymn of thanksgiving or supplication, be repeated by the faithful believers in the Lord, to remind them, not only of the glorious hope of eternal life, but also to bring Him to their remembrance to whom they owe this glorious heritage; and as they repeat or hear the words telling them of the wondrous mercy showed to them for no merit or desert of their own, they will the more willingly think kindly of, and act loyally with, other men still living in that deep and loathsome darkness where they once dwelt, until God, in His pity, delivered them. Hearing this faithful saying, thought? the old man St. Paul, my children in Christ will surely be disposed to be more loyal subjects, more faithful citizens, more loving neighbours, though their civil magistrates, their fellow-citizens, their neighbours, be still idolaters, living without God in the world. And there was yet another reason for the constant repetition of this faithful saying: men would see that they owed all their glorious Christian privileges, their present peace, their future hope, to Gods free gracethat they had done nothing to deserve all this. Surely such a thought would spur them on to noble deeds, if it were only to show they were not wholly ungrateful. So he writes, Yes, affirm constantly this faithful saying.
That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.But not only would St. Paul have them show their gratitude for the great mercy they had received, but he is specially anxious that they who by Gods grace had been led into the Christian company should now not only quietly and unobtrusively take their part in good works, but should ever be careful to be forward in all such things; he would have Christians conspicuous in their generous zeal to forward all good and useful undertakings. Good works here by no means is confined to works of mercy and charity though, of course, they include such, still they possess in this passage a far more comprehensive signification. All useful and beneficent undertakings, public as well as private, are reckoned among these good works. As was observed before, St. Pauls ideal Christian must be a generous, public-spirited man. In the eyes of this great teacher the cloistered ascetic would have found but little favour; his hero, while ever the devoted, self-sacrificing lover of the Lord, must be known among his fellow-citizens as careful to maintain good works.
These things are good and profitable unto men.The accurate translation of the Greek here would be, These are the things which are good and profitable unto men; but the older authorities omit the article, ta, before kala. The rendering, then (omitting the article), as given in the English version, would be correct: These thingsthat is, this practical everyday teaching, which bids Christians distinguish themselves among their fellow-citizens and countrymen in all generous and useful enterprisesin all good things, whether public or privatethese things, says the Apostle, are good and profitable unto men; in sharp contrast to the unpractical and useless points insisted upon in the false teaching, apparently too common in the Cretan Church, and against which Titus is earnestly warned in the next (9th) verse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Concluding Directions Official and Personal, Tit 3:8-15.
Tit 3:8 tells Titus what he must do; Tit 3:9, what he must avoid; Tit 3:9-10, how he must deal with inveterate heretics.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8. This saying Trustworthy is the statement; namely, the statement of 5-7.
Affirm constantly As the sum and substance of that Gospel which the errorists oppose, but which Crete must be made to hear and believe.
That In order that. Titus’s constant affirmation of the Gospel aims at the end of reforming and saving men. The purpose of the doctrine is, to transform the pagan and the Jew to holy Christians.
Maintain good works By shunning the prevalent Cretan vices, and exhibiting all the Christian virtues.
Profitable unto men Making them holy and happy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men,’
‘Faithful is the saying’ must look back to the whole of the previous Tit 3:4-7. It is saaying that it is something that is totally unquestionable. Thus Paul wants Titus to affirm it constantly, in order to ensure that all who have savingly believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. Paul knows nothing of a Christian who is not directly involved in going around doing good. And he sums it all up by saying, ‘These things are good and profitable to men’, as they surely are.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Summary of Charges In Tit 3:8-11 Paul summarizes his three charges to Titus (Tit 3:8) and instructs him on how to deal with those who oppose the things of God.
Outline Here is a proposed outline:
1. Summary of Paul’s Charges to Titus Tit 3:8
2. Dealing with Strife and Rebellion Tit 3:9-11
Tit 3:8 Summary of Paul’s Charges to Titus In Tit 3:8 Paul summarizes his charges to Titus.
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Tit 3:8
Tit 3:8 “that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works” Comments – When we busy ourselves with good works, we conduct our daily lives with the attitude that everything we do, we are doing for the purpose of blessing others. This was so clearly demonstrated to me when reading Rebecca Springer’s book Within Heaven’s Gates. She describes young children going around in Heaven doing good deeds for those around them. Many adults were given “missions” in which the Lord sent them out to welcome and escort new comers into Heaven. [29] In other words, everything we will do in Heaven will be to bless others. We will have personal times of meditation, reflection, rest and study, but our tasks will always involve serving others.
[29] Rebecca Springer, Within Heaven’s Gates (Springdale, Pennsylvania: Whitaker House, 1984).
Tit 3:8 Comments In Tit 2:15; Tit 3:8 Paul pauses for a moment to tell Titus that he is to be faithful to the charges given to him, and to speak God’s Word with divine authority.
Tit 2:15, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
Tit 3:9-11 Dealing with Strife and Rebellion In Tit 3:9-11 Paul instructs Titus on how to deal with those who oppose the Christian faith and doctrine.
Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Tit 3:9
Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:10
“There are also those who heard from him that John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, ‘Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within.’ And Polycarp himself replied to Marcion, who met him on one occasion, and said, ‘Dost thou know me?’ ‘I do know thee, the first-born of Satan.’ Such was the horror which the apostles and their disciples had against holding even verbal communication with any corrupters of the truth; as Paul also says, ‘A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.’” ( Against Heresies 3.3.4)
Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Tit 3:8. This is a faithful saying, &c. “But though believers are put into a state of justification, merely by grace, or through the divine favour, this is a matter of certain truth and great importance; and, concerning these things, I order that you strenuously insist upon it, that they who have believed in God, as he has revealed himself in the gospel of his Son, should be very careful to stand up for good works:”that is, all those actions which embrace or include our duty towards God, our neighbour, and ourselves. These good and excellent works the Christians were to maintain and stand up for; to defend them, as it were, from whatever might tend to make themselves remiss in the performance of them. Nothing can more exactly suit the connection: the Judaizers made no account of good works; they represented them as of little or no moment, compared with believing, as they said, about Jewish fables, or the endless genealogies, or generations of the Eons; the perpetuity of the Mosaic law, and its being obligatory upon the Gentiles, as well as Jewish Christians. (See Tit 3:9.) Hence the apostle, in contradiction to such vain and unprofitable jargon, enjoins Titus, ch. Tit 2:1, &c. to teach things which became sound doctrine; namely, that all persons should practise good works; (see also Tit 3:14.) And here again he strongly inculcates the same important truths. It deserves great regard, that St. Paul accounted this a matter of the utmost moment; and ordered Titus not to urge good works now and then, or as a thing by the bye; but to be constantly, or with all his might, affirming, that Christians ought to maintain good works. See on ch. Tit 2:14. Good works are here represented as amiable and excellent in themselves, and greatly useful and profitable unto mankind; so they are called , beautiful works. These, therefore, are things which the ministers of Christ are to affirm constantly, or strenuously.
Tit 3:8 . ] refers, as in 1Ti 4:9 , to what precedes, but not to the last sentence merely. So Chrysostom: , . It refers to the entire thought expressed in Tit 3:4-7 .
] Regarding the construction of the verb ., see on 1Ti 1:7 . Vulgate rightly: de his volo te confirmare; Wiesinger: “and on these points I wish you to be strongly assured;” Beza, on the contrary: haec volo te asseverare. De Wette also maintains that is the immediate object, but without proving it.
[ ] ] In harmony with the train of thought in Tit 3:2-3 ff., Paul here gives a practical purpose as his motive. The subject are Christians generally; the designation is used because the Cretan Christians had before been heathen. Luther translates it rightly: “ those who have become believers in God ;” while Wiesinger is wrong in explaining it: “those who have put faith in God, i.e. in His gospel.” The phrase expresses the relation to God Himself, not merely to His word; comp. Act 16:34 . is used here as often is, comp. Act 18:8 ; Act 16:15 ; it is synonymous with , , Joh 14:1 ; comp. . ., 1Jn 3:23 , and . . ., Joh 1:12 . Hofmann is altogether mistaken in construing with what follows. If were to be opposed to , the latter would have been put before ; besides, clearly forms the beginning of a new clause.
( . ., often in the Apocrypha of the O. T., also in the LXX.), “reflect on something, take an interest in something;” here, as often in the classics, with a suggestion of anxiety (comp. 1Sa 9:5 , LXX.).
] depends on ; it is quite general, and should not be restricted to the services to be rendered to the church (Michaelis), nor to official duties [20] (Grotius), nor to deeds of charity (Chrysostom).
here and in Tit 3:14 is used in the same sense as when it is joined with (Synesius, Eph 2 ; Athenagoras, xiii. 612 a ), being equivalent to exercere , “carry on, practise an art;” properly, it is “present oneself before.” The Vulgate translates it: bonis operibus praeesse, which, however, is obscure; Beza incorrectly: bene agendo praecedere, which he explains in a peculiar fashion by sanctae et rectae vitae antistites. Wolf thinks that . denotes not only the studium, but also the patrocinium of good works; comp. Rom 12:17 : .
[ ] . ] see 1Ti 2:3 . does not refer to (Heinrichs, Wiesinger), for the apostle certainly did not need to say that are for men; nor does it resume (de Wette, Hofmann). It should be referred either to . . (Heydenreich, Matthies) or to . The latter reference might be preferred as confirming the exhortation made to Timothy. On the reference of to one subject, see Winer, p. 153 [E. T. p. 201].
[20] Hofmann, too ( Schriftbew . II. 2), restricts . . . to “honest exertion,” by which “each one may support himself and contribute to the needs of others, or to the purposes of Christian church-life.” This interpretation, however, he seems to have given up, as he does not mention it in his commentary.
DISCOURSE: 2265 Tit 3:8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
ONE of the principal ends of a Christian ministry is, to stem the torrent of iniquity, and to meliorate the moral habits of mankind. If this be not attained, nothing is done to any good purpose. The mysteries which may be opened might as well be concealed: the arguments which may be urged might as well be suppressed. No glory can be brought to God, no benefit be secured to man, but through a moral change wrought upon the hearts and lives of men. In this, all are agreed. Even the profane, who neither regard nor practise one moral duty, will acknowledge this. Following his instructions, we propose to shew,
I.
What subjects a Christian minister ought chiefly to insist upon
The things which St. Paul willed us constantly to affirm, are those which are specified in the foregoing context: they are,
1.
The extreme degeneracy of our nature
[What St. Paul speaks of himself and of all the other Apostles in their unregenerate state, is equally true of us [Note: ver. 3.]: whether we look around us, or within us, we shall see that the representation is just. The foregoing part of it characterizes us at all times: the latter, whenever suitable opportunities are afforded us for displaying the feelings of our minds. The evil principles are within us, whether exercised or not: they may sleep, and thereby escape notice; but they are easily roused, and ready to act the very moment that an occasion arises to call them forth.
Now men like to have these humiliating representations kept out of sight: they love to hear flattering accounts of their own praise-worthy conduct and amiable dispositions. But we must declare to them what God has declared to us; and what we know by bitter experience to be true. If we neglect to shew them these things, how can we hope that they should ever be brought to repentance? If they know not the depth of their own depravity, they can never be duly humbled for it, and consequently can never receive aright the consoling doctrines of the Gospel. 2.
The means which God has used for our recovery
[In the fulness of his heart St. Paul expatiates upon the wonders of redeeming love [Note: ver. 47.]. He traces all to the free, the rich, the boundless mercy of Jehovah; who, in execution of his eternal counsels, has, for Christs sake, poured out his Spirit upon man, in order to renew his nature, and to fit him for glory. In short, he traces the salvation of man to three united causes; the Fathers love, the Sons merits, and the Spirits influence.
One would suppose that these subjects should be the most welcome of all that can be presented to our view. But this is not the case: for, however great the encouragement that is derived from them, they all have an humiliating tendency: they shew us the depth of our misery, that called for such a remedy: they constrain us to acknowledge our obligations to the grace and mercy of God, and our entire dependence on the merits of his Son, and the influences of his Spirit. On these accounts men would rather be amused with moral essays, than instructed in these mysterious truths. II.
Why they deserve so great a portion of our attention
The Apostle assigns reasons the most satisfactory imaginable:
1.
They are the appointed means of promoting good works
[It is a lamentable but undoubted fact, that where morals only are insisted on, or where the foregoing doctrines are but occasionally stated, the great mass of the people are ignorant of the fundamental truths of our religion, and their morals rarely experience any visible or important change. Nor can we wonder at this, if only we consider, that God has appointed other means for the reformation of mankind; and that the means he has appointed, are alone suited to produce the end. 2.
They are good and profitable unto men
[This expression of the Apostle may be understood either of the doctrines of Christianity, or of the good works produced by them, or (which we rather prefer) of both together. That the good works which are produced by these doctrines are also beneficial, we gladly affirm. As for the works that are unconnected with these doctrines, they are neither good nor profitable unto men; because they are essentially defective both in their principle and end: but the works that flow from them are both good and profitable: they are truly good, because they proceed from love to God, and from an unfeigned desire to promote his glory; and they are profitable, because they are evidences to us of our own sincerity; they bring peace and joy into the soul [Note: Isa 32:17.]; they advance our meetness for heaven; and they increase that eternal weight of glory which shall be given us in exact proportion to the number and quality of our works [Note: 2Co 5:10.]. Let not any one imagine, that, by dwelling on the principles of religion, we mean to disparage its fruits: no: only let the fruits proceed from love to God, and a desire to promote his glory, and they cannot be spoken of too highly: the smallest service performed in such a way, shall in no wise lose its reward.]
Hoping that the giving to the doctrines of Christianity a considerable share of our attention is vindicated to your satisfaction, we conclude with two words of advice: Meditate much and deeply on the fundamental principles of our religion
[If it be the duty of ministers constantly to set before you the leading truths of Christianity, it must doubtless be your duty constantly, as it were, to revolve them in your minds. It is on them that you are to found your hopes: from them, you are to derive your motives and encouragements: through them, you will receive strength for the performance of all your duties. It is by them that you are to be brought to believe in God, and, having believed in God, to be made careful and diligent in all good works. Let them therefore be your meditation day and night, and you shall find them sweeter than honey, or the honeycomb, and dearer than thousands of gold and silver.
2.
Display the influence of those principles in your life and conversation
[If you dishonour your profession, the ungodly world will take occasion from your actions to vilify your principles, and to represent your misconduct as the natural effect of our preaching. If they would argue so in their own case, they would do well: for their disregard of all the higher duties of religion does indeed arise from their contempt of its doctrines. But the experience of the primitive saints, and of thousands that are yet alive, sufficiently refutes the idea of our principles tending to licentiousness. However, be careful that you do not give to your adversaries any occasion for such reflections. Shew them, that the doctrines you profess, are doctrines according to godliness. The light of holiness will do more than ten thousand arguments to stop the mouths of gainsayers, and to recommend the Gospel to their acceptance. Shew them therefore your faith by your works; and constrain them to acknowledge, that you by your principles are enabled to attain a height of holiness, which they shall in vain attempt to emulate.]
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Ver. 8. That thou affirm constantly ] Be well settled in it thyself, and avouch and aver it confidently to others; being ready to make it good, if questioned, .
Be careful ] Bend their wits, and beat their brains, .
To maintain good works ] To exceed and excel others in their honest functions and faculties; to be their crafts masters, to bear away the bell from all that are of the same trade or profession. This was Cicero’s study, to be best at anything he ever undertook: should it not then be a believer’s? , . (Plutarch.)
8 11 .] General rules for Titus .
8 .] Faithful is the saying (reff.: viz. the saying which has just been uttered, . . . This sentence alone, of those which have gone before, has the solemn and somewhat rhythmical character belonging for the most part to the “faithful sayings” of the apostolic church quoted in these Epistles ), and concerning these things (the things which have just been dwelt on; see above) I would have thee positively affirm (‘confirmare,’ Vulg.; ‘asseverare,’ Beza: cf. Polyb. xii. 12. 6, . The implies persistence and thoroughness in the affirmation), in order that (not, ‘that,’ implying the purport of that which he is , nor is what follows the , as would appear in the E. V.: what follows is to be the result of thorough affirmation of Tit 3:4-7 ) they who have believed (have been brought to belief and endure in it: the present would perhaps express the sense, but the perfect is to be preferred, inasmuch as is often used of the hour and act of commencing belief: cf. Act 19:2 ; Rom 13:11 ) God (trusted God, learned to credit what God says: not to be confounded with . , Joh 14:1 , 1Pe 1:8 ; 1Pe 1:21 or . , Mar 1:15 (not used of God), or . , Rom 4:5 . There appears no reason for supposing with De W. that these words describe merely the Gentile Christians) may take care to ( with an inf. is not the ordinary construction: it commonly has , , , , , or a relative clause. We have an instance in Plut. Fab. Max. c. 12, . See Palm and Rost, sub voce) practise (a workman presides over, is master and conductor of, his work: and thus the transition in from presiding over to conducting and practising a business was very easy. Thus we have, tracing the progress of this transition, , Thuc. viii. 75: , Demosth. 869, 2: , Plut. Pericl. 24: , , Soph. El. 968: , Synes. Ep. 67, p. 211 d. See Palm and Rost, sub voce) good works: these things (viz. same as before, the great truths of Tit 3:4-7 , this doctrine; not, as Thl., , , which would be a tautology: see 1Ti 2:3 ) are good and profitable for men .
Tit 3:8-11 . To sum up what I have been saying: Belief in God is not a matter of theory or of speculation, but of practice; it must be accompanied by good works. This true religion unites the beautiful and the profitable. On the other hand, foolish speculations and controversies about the law are profitless and unpractical. Do not parley long with a confirmed schismatic. If he does not yield to one or two admonitions, reject him altogether. It is beyond your power to set him right.
Tit 3:8 . . Here it is evident that does not refer to any isolated Saying, but to the doctrinal statement contained in Tit 3:4-7 regarded as a single concept as we, when we speak of The Incarnation , sum up in one term a whole system of theology while refers to the various topics indicated in that statement, not to the practical teaching of Tit 2:1 to Tit 3:7 .
: see note on 1Ti 2:8 .
: Here the Vulg. has confirmare ; [320] has affirmare , as in 1Ti 1:7 , where see note.
[320] The Latin text of Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
: It is most significant and suggestive that the apostle held that good works were most certainly assured by a theology which gives special prominence to the free unmerited grace of God. This is made plainer in the R.V. ( to the end that ), than in the A.V. ( that ).
: curent (am.), curam habeant (fuld [321] ).
[321]uld. Cod. Fuldensis
: occupy themselves in good works, bonis operibus praeesse (Vulg.). Prostare would have been a better translation, since the in this use of is derived from bodily posture rather than from superiority in station. “From the practice of the workman or tradesman standing before his shop for the purpose of soliciting customers we arrive at the general meaning of conducting or managing any matter of business .” So Field, who also points out that the R.V.m., profess honest occupations (similarly A.V.m on Tit 3:14 ) is open to the serious objection that everywhere else in N.T., as well as in secular authors, means “good works” in the religious or moral sense.
: This simple phrase is used designedly in order to express the notion that profession of the recently revealed Gospel is indeed merely a logical consequence and natural development of the older simple belief in God.
: The antithesis in the following proves that these things refers to the subject-matter of Titus’ pronouncements ( ), and means this enforcement of practical religion .
: is to be taken absolutely, as in the parallel 1Ti 2:3 , and is not to be connected with .
Titus
MAINTAINING GOOD WORKS
Tit 3:8 .
THERE is so much about ‘good works’ in the so-called Pastoral Epistles the two to Timothy, and this to Titus, that some critics who think they have sharp eyes have concluded that Paul was not their author. But surely it is very natural that as a man gets older he shall get more practical, and it is equally natural that he should fight the enemies who are in front of him at the moment, and not thrice slay the slain. Obviously the churches whom he had in view in his letters to Timothy and Titus did not stand in need of the elaborate and far-reaching argumentation of the Epistle to the Romans, or of the great protest against Jewish ritualism in the Epistle to the Galatians, or of the profound teaching about the Church which is in the Epistle to the Ephesians. The foundation had been laid, and, like a sensible man, Paul proceeded to build upon it. So instead of the difference in tone between those more theological letters and this more practical one being a cause of suspicion as to the authorship of the latter, it seems to me to be an argument in favour of the identity of authorship. The variation in tone corresponds to what happens in the case of every thoughtful Christian teacher as he grows in years, and comes to feel more and more that all doctrine is for practice. Here, then, we have the Apostle’s last will and testament, so to speak, left to all the churches, that ‘they which believe in God might be careful to maintain good works.’ According to that, the hall-mark of a Christian is conduct – ‘good works.’ But we must beware of narrowing the meaning of that expression, as is too often done, so as to include in it mainly certain conventional forms of charity or beneficence, like ‘slumming’ or tract-distributing, or Sunday- school teaching, and the like. These and such as these are, no doubt, one form of good works, but by no means the whole, and their having all but monopolized the name is one reason why many Christian people fail to apprehend the full significance of New Testament teaching on the subject. These acts are but as a creek in a great sea. Paul tells us what he takes to be included in the designation, when he bids the Philippians think on ‘whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honourable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,’ and having thought on them, do them. I have omitted one word in that quotation, for Paul speaks also of ‘whatsoever things are lovely.’ Loveliness is an essential quality of the highest kind of good works. Many of us know that the Greeks, wise beyond many who have clearer light but duller eyes, used the same word to express goodness and beauty. The Apostle uses that pregnant word in our text, and we should well ponder the teaching given by that word. For it tells Christians that they are to take heed to make their goodness lovely, not to ‘graft grace on a crab-stock,’ nor to present a frowning goodness to the world. It is not enough that they who believe in God should be careful to exhibit conduct which commends itself to every man’s conscience as right and pure. They should also commend themselves as being fair with a more than earthly beauty, and lustrous with a more than earthly radiance. There are many Christian people who spoil the effect of high-principled, self-sacrificing conduct by forgetting that beautifulness is an essential part of the highest goodness. Sour grapes are not the grapes that are intended to be grown on the true vine. But now, will you notice, as a further light upon Paul’s notion of how to go about growing these grapes, what goes before? ‘These things. I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which believe in God might be careful to maintain good works.’ What are ‘these things’? They are a brief summary of what we call ‘the Gospel’; the evangelical teaching that ‘the kindness and love of God our Saviour’ had ‘appeared,’ and that ‘He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost… that.. ‘we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ In effect Paul says to Timothy: ‘Now keep on insisting upon that.’ The word translated ‘affirm constantly’ is a very strong one. It means a forcible and continually repeated enunciation, and the plain English of Paul’s injunction to Timothy is: Keep on preaching the gospel as the surest way to produce disciples full of good works. People say to us: ‘Come down to daily life and conduct; never mind your dogmas.’ If you leave out what these critics mean by dogma, and try to make daily life beautiful without it, you may as well hold your tongue. And the men who forget to ‘affirm’ these things ‘constantly,’ and preach morals without gospel, are like Builders who begin to build on the second story, whose baseless castles in the air are sure to come down in ruins. The true way to produce moral conduct is to bring into clear prominence evangelical truth. But notice again, it is ‘those which believe in God who will be careful to maintain good works.’ That is to say, faith is the productive cause of good works, and good works are, as I said,’ the hall-mark of faith.’ If a man believes, then he will do ‘good works.’ The converse must also be true. If a man does not do good works, what, then, about his belief? ‘Show me thy faith without thy works’ – that is an impossible demand. The only way to show faith is by our works, and so all attempts to rend them apart, either in theory or in practice, are as absurd as it would be to take a piece of cloth, and try to tear away the inside from the outside. ‘Faith’ is the underside, ‘good works’ is the upper, and the web is one. Faith is the principle of works; works are the manifestation and making visible of faith. So now turn for a moment to another point. The Apostle’s command here implies a principle, that Christian work should always, and will always, if the faith is genuine, be in advance of all other sorts of good work. That is implied in one of the words used here which means literally’ be foremost, stand in the front,’ and I see no reason why the literal meaning should not be retained here. If it is retained, we have the thought implied – if you are a Christian man you should be ahead of the world in your goodness. You should lead, and not follow, or keep step with those who are not Christians. The Church’s morality on the wide scale and individual practice on the narrow, ought to be, and will be, if we are true to the gospel, far in advance of the ordinary opinion and practice of the day in which we Bye. If we are Christians, we are meant to be leaders, and that means that we shall often, like other leaders, have to endure a great deal of obloquy and calumny from the people whom we are trying to lead, and who are loitering behind us. The Christian Church, as the Apostle James says, is meant to be a ‘kind of first fruits of God’s creatures,’ ripe before the others, riper than the others always. Does the Christian Church lead the conscience of England to-day? Does it even try to do it? Does it recognise that its function is not to re-echo the morality of the street or of the newspaper, but to peal out the morality of Jesus Christ? Is it enough that Christian people should be as good, as charitable, as beneficent, as much interested in social questions as others, or should have the better, the purer, and the happier lives of the community for their great aim, as much as other people have them? Would it be enough to say ‘the electric light is about as bright as a tallow candle?’ Is it enough to say, ‘Christian people keep abreast of the world’s morality?’ Let them go in advance, and if they go very far ahead sometimes, none the worse; the laggards will perhaps come up. But at all events, whether they do or not, ‘I will that these things thou affirm constantly, in order that they which believe in God may take the lead in good works.’ And now there is a last point to be noted, and that is the Apostle’s warning that, although thus the belief of the gospel, and the faith which springs from the belief, are the spring of good work, yet these will not become ours unless we are careful to stand in front. What does that carefulness mean? The word implies two things, and the first of them may be put in the shape of an exhortation – bring your brains to bear on these truths that are being thus ‘constantly affirmed.’ Bring them into your hearts through your minds, that they may filter into and shape the life. I believe that one main reason why the morality of the Christian Church is not much further in advance of the morality of the world than it is, is because the individual members of the Church do not bring their minds into contact with the great truths of the gospel in such a fashion as they should. Christian practice is thin and poor and inconsistent, because Christian meditation on the gospel and on the Lord of the gospel, is shallow and infrequent. The truths that are to be ‘affirmed’ are the fuel that feeds the fire, and if there are no coals put on, the fire will very soon die down-And so there must be ‘carefulness,’ which means the occupation of the mind with the truths that produce holiness of life. And there must be another thing, there must be a definite and direct and continuous effort to increase our faith. I have been saying that faith is the underside of all noble conduct; and in the measure in which it is strengthened, in that measure accurately will our ‘good works’ increase. Suppose Manchester had had two pipes from Thirlmere instead of one, during recent droughts, should we have been in such straits for water? There was plenty in the lake, but we could not get it into our houses because we had not piping enough. There is plenty of power in our gospel and in our God to make us rich in ‘good works.’ What is lacking is that we have not that connection, which is made by faith, through which the fulness of God will flow into our lives. If they want to grow crops in Eastern lands they have little to do but to sow the seed and to irrigate. Christ has sown the seed in His gospel. We have to look after the irrigation, and the crops will come of themselves. So our main effort should be to keep ourselves in touch with that great Lord, and to increase the faith by which we make all His power our very own.
This, &c. = Faithful the saying. Figure of speech Ellipsis (of Repetition). App-6. See 1Ti 1:15. Figure of speech Hyperbaton. App-6.
faithful. App-150.
saying. App-121.
and = and concerning (App-104).
will. App-102.
affirm constantly = affirm strongly. Greek. diobebaioomai. Only here and 1Ti 1:7.
believed. App-150.
in. Omit.
careful. Greek. phrontizo. Only here.
maintain. Greek. proistemi. Occurs: Tit 3:14. Rom 12:8. 1Th 5:12. 1Ti 3:4, 1Ti 3:5, 1Ti 3:12; 1Ti 5:17.
good works. See Tit 1:16,
profitable. Greek. ophelimos. Elsewhere, 1Ti 4:8, 2Ti 3:16.
unto = to.
men. App-123.
8-11.] General rules for Titus.
Tit 3:8. , faithful) The reference is to what goes before.- , concerning these things) not concerning things frivolous: 1Ti 1:7, at the end.-, that they be careful) no longer foolish, Tit 3:3. [Diligence is necessary.-V. g.]-, good) entirely and substantially so. The antithesis is, vain, in the next verse.-, profitable) The antithesis is, unprofitable, ibid.
Tit 3:8
Faithful is the saying,-That which he had just said is a faithful saying, and he desired these truths to be taught con fidently that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10.)
and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently,-[He willed that over and over again these words be repeated by the faithful believers in the Lord to remind them, not only of the glorious hope of eternal life, but also to bring him to their remembrance to whom they owed this glorious heritage. And as they repeat or hear these words, telling of the wondrous mercy showed to them for no merit of their own, they will the more willingly think thankfully of and act loyally with other people still living in that deep and loathsome darkness where they once dwelt until God in his mercy sent unto them the message of life and delivered them.]
to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works.-All incentives to a life of loyal obedience comes from a sense of Gods grace in bringing to us the message of salvation. We love [God], because he first loved us. (1Jn 4:19.) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again (2Co 5:14-15). The doctrines which unfold to us that marvelous self-moved grace, therefore, are to be strongly and constantly insisted upon to incite to a life of holiness. Good works, not merely benevolence, but an honorable and holy life.
These things are good and profitable unto men:-They were ordained for mans good. It profits man to walk in them.
Maintaining Good Works
Tit 3:8-15
It is wise advice that we should try to shun controversy and disputations. Small benefit accrues from such methods of advancing the truth. After all, the Lords test is the true one for all teachings which are in question-What is their fruit? By their fruits ye shall know them. Let us, therefore, cultivate the grace and beauty, the righteousness and purity, of a holy life. Let us yield ourselves to Jesus to be wholly possessed and used by Him; and let our one aim be to get glory for Him and success for His Kingdom. Then our views of truth will become clear and sound, and the beauty of our lives will have the most convincing effect on gainsayers. It is better to live a holy life than be a successful disputant. The best proof of orthodoxy is a Christlike life.
Paul, having been liberated from his first imprisonment, was itinerating in Asia Minor and Macedonia, accompanied by several friends. He was intending to winter at Nicopolis in Epirus, and was about to send Artemas or Tychicus to relieve Titus in Crete, so that Titus might join him in the winter sojourn. These plans were probably canceled by his own sudden arrest at Neros instigation.
a faithful: Tit 1:9, 1Ti 1:15
that thou: Pro 21:28, Act 12:15, 2Co 4:13
which: Psa 78:22, Joh 5:24, Joh 12:44, Rom 4:5, 1Pe 1:21, 1Jo 5:10-13
be: Tit 3:1, Tit 3:14, Tit 2:14
good: Job 22:2, Job 35:7, Job 35:8, Psa 16:2, Psa 16:3, 2Co 9:12-15, Phm 1:11
Reciprocal: Num 7:5 – Take it Deu 6:17 – General Psa 37:27 – do good Mat 5:16 – that Mat 5:19 – do Mat 20:4 – Go Mat 26:10 – a good Mar 14:6 – a good Act 9:36 – full 1Co 7:34 – careth 1Co 14:6 – what shall I 2Co 7:11 – carefulness 2Co 9:8 – may Gal 6:10 – do good Eph 2:10 – good 1Ti 2:8 – I will 1Ti 2:10 – with 1Ti 3:1 – is a 1Ti 4:8 – godliness 1Ti 4:11 – General 1Ti 5:10 – good 1Ti 6:2 – These 1Ti 6:3 – to wholesome 1Ti 6:18 – rich 2Ti 2:11 – faithful 2Ti 2:21 – prepared Heb 10:24 – love Jam 2:14 – though 1Pe 1:15 – so Rev 19:9 – These
Tit 3:8. This is a faithful saying means it is a truthful one, referring to that in the following words, namely, that believers should follow up their conversion with good works. They will be profitable because they will bring much spiritual gain to man.
Tit 3:8. Paul reverts to the idea of Tit 3:1, emphasizing his admonition.
Faithful sayingonly found in Pastoral Epistles1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 1:3, 1Ti 4:9, 2Ti 2:11. Alford thinks it describes a class of statements already current in the apostolic Church as accepted formulae of doctrine. Such doctrines cannot be too often enforced, in order that Christians may apply study and care to maintain, rather, to practise like a skilled craftsman practical duty, and not idle speculation. The rendering, to practise honest callings, though admissible, narrows the sense too much.
Our apostle having in the foregoing verses spoken of justification by grace without works of righteousness, doth here immediately give a strict and solemn charge to Titus, to press the necessity of good works upon those who did believe and embrace the gospel, on purpose to prevent all mistake and abuse of the doctrine of justification by faith, and free grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ; intimating, that they who are justified by the faith of the gospel, should be so far from thinking themselves hereby excused from good works, that they ought upon that account to be the more careful to maintain and practise them, because, by the very profession of the Christian faith and religion, they have solemnly engaged themselves so to do.
Observe here, 1. That the great design of Christianity, and the end of God in the revelation of the gospel, was to reform the lives and manners of men, and to oblige all persons both to be good and to do good.
Learn, 2. From the apostle’s vehement asseveration, This is a faithful saying, and his solemn charge, These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that there have been persons in all ages, who have exalted the virtue of faith, if not intentionally, yet indiscreetly, to the prejudice and neglect of a good life.
As if by a mere speculative belief and profession of Christianity, men were discharged from the practice of moral duties. God grant that the decried morality of some persons may be an integral part of my religion.
Learn, 3. That though good works are not necessary before justification to bring us into a justified state, yet they are necessary after justification, in order to our continuance in that state; Not by works of righteousness which we have done, that is, before faith; but he doth not exclude the works of righteousness in the least, that they should hereafter do by virtue of the new nature given to them, from being conditions of their future happiness. As morality doth not make faith useless, so neither doth faith bring any excuse for immorality.
Learn, 4. That it is not sufficient that believers do good works, but they must maintain good works: the words signify they must be patterns and precedents, they must be eminent and excelling in good works: and let their faith be never so excellent, if they do not add to their faith virtue, it is but fancy, a strong faith built upon a weak foundation.
A Response to the False Teachers
The false teachers would have had one believe salvation was through works of the law of Moses. However, Paul has just shown it is by God’s mercy which man finds through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Spirit. On the basis of this truth, Paul instructed Titus to teach it with confidence. False teachers are not timid, so the man of God cannot be either. Instead, Titus was to instruct the Cretan Christians to be careful to do good works ( Eph 5:15-17 ). Such would be profitable because it is the means by which one maintains contact with the cleansing blood of Christ ( Tit 3:8 ; 1Jn 1:7 ).
Paul urged Titus to stand aloof from, or avoid, useless arguments. Such would likely involve questions man does not have an answer to which do not effect one’s eternal welfare. The Jews, and apparently the Judaizing teachers, spent long hours trying to determine their relationship to Abraham. Further, they would wrangle over things in the law of Moses. Such discussions were like trying to catch the wind in a box ( Tit 3:9 ).
Some would likely persist in dragging men’s minds away from good works to those useless matters. When they pressed their opinions to the point of dividing the church, he should be warned and urged to change. Even those involved in such a public sin were to be given the second warning before they were finally rejected ( Mat 18:15-17 ). How sad to have to treat one who had once been called a brother as a heathen! Yet, he is so corrupted and sinful as to obviously no longer be living the Christian life. Christians must avoid them lest the leaven of their sin spread through the whole church ( Tit 3:10-11 ; 1Co 5:4-8 ; 1Co 5:11 ).
Tit 3:8. This is a faithful saying A saying of infallible truth and infinite importance; (see on 1Ti 1:15;) and these things I will that thou affirm constantly , I will that thou strenuously, zealously, and continually assert, as a matter of unspeakable moment; that they who have believed in the living and true God Or rather, who have believed God, (as the words signify,) namely, with respect to the revelation which he has made of his will; might be careful , may think, consider, contrive, prepare, and take care; to maintain Greek, , to excel, take the lead, and go before others; in good works Of all kinds which they have ability and opportunity to perform, namely, works of piety toward God, and of justice and mercy for the good of men. Though the apostle does not lay these for the foundation of mens confidence and hope of eternal life, yet he brings them in, as we see here and elsewhere, in their proper place, and then mentions them, not slightly, but as affairs of great importance. He insists that all believers should fix their thoughts upon them, use their best contrivance, their utmost endeavours, not barely to practise, but to excel, to be eminent and distinguished in them, because, though they do not procure our reconciliation with God, yet they are good , amiable and honourable, as the word means, namely, to the Christian profession, and bring glory to God; and are profitable to men To those who do them, and to those who are the objects of them: to the former, as being the means of exercising, and thereby increasing, their grace, and preparing them for a greater reward in the everlasting kingdom of their God and Saviour; and to the latter, as lessening their miseries and increasing their happiness in a variety of ways.
Tit 3:8 b Tit 3:11. Final Charge to Titus.
(a) Maintain good worksa characteristic demand in the Pastorals; (b) avoid useless controversy (cf. 1Ti 1:3-11*); (c) shun the factious.
Tit 3:8 b. these things: the preceding counsels.
Tit 3:10. heretical: rather, factious, one whose presence has a divisive influence.refuse: not excommunicate, but avoid.
Week 10: Tit 3:8-9 THE LIFE
8a [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.
Paul uses similar calls to heed important things in his pastoral epistles as well. 1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 3:1; 1Ti 4:9; 2Ti 2:11.
This passage is a good text to show that good works will not bring salvation, but that good works are important in the believers’ life. At the same time, we must not overemphasize works to the point that we make people believe that salvation, if by grace, must be worked for to maintain it. This is the falsehood of the Seventh Day Adventist.
Years ago I worked with a very nice Seventh dayer. We talked of things spiritual with much agreement. One day we were talking about Eph 2:8-9 (“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.”) and we agreed completely. I was shocked at his agreement. I finally went through it again to be sure he understood that I believed that salvation was truly all of grace and nothing of works, and he
again agreed with me.
Finally, I went through it a third time and as he was agreeing with me, it dawned on me what he believed so I said, “Then you believe that salvation is all of grace and none of works?” He said, “Yes.” And I said, “But you have to work to keep it.” He looked at me and sheepishly said, “Yes.” as if he understood that he had been misleading me.
Now, having said all of this, let me tell you JOKINGLY that I wish that the Bible taught that we had to work to keep our salvation. That way the believer would feel a compulsion to keep his spiritual house in order. HOWEVER, God wants our service to him to come from our love for Him and not our fear of his condemnation. The reason I like the concept is that it would take preachers a lot less work getting his members to do good works if they had a little fear in them of loosing their salvation. That would not lead to the peace and joy of salvation that God wants us to have however.
“Affirm constantly” is also a little stronger than that. It can be “affirm strongly” or “affirm confidently” – in short this is a strong confident affirmation that Paul wants.
“Have believed” is a perfect tense, they believed sometime in the past, they now believe and they always will believe till a completion of that belief sometime in the future – a sure thing. This relates to the salvation, heirship and eternity that we spoke of in the last session. I won’t rub it in, but it rather smells of eternal security in my mind.
Actually Paul adds “in God” as if to ward off the belief in works salvation that the Judaizers were touting.
“Might be careful” has the thought of giving thought to being careful, within its meaning. You take thought before hand to be sure you do, or careful thought to continuing in your good works. This might give emphasis so that we don’t use that tried and true excuse, I didn’t think of it, or I was just to busy to realize — if you think “carefully” before hand, you will be more open and
ready to do good works.
The verb is in a present tense and active mood, which requires that it be a continuing action and the active mood suggests that the person involved is the acting participant in the action. In short you would be in error to blame it on the Spirit for not moving you, for it is you that should be moving you. That seems to require a time for thinking about the good works that we might do, it requires time to do the good works as well. The question – how do we accomplish this in our lives?
1. When we rise in the morning, have a time with the Lord to prepare yourself for the day and ask Him to guide and direct your works for the day. You might take some time to think through whom you might meet during the day and how you might be able to minister to them. You might consider your bank account and understand whether you have some financial assistance that someone might need.
Just allow God the moment or two it would take to lay things on your heart that He might have in mind for your day.
2. As you walk through your day, attempt to concentrate on what others are going through, rather than your own situation. When someone is down and wanting to talk, that may be just the opportunity for you to flourish in the good work’s department.
3. Try to evaluate people that you meet; are their ways to minister to them? If you meet someone that is down, maybe a question or two would get them talking and you might find words of comfort.
4. When you see need, evaluate whether you can fill it. I was told by a pastor once that a missionary came to his office with a load of troubles. The man was due in another city for a meeting and his car had broken down. It had serious problems and he had no money to pay for the repairs. He had come to the pastor to ask for prayer. The pastor immediately said let’s pray. As the pastor began to pray, he realized that he had an extra car that he had planned to get rid of – he stopped praying and said, “This is not right. I have a car you can have; there is no need for us to pray for this.” God has already answered your need.
5. When at church you can normally tell when someone is troubled, maybe that would be a good time for a cup of coffee after church or an invitation to your home might be appropriate.
Just take time now and then to see what God might have you do.
8b. These things are good and profitable unto men.
“These things” refers to what? The good works – those grand and glorious things that you do for God.
One of the problems with this is the lack of positive or negative feedback that you get in certain ministries. I am positive that most pastors get all the negative feedback they could ever want, but little positive. This is sad. Encourage those gentlemen any chance you get.
Others, like teachers, missionaries and evangelists often don’t see this positive/negative; they just see the blank looks on faces. While on deputation I saw many many people, but there was little feedback except on the immediate scene. Words of “good message” etc. were forth coming, but due to being there for only a short time there was little opportunity to see if there were any real
spiritual blessings in peoples lives from the ministry of the Word.
This has been one of the frustrations of my life – have I really impacted anyone else’s life for the positive – what results have there been? I have many times reminded myself that it is not up to me to see the results, only to minister. God will see to the results He desires.
As a teacher, students came and went with little indication of positive results. One wonders, but God knows and that is the key. Also, this passage makes it clear that good works result in profit – fact – your ministry profits, no matter if you know of the profit or not – God gains as do those that you minister to.
What a promise – what you do in this life for good will profit others. That is quite an encouragement to do as much good as you can so that as many as possible are blessed.
This is a backside of a philosophy that I was challenged with years ago in college. A professor read a quote from a “Success” course he had taken. The quote related to spreading your influence. It was called your sphere of influence. The wider you spread it the more successful you would become. Though this is a business concept, I recognized it as a good philosophy of life for the believer. That day in class I committed myself to widening my “sphere of influence” at every possible turn.
I did not do this to gain success in ministry, but to gain the widest influence I could for God. I accomplished this through the years by never turning down an opportunity to minister God’s word to people. There were many times when I was tired and way busier than I should have been that I took an opportunity to minister in spite of the rigor of life. God has never allowed me to come up short due to my ministering for Him.
The more good works you do the wider your “sphere of influence” will be. Your outworking of God’s will can only bless and profit those that you minister to.
“Good and profitable unto men.” Whether lost or saved, the teachings of this book and this passage are profitable. If a lost person were to set himself to live in the shadow of the Word, he would find much peace of mind and happiness of life. True, the lost person cannot really understand all that the Bible teaches, nor can they know the true joy and peace of the Christian life, however, they can have a relatively peaceful and joyful life.
My Father was crippled when he was 21 years old and lived a relatively good life. He shuffled his way through this life supporting his body on two canes, shuffling his paralyzed legs along. This was before the handicapped laws; he made his way wherever he needed to go on his own. It was often embarrassing when he would fall in public and he would not let my brother and I assist in getting him up. (You can picture that one, two burly over six feet tall guys watching their old father struggling to get up off the floor.)
He had many struggles, but let little stand in his way of doing what he wanted. His life was that of a believer as far as works and lifestyle were concerned, yet when he was on his death bed his thought was – “I hope that I have lived a good enough life to get into heaven.” He was a calm and peaceful man, and seemed to really enjoy all that he did. He did not seem to dwell on what he couldn’t do, but on what he liked to do. I don’t know if he ever accepted the Lord or not, but he did hear the Gospel several times, and knew what the Bible said about entrance into heaven.
Good works and good living profit everyone, but to the believer there is a double profit – they will also be rewarded for their good works one day future.
We, in our society have a little harder time with how and whom we help. We have many in our society that are too lazy to work and they live off of society. Just where do we draw the line between helping someone that is in need and enabling them to use the system? I have seen this topic on internet message boards a number of times and I have seen few really good answers. Not that the participants on the boards were lacking, they were just lacking in good answers – there are no really good answers.
The main answer is allowing the Spirit to guide and direct you. If you find that you have a bad sense of people, maybe you should call someone alongside that has a way of picking out the stinkers from the needers.
In relation to churches helping people that come by seeking assistance I have a “deacon’s fund” policy that might give you some pointers. I will include this at the end of the study, but here I would like to settle in on how we as individuals can pick and choose those we help and those we pass by.
1. Know that it is God’s will that we do good works. That is the key to all decision making. Do not allow this fact to escape what you are doing or thinking of doing.
2. Review the passages at the end of the deacon’s fund policy included below. There are other passages that deal with our fellow man and how we should treat them.
3. Look at each situation and evaluate the best you can, then act. God will take care of the culprit if he is conning you, but he will also care for you either way. We do need to be good stewards of our works and possessions, but if we do as best we can then He will care for the rest.
Be assured if you are taken, He does not allow that to go unnoticed and the person will answer for their action in the future.
Don’t second guess what you have decided. I was approached by a man that needed a buck or two to get home – he was honest looking, he looked a little concerned and I honestly thought he was on the level, but said no and continued walking. I turned a moment or two later and saw him walking off very dejectedly as if he had lost his last chance. I was in the midst of second guessing my decision when I saw him turn from his dejected path toward McDonald’s for – breakfast most likely 🙂
4. Realize that God may have directed this person across your path so that you could encourage or assist them. We need to remember God’s sovereignty over all situations. Allow Him to lead your actions as best you can.
5. Don’t be afraid to take time to witness to these people, they need the Lord just like we did at some point in our lives.
6. Understand also that circumstances could put you in the same place as they, in the blink of an eye. Many of us are only a few pay checks away from being on the street. With health care costs so high and wages often low, it isn’t hard to understand how people can end up on the street. Yes, many are there by choice, but many are there because they have no choice.
7. Consider food certificates instead of cash. Consider taking them into a cafe and paying for their order. Many will refuse and then you will know their real need. Some carry groceries in their car to offer those that ask for help. Again, many will refuse, wanting cash only.
8. When you assist someone and they abuse you, do not take it personally, and do not hold a grudge, for God will deal with them in His own time.
In short, start your morning out with God on your side, and keep in tune with the Spirit rather than yourself throughout the day and He will guide you into those good works in which He would like you involved.
Verse 9. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Some have relegated some of the great doctrines of the Word to this verse. Paul is attempting to warn the people of things that take away from the good works that were previously mentioned.
True, some do get side tracked in life by things that they love to argue about. Years ago we met a seminarian that was returning for his senior year at Dallas Seminary. He read a book that drew him into false doctrine to the point that he could not function. His professors tried to help him through his confusion, but all of the foolish questions of the false doctrine consumed him. He never went into the Lord’s work.
Some suggest that predestination is one of these foolish questions. NOT SO! Predestination is a doctrine of the Word. Paul was speaking of questions that come from man and his uncanny knack for perverting things for an argument. Examples of foolish questions: Can God create a rock that is too big for Him to lift? This could be discussed for ages. How many angels can stand on the head of a pin? Again, the discussion could go on for quite awhile.
These types of questions only spend valuable time and detract from the Lord’s work. They are good to consider for a time, but don’t make them a major part of your quiet time.
Others have suggested that the thought of separation comes under this category of foolish questions etc. They suggest that separation is a doctrine of man and that we ought to be “ONE IN THE LORD” with everyone that knows the Lord.
Separation again is a doctrine of the Scriptures and not subject to rejection because someone thinks that it is foolish.
Avoid these things – they are unprofitable and vain, or worthless.
“Avoid” is a concept that we believers tend to avoid – “avoid” is making conscious thought to steer clear of something. This actually requires some watching, some consideration, some evaluation and then a conscious decision to go around that item you have considered.
Make a conscious effort to not get involved in these things. It is a waste of your time and will only cause problems. One commentator suggested it be translated “stand aloof” or, as I would suggest, stand away from with a cautious eye.
“Foolish” is the Greek word “moros” from which the word moron descends. Something that is really foolish and it can even relate to “godless” though it is never translated that way. In Mat 5:22 we see the word translated fool, but it specifically relates to a godless fool. “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the
judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
The word is also used as “the foolish things of the world” that God uses to confound men.
The term is even used of God, if you can believe it. 1Co 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Of course it isn’t a trait of His, but if He could be foolish, then this is true.
Don’t get caught up in foolish, or maybe worldly, might give you the idea – avoid these questions and genealogies and contentions.
“Questions” is a good translation of the word – it is the “seeking of” – seeking of knowledge, seeking of answers etc. It is taking time to question, seek information and to ultimately make a decision.
“Strivings” is probably a little weak for this word which actually relates to combat and fighting, this is really getting into some serious dispute about things.
“The law” is a general term for law or lawyer, and it can relate to a New Testament time person that teaches the Mosaic Law.
Evidently there were some that were getting to the point of combat over their lineage and over their interpretation of the law. Paul labels this as unprofitable and vain. Those two terms will be of interest for application.
“Unprofitable and vain” – you know, when I read this passage I had a picture come to mind – a picture of one of the hundreds of sports altercations that have been televised over recent years. Such contention, such combativeness and such unprofitable and vain actions. True this context does not relate to sports, but I think that you get the point. Anything that comes to worthless battle is to be avoided – don’t just get a little bit involved – don’t get really involved – AVOID it. That is the only Biblical solution.
I am hearing more and more of near combativeness within church meetings – people disagreeing so violently that they nearly come to blows. Paul is telling Titus to train the believers not to be that way, while in America we are starting to see it happen.
Why does it happen – in my opinion it comes to that last word – “vain” it comes from the vanity of man trying to see himself as more than he is – something that can make him feel important. Indeed, isn’t most church strife based on self uplifting and a desire to be right? After all if I am right, I am more important.
I trust you don’t miss the contrast in these two verses. Good works are profitable and good, while disputing is unprofitable and vain. I think Paul’s point is clear. Stick to the good works, they are what is important in this life as well as the next, while that worldly stuff may profit you some here, it certainly won’t advance your standing in the next.
Another clear picture comes to my mind when I read this passage. Many pastors have come to churches that are functioning quite well and immediately institute contemporary services. Now, I won’t belabor this point, but how does that fit into this passage. Contemporary services are about vanity and often times uplifting of the performers, they are contentious because they pit believer
against believer, they are about what “I” have been taught and about what “I” think is best for the rest of the church, and for the most part they are unprofitable to the church as a whole.
True, there may be a numbers gain, but there is almost always also number loss. The number gain may be an overall gain, but what of all those believers that are leaving the church – normally they are the mature believers that have built the church, supported the church, and committed themselves to the church and for the loss of these we seek the gain of people that may not even be saved, people that will seldom come to church other than the feel good services, people that will take years to disciple and people that will flock to another church when their services feel better than yours.
Yes, these are generalities, but for the most part this has been the observation of this author in many churches across the country. From my perspective contemporary services have cost the church greatly in the loss of mature believers, the cost of church holiness, and the cost of loosing the Biblical concept of “worship in the Spirit.” It is our spirit that should worship God, not our physical. If you take time to study the term “worship” in the Bible, you will find that it is private, and often, on the face time, with God.
Even in the traditional worship churches, when you can find one, they bring the congregation to thoughts of God via a call to worship, maybe singing the Doxology, then a hymn or two and then they really add to the worshipful atmosphere with a – “Hey, lets greet our neighbor time,” and the congregation begins milling around like cattle greeting the people that they have ignored prior to this appointed time for friendliness, and the pastor has to cut it short or he will lose some of his preaching time.
I thought the church was about God and uplifting Him, I thought church was about the people and ministering to one another with good works, and I thought church was about reaching out to the lost to draw newborn believers into the church for feeding and care, instead I see the church as a place to uplift some musically talented people, a place where we don’t talk to one another except during the greeting time, and a place that is totally self centered and geared to gaining
numbers.
May we concentrate on the profitable and the good in our lives, in our homes, and in our churches?
APPLICATION:
1. Verse nine mentions genealogies. I am sure someone might suggest that searching your family tree is wrong. The context is foolish questions that detract from ministry. Searching your family tree is not this sort of thing. The genealogies that are mentioned relate to trying to prove that you descend from someone important in the Jewish linage.
If you are searching for family information so that you can benefit them or yourself spiritually, then yes this is wrong. The Mormon Church baptizes the dead so that the person can have a larger family in eternity. They search and search for more and more people to be baptized for. What a false teaching, requiring a lot of time, searching your family for all the wrong reasons.
Doing your family history might be of interest to you, but don’t let it detract from what you are doing for the Lord. I have done considerable work on my family tree and it has been very interesting, and I’m sure some of my descendants will enjoy knowing a little about their ancestors, but it is a side light – something I do for enjoyment, not spiritual gain.
2. The last part of verse eight states “These things are good and profitable unto men.” These things relating to the DOCTRINES just stated. Good and profitable. Barnes turns this to state that these doctrines can produce happiness in a person that knows them. Consider the import of that concept. If doctrine can cause happiness in man, why are so many preachers avoiding teaching doctrine. Many today turn up their nose at doctrine and theology – they nearly disdain it. If these things can produce good and profit for man and they will, according to Paul, and if there is a possibility of it causing happiness, why wouldn’t preachers flock to the preaching of doctrine? It is beyond me. The Bible IS DOCTRINE thus if you are preaching the Word you are teaching doctrine.
On the other side of things, if good doctrine causes good, profit and possibly even happiness, then the things in verse nine that are unprofitable and vain most likely would cause unhappiness. It is true if you find someone that is embroiled in disputing, they are seldom happy. They are usually up tight and frustrated.
Keathley is clear that the word used here for “good” has the thought of something that brings beautiful feelings to the person. It is used of Citizens speaking of their beautiful city and the feeling they have for that city, thus the thought of happiness would certainly apply here.
Stick to the DOCTRINE and leave the arguing to others.
3. Gill suggests that the good and profitable relates to the doctrine rather than the works but certainly sees works as good and profitable. “These things are good and profitable unto men: which is to be understood not of good works, though these are good in themselves, and profitable to men in their effects;”
Keathley on the other hand suggests that the good and profitable are definitely relating to the good works, however it reflects back on the doctrine.
It would seem both are very important.
4. Let’s consider the problems of verse nine a little further.
Paul had confronted this problem with Timothy and his people as well as here with Titus. 2Ti 2:23 “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”
Gill relates the following about the passage: “But avoid foolish questions,….and genealogies; of their elders, Rabbins, and doctors, by whom their traditions are handed down from one to another, in fixing which they greatly laboured; see 1Ti 1:4 [” Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do].”] and contentions and strivings about the law; the rites and ceremonies of it, and about the sense of it, and its various precepts, as litigated in the schools of Hillell and Shammai, the one giving it one way, and the other another; and what one declared to be free according to the law, the other declared forbidden; which occasioned great contentions and quarrels between the followers of the one, and of the other, as both the Misna and Talmud show: and agreeably to this sense, the Syriac version renders it, “the contentions and strifes of the scribes”; the Jewish doctors, who were some on the side of Hillell, and others on the side of Shammai; as well as went into parties and strifes among themselves, and oftentimes about mere trifles; things of no manner of importance; wherefore it follows, for they are unprofitable and vain; empty things, of no manner of use, to inform the judgment, improve the mind, or influence the life and conversation.”
Humm, not unlike a couple of major disputes of our own day that consume tremendous amounts of time and money for the church. The Calvinism/Arminianism debate as well as the Covenant Theology/Dispensational theology dispute. Well you could add the Pre-trib/Post-trib/Amillennial dispute as well.
I don’t want to minimize the importance of these discussions but book upon book have been written on the topics. Multiplied days of time are spent on these subjects on internet boards discussing them. In fact, there are a couple of reformed boards where I have read that discuss these things among themselves – if you don’t agree with their view you cannot post on the boards so they are discussing their system and the systems of those they ban for hour upon hour. Nothing is going to come forth from this except perpetuation of their system and the distorted, misinformed views of the other positions. They twist and distort the other man’s view and teach it as the way the other guy believes when this is not the case. They basically set up false straw men, and then shoot them down to make themselves look important to the cause.
I am not sure just what you might want to call this practice, but it seems disingenuous and unethical at the least if not just plain perpetuation of falsehood.
I think we see this laying of importance on genealogy in Iraq. We see the different factions and different groups, and all go back to some great teaching/teacher. Even within their subdivisions they have groups that follow a certain, important leader and usually view other leaders and groups as somewhat of from true Islam.
5. This whole passage reeks with the importance of how we live our lives, how we appear to others that might be watching us. If we are to be witnesses in this world, we must live like Biblical Christians.
Sadly, many are the Christians that I have heard about from unsaved folks. The impression that many Christians leave is one of worldliness, inappropriateness and tactlessness. I have been told by lost people how they will never listen to a particular person due to the ungodly life they live, or the two-faced life they live or the nastiness of the life they live. Agreed, these comments may have been based on a time when the believer was at a low spot spiritually or at an unguarded moment, but it calls to mind the importance of being a proper example of Christ at all times.
You can be assured when you are at your worst, someone is watching and filing in their memory banks with just how you are acting, how you are responding to a situation, or how you are not practicing what you preach.
If you realize someone has caught you at your worst, it might be well to apologize and suggest that your behavior was inappropriate. This might bring them to realize you are only human and that you do make mistakes, rather than writing you off as a two-faced Christian.
6. The obvious is that verse eight speaks of what Christians are and the ninth verse speaks of what we ought not be, but in today’s Christian society it is more like the ninth verse is who we are and the eight verse is who we ought to be.
We as believers have kind of lost our identity. We are to be like Christ, but for the most part we are more like the lost. We often get wrapped up in the same things that the world wraps themselves in. We often watch the same filth on television that the world enjoys; some even go to the theater to watch the latest filth that is offered up from Hollywood.
By the way, wouldn’t you like to know what percentage of those millions of dollar box offices each week are paid by believers? Some Christians are helping finance the filth that comes out of Hollywood. Indeed, watching it a year later on television isn’t much different either in the moral or the financial grounds.
7. Another stark contrast between these two verses is that in the former the person is being careful, even planning to do good, while in the other the person is to be careful, even planning to not do something bad. Is this not the crux of the Christian life?
I suspect that those that are so down on “legalists” – those that want people to live by a certain code – is that they may see that the so-called legalists, try to avoid the don’ts and forget to do the dos.
We are to do both, we are to plan for doing good and we are to plan for avoiding bad. Some might suggest that if you concentrate on doing the good, you won’t have time to do the bad. Others would suggest that actively avoiding the bad will automatically cause you to be doing good. The point Paul makes is that we ought to give concerted effort to doing both as we walk through life.
As we draw to a balance on this duo, we should find happiness with our life no matter what is going on in our life. We should be able to know that what we are doing and what we are not doing are good and pleasing to God. These are the things that make us worthy before our God and beside our Brother Jesus Christ. These are the things that cause us to be worthy of a listening ear when we begin to speak to a lost person about their possible inclusion in the family of God.
DEACON’S FUND POLICY
Copyright Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D. 1996
In that the Scripture is very clear that we are to be in the custom of assisting other believers in need, and in that the Scripture is very clear that we are to be in the custom of assisting widows and orphans, and in that the Scripture is clear that we are to be in the custom of assisting strangers, we hereby institute this policy to assist us in this ministry to those in need. (See footnote at end of policy for references.)
Each person seeking assistance will be interviewed by two of our deacons/elders and their concurrence will result in help. There is no need to INVESTIGATE a request for help other than to talk with the person involved to gain a sense that the need is valid. (We will trust God to guide us in our decisions and allow Him to deal with those that misuse our ministry.)
1. The fund shall be financed by an offering taken in the mission’s bowl after the Lord’s Table service each month.
2. The fund shall be dispersed under the guidance of the deacons.
3. The funds will be distributed by gift certificate as much as possible or by cash/check if the need is not available via certificates.
4. A grocery closet will be maintained at the church via the donations of the membership. It will contain sealed goods that can be stored for extended periods of time.
5. If the fund is depleted, and a seemingly valid case exists the deacon and pastor may go before the church for a special offering/general fund expenditure for the assistance.
6. A list of social service agencies will be maintained and a copy of that list shall be given to each person requesting assistance. (It is assumed by this policy that much of our tax money goes to support social services, so we should make use of those services for the assistance of those in need.)
7. A total value for each assistance shall not exceed $50. (Groceries need only be approximated.)
8. The above is not to say that every person that requests assistance is to be helped. It shall be at the discretion of those talking with the person that may or may not determine to extend help from the church family.
9. If there is a choice between church family members and those outside the church, then the church families’ need should be met first.
FOOTNOTE:
Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
1Ti 5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
Jam 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.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty , and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed
[thee]? or thirsty , and gave [thee] drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
RESOURCE LIST FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE:
(Go to your yellow pages and look for service agencies in your area. Look to your city/county for resources that you can list. Often there is one agency that can look at a person’s problems and recommend the correct place to go.)
3:8 {3} [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain {c} good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
(3) Again with great earnestness emphasises how we ought to give ourselves to true godliness and avoid all vain questions, which serve to nothing but to cause strife and debate.
(c) Give themselves earnestly to good works.
The "trustworthy statement" (1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 3:1; 1Ti 4:9; 2Ti 2:11) Paul referred to is probably what he had just written in Tit 3:4-7. The first "these things" in this verse are the things that he had just described in those verses. Titus was to speak about these great truths confidently (cf. Tit 2:15). The intended result was to be that those who have trusted God for salvation would practice good works (cf. Eph 2:8-10; Jas 2:14-26). The second "these things" in the verse refers to these good works. This verse summarizes the point Paul made throughout this epistle. Good works, he added, are essentially excellent as well as profitable for everyone on the practical level.
"The best way a local church has to witness to the lost is through the sacrificial service of its members." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:268.]
Some successors of the Protestant Reformers (e.g., Theodore Beza in Geneva, and Williams Perkins in England) argued that a true believer in Jesus Christ will inevitably persevere in faith and in good works. This appears to have been an overreaction to the Roman Catholic accusation that justification by faith alone leads to antinomianism. If the professing Christian does not continue to persevere in faith and good works, these reformers contended, such a person was never really saved in the first place. [Note: See R. T. Kendall, Calvin and English Calvinism to 1649; idem., Once Saved . . ., pp. 207-17; and M. Charles Bell, Calvin and Scottish Theology: The Doctrine of Assurance.] Paul’s strong exhortation for believers to maintain good works indicates that he believed it was possible for genuine Christians not to maintain good works.
"The purpose of the epistle to Titus was to instruct him about what he should do and teach in the Cretan churches. A special theme of the letter is the role of grace in promoting good works among God’s people (Tit 2:11 to Tit 3:8)." [Note: Litfin, p. 761. Cf. Mounce, p. 452.]
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
THE TRUE WAY OF PROMOTING GOOD WORKS
But then a question arises; How shall this end be obtained? Upon this question there will be a great diversity of sentiment. The general answer would be, Preach upon good works; inculcate the value and importance of them: trouble the people as little as possible about the doctrines and mysteries of religion; and labour principally, if not exclusively, to establish good morality. Unhappily for this land, this sentiment has in past times been too generally adopted. There may be some indeed (we trust they are very few), who run to a contrary extreme, and dwell upon doctrines to the utter exclusion of good works: but a very great part of the Christian world imagine, that the inculcating of Christian principles is of but little use in the production of morals: and hence it is that the peculiar doctrines of our religion have so small a share in our public ministrations. Many will even quote the words of our text as sanctioning this practice, and as enjoining ministers to dwell principally upon the subject of good works. But the text, properly understood, has a directly opposite aspect: it is an express injunction to Titus to bring forward continually the leading doctrines of our religion, in order to [Note: , to the end that.] lead men to the practice of its duties.
On these things then we must insist; and respecting the truth of these things we must constantly affirm.]
But we must affirm these things; we must affirm them constantly; for they are faithful sayings, and truths in which our everlasting welfare depends. To make these known, and understood, and felt, should be the great object of all our labours.]
That we may not be thought to lay too great a stress on these subjects, we shall shew,
Is it asked, Whence the stating of Christian doctrines should work so powerfully, while the pressing home of moral duties fails to produce any such effects? we answer, That God will bless the means which are of his own appointment, when he will not prosper those which are substituted in their place; and, that there is in the doctrines before stated a natural and proper tendency to produce a change both of heart and life. Suppose a person truly to receive what God has declared respecting the extreme degeneracy of our nature; can he fail of being humbled in the dust? Can he do otherwise than stand amazed at the forbearance of God towards him? Can he refrain from saying, O that I could serve my God with as much zeal and diligence as ever I exerted in violating his commands? Suppose him then to receive all the glorious truths relative to the way of salvation; will he not be filled with admiring and adoring thoughts of Gods mercy? Will not the grace of Christ, and the love of the Spirit, constrain him to cry out, What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? Yes; let him only be penetrated with a sense of what God has done for his recovery, and he will not only be careful to maintain, but studious to excel [Note: .] in, good works: he will not be contented to conform to the worlds standard of morality, but will seek to become pure as God is pure, and holy as God is holy.]
Who must not acknowledge the excellence and utility of the doctrines? We confidently ask, What has reformed the world, as far as any change has taken place in its habits? Have the dogmas of philosophers produced this effect; or has it been wrought by the influence of Christianity? Let any one contemplate the change that took place upon the converts on the day of Pentecost; let him see the odoriferous myrtle starting up in the place of the noxious brier, and say whether these doctrines be not good and profitable unto men? Or let the appeal be made to living Christians: are there not many that must say, Before I heard those doctrines I was altogether earthly, sensual, and devilish; but from the moment that I received them into my heart, I have experienced a total change of character: my spirit and temper have been wonderfully improved; my desires and pursuits have been altogether altered; I am become quite a new creature: now also my peace flows down like a river; death has been disarmed of its sting, and I look forward to the eternal state with unspeakable delight?
1.
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)