Thursday, October 17, 2019

A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of Titus Part 6

Titus 2:11 God Wants All to Be Saved

and

Titus 2:12-15 Preach Godliness


God Wants All to Be Saved

11 For the saving grace of God has appeared to all people,

Preach Godliness

12 Teaching us that by refusing ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live in this present world with self-restraint, righteously, and pleasingly to God.
13 Looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a special people, zealous for good works.
15 Talk about these things, prod and admonish [them] with full authority. Don’t let anyone despise you.

Notes
B1 God’s grace
C1 Is the grace given by God and only by God. It is not earned, deserved, or even sought after by any human. It is God’s strength to do what we can not do on our own. It is a good that God gives to help us, bless us, comfort us, and promise us. It is receiving what we do not deserve.
C2 The word means everything from loveliness, gratitude, favor, good-will, and many other words. In general, it means things that are very good and pleasant.
C3 The is no salvation unless God initiates salvation.
C4 God’s grace
D1 Has appeared to all people
E1 The Greek word appear is ἐπιφαίνω epiphaínō. It means a light shining on something to clearly reveal it. It makes it obvious. It is used 3 other times in the New Testament.[Emphasis is mine]
F1 Luke 1:79 NIV to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
F2 Acts 27:20 NIV When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
F3 Titus 3:4 NIV But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
E2 This is one of the Scriptures plainly showing unlimited atonement. If anyone needs to know what Arminians really believe, this article will help: The FACTS of Salvation: A Summary of Arminian Theology/the Biblical Doctrines of Grace. David L. Allen on unlimited atonement writes:
The key passages asserting unlimited atonement include Isa 53:6; Mark 10:45; John 1:29, 3:14–16; Rom 5:18–19; 1 Cor 15:3–11; 2 Cor 5:14–21; 1 Tim 2:4–6, 4:10; Titus 2:11–14; Heb 2:9, 9:28; 2 Pet 2:1; and 1 John 2:1–2.

There are other texts that implicitly affirm unlimited atonement: Luke 22:20–23; John 17:21,23; Acts 3:26, 10:34; Rom 1:16, 2:11, 3:21–26, 5:15, 11:32, 14:15; 1 Cor 8:11–12; 2 Pet 3:9; Jude 4; and Rev 22:17.
D2 Has taught us to refuse ungodliness and worldly lusts
E1 We need God’s grace to help us identify it, recognize it, and resist it.
E2 2 Corinthians 1:12 NLT We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
D3 Has taught us to live in this present world with self-restraint, righteously, and pleasingly to God
E1 There is a Christian life to live.
E2 We are required to live this life. Colossians 3:5 NLT So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. (The whole passage in Colossians 3:1-17 is instructive).
C5 We are to look forward and be alert for
D1 The return of Jesus Christ which is our hope
D2 This return is in glory, Jesus coming in the glory of God. He is God the Son.
D3 The deity of Jesus is described here. He is identified as the Great God and Savior
C6 Out savior
D1 Gave Himself for us
D2 Redeemed us from lawlessness
E1 If He redeemed us from lawlessness, then it makes good sense for us to be lawful.
E2 The law Christians follow is the New Testament. There are ~1,000 rules for us. The passage in Colossians gave some.
D3 Purify a special people who are zealous to do good works
E1 Doing good works are important.
E2 These are deeds to help the brothers and sisters but also in presenting the Gospel to unbelievers.
E3 Basically, we help our family first, then our congregational family, then the greater congregation of believers throughout the world, and finally the lost as a witness.
B2 The pastor/teacher and church leaders, yes, all believers are to talk about these things and be urged on in the faith.
B3 Titus is encouraged not to let those who despise him affect his teaching and preaching.
B4 From a devotional: Anne Cetas writes (The full devotional is here scroll down, a long way down).
We leave fingerprints on doorknobs, on books, on walls, on keyboards. Each person’s fingerprints are unique, so we leave our identity on everything we touch. Some supermarkets are even testing a technology that allows customers to pay by fingerprint. Each customer’s unique print and bank account number are kept on file so that the only thing needed to pay a bill is a scan of their finger.

A woman in the early church left another kind of print—a “heartprint.” Dorcas touched many people’s lives through her unique gift of sewing and giving away garments. She’s described as “full of good works and charitable deeds” (Acts 9:36). We too are to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). We each have a unique heartprint that can touch another.

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