Deal Biblically with Heresies

Transcript

GR 753
11/2/1986
Deal Biblically with Heresies
Titus 3:8-15
Gil Rugh

We're in the Book of Titus together today as we draw to a close this brief letter of Paul to the young man Titus. Paul is going to draw the letter to a close on a similar note that he touched on as it opened. Of course, the theme of good works, godliness, has pervaded this epistle. That's Paul's purpose in writing—that believers might be established in the faith to live lives that are pleasing to God.

He touched in the opening chapter on the matter of false teachers and false teaching, and he's going to come back to that issue as he draws the letter to a close. The believer is to have his life founded upon the solid doctrine of the Word of God. Healthful teaching is the basis for our life. It's the basis for our relationship with God. It's through the Word of God that I come to understand that Jesus Christ died for my sins, that I can have new life and forgiveness by believing in Him as my Savior. I base my hope of salvation upon what God has revealed in His Word. Now my life from this point
out is to be based on the Word of God as well. As I trust what He has revealed to me and direct me. As I allow the Word of God to be a nourishment for my as life. As I develop a healthy, sound, strong believer. The biggest threat to a healthy, biblical lifestyle is false doctrine. And so naturally that becomes an issue as Paul talks about godliness and good works.

Paul has just given a tremendous theological declaration in vs. 4-7. One long sentence declaring that the kindness, the love, the mercy, the grace of God. That is the basis of our salvation. Not our works, not our goodness, not our efforts, but God's kindness and love and goodness and grace and mercy. That's why we're saved, because God is gracious. And in His mercy He has cleansed us, washed us, made us pure, if you will, from all the guilt, all the defilement and all the filth of sin. And He's made us new creatures in Christ. Now that's the basis we're talking about living a godly life. You've been washed and cleansed, you've been made a new person. It's to be expected that you will live as a new person as well.

As Paul continues this theme early in v. 8, he says, "This is a trustworthy statement. . ." And that statement, "This is a trustworthy statement," refers back to what he has just said about the work of God in cleansing us and making us new on the basis of His grace. That is a trustworthy statement. The King James Version says "a faithful saying." Something you can believe, rely upon, build your life on, if you will. Interestingly, this is the 5th time in the Pastoral Epistles--! & 2 Timothy, Titus--that Paul has used this very expression-- a trustworthy statement, or a faithful saying. Let's just look at those quickly.

Back in 1 Timothy chapter 1, v. 15 Paul says, "It is a trustworthy statement," and there's our expression. "A trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," and then he adds, "among whom I am foremost of all." This is a trustworthy, faithful saying, a reliable statement from God. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. It's a great declaration of hope. Sinners can be saved because that's why Jesus Christ came into the world. And the beginning point is you must recognize your own sinfulness; Paul notes that "I am foremost of sinners." That's why he had such great appreciation of the grace of God. He understood something of his great sinfulness. Over in chapter 3, v. 1: "It is a trustworthy statement; if any man aspires to the office of elder, it is a fine work he desires to do." Faithful saying, a trustworthy statement, that a man who would desire to be a spiritual leader, an elder, desires a fine work.

Over in chapter 4, v. 9, you need to read the preceding verse. He says at the end of v. 7, "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe." That framework, some believe that v. 8 is the trustworthy statement, some believe v. 10 is the trustworthy statement. But they tie together, disciplining your life for godliness in light of our fixed hope on Jesus Christ who is the Savior of all men. And that theme is the one that pervades Titus. Jesus Christ, the Savior of all men, provides for a life of godliness.
Over in 2 Timothy chapter 2, v. 11: "It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself." Another trustworthy statement. And then the last one is the one we have over in Titus chapter 3, v. 8.

"This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently." The things we've been talking about beginning back in chapter 3, v. 1. Paul opened up by talking about our behavior among the realm of the unbelievers. How are we to live? I'm to be submissive to rulers, to authorities. I'm to be obedient, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration to all men." So with leaders, those in government, the realm of the unbeliever, my life is to manifest the beauty of the character of God Himself. These things I want you to speak confidently, lives of godliness built on the grace of God in providing salvation for us.

Now he says to speak confidently. It's a word that is used one other time in the New Testament. It's in 1 Timothy, and I think it's interesting the contrast. Maybe you ought to go back to 1 Timothy chapter 1. We're going to be back there several times; it's good that it's close. First Timothy chapter 1. He talks about false teachers, and just note the last statement of v. 7--we'11 be reading the broader context later--that false teachers are speaking about things which they don't understand, about which they make confident assertions about things they don't understand. That expression at the end of v. 7, "confident assertions." That word "confident" is the same word we have over in Titus. Here is unbelievers, false teachers speaking confidently, insisting on things they don't even understand. The contrast there stuck in my mind, I thought it was good that we be reminded, that we as believers are to have a confident, bold, insistence on the truth of the Word of God. Sometimes we are intimidated by the unbeliever. They come across confidently, insistently with their false doctrine. And we as believers tend to give ground and waver a little bit. But Titus is to speak confidently, insist (another meaning of that word) on these things. Believers are to do good works, they are to found their lives upon the finished work of Christ and live in light of that finished work.

Come back to Titus chapter 3. When he says "concerning these things I want you to speak confidently," he gives the reason. "So that those who believe God may be careful to engage in good deeds." To talk about what Christ has done for us and the marvelous grace of God in providing salvation as a free gift, the understanding of that that we have now as believers in Jesus Christ, is to result in a life of godliness. Living even among the unbelievers in a way that is above reproach, treating them with all courtesy, as we saw in the opening vs. of chapter 3. "These things are good and profitable for men." Paul is concerned that believers invest their lives in what is good. What is good? What is profitable? There are a lot of things you can do with your life, a lot of areas you can dabble in or become absorbed with. Paul says that we ought to be absorbed with that which is useful and profitable. We saw that, well, turn back to 1 Timothy chapter 4, when he talks about bodily discipline in v. 8. "Bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things." So puts it in the proper perspective, and godliness is profitable for all things. It benefits you not only in this life but in the life to come. He says physical discipline, physical exercise? That has some profit, for a little while. But it's limited! It's only limited to this life for sure, but godliness will profit you in this life and in the life to come. That's why believers are to be absorbed in what is profitable. He also tells us in 2 Timothy chapter 3, v. 16, that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable," it's useful, it's of value. And we as believers want to have our lives involved in what is useful and valuable. "This is profitable and good for men, “back in Titus chapter 3.

Now we're going to draw a contrast. Paul wasn't afraid to talk about the negative. If you're going to have your life involved in what is good and profitable, you're going to be doing what counts in light of eternity, there are going to be some things you're not going to be doing. One of the things that I fear we are losing as believers today is our discernment, and that's the issue Paul comes to. You have to know what to do and what not to do. You have to know what to listen to and what not to listen to. You have to know who to follow and who not to follow. Now here he says, here’s what you are to do. Titus, here's what you're to teach. These are the things which are profitable. Now here are the things to avoid. Here are the things that the believers of Crete ought to stay away from.

V. 9, "But shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless." WeK11 come back to where we were in chapter 1, vs. 10-16. There he talked about the Judaizers and the false teachers. We noted then that Paul's ministry was plagued by the Judaizers. The Judaizers were those who came in after Paul had gone into an area and preached the Gospel, had people come to know Christ, got them started in the faith, he would leave and the Judaizers would come in. And they would say it's great to believe in Christ; it's great to recognize that the Son of God has come, but you also must understand that you must also keep the Law to be acceptable to God. You have just part of the picture. The picture is not complete. You must believe in Christ and keep the Law, and then you' 11 have a life that is pleasing to God. We find again and again in the New Testament that Paul is called upon to deal with that kind of corruption. I want you to note something about it. The Judaizers did not say that Christ was not important. They didn't deny Jesus Christ. What they did was take a truth about Christ and mix it with error, and their teaching and their ideas and their misuse of the Law, and the result was heresy, as Paul's going to identify it in a moment.

Note what he says. "Shun foolish controversies and genealogies." Now foolish controversies and genealogies--what had happened was these Judaizers would take the genealogical lists in the Book of Exodus, and they would go into great detail in elaborating these. They were filling in the gaps in the genealogies, and they would develop myths and stories out of the gaps that they filled in. And there was no end to that kind of speculation. Back in ch. 1, v. 14 Paul called this "Jewish myths," stories they made up. It goes beyond studying the Old Testament. They made up stories that weren't part of the Scripture, but then they so mixed it with the Scripture that it became part of their beliefs and doctrine. He says these are foolish controversies.
Stupid is the word, moron. We bring this word over into English, moron. Stupid. Dumb. Of no value. These kind of controversies. For believers to get drawn into these kind of discussions and debates would accomplish nothing. So they are to shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law."

Now what these Judaizers tried to do was take the Law and mix it with grace. Now Paul says "shun these kinds of disputes and strife’s." Nothing was to be accomplished by being involved with them in a debate about the Law. That doesn't mean you don't study the Law. That doesn't mean you don't ever answer any questions about the Law. But for false teachers who want to come and mix the Law with the grace of God, you don't even involve yourself in those kind of worthless discussions, because all it will do is bring strife, division and confusion into your life as a believer.

Go back to 1 Timothy chapter 1. Paul says in v. 3 the reason he left Timothy at Ephesus was that Timothy might instruct certain men not to teach certain doctrine. There were certain things they weren't allowed to teach, "nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies." Now again, that's not talking about studying the genealogies of the Old Testament to understand them. But it's the myths and endless genealogies that they constructed "which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions." Then he goes on to tell us why the Law was given. "We know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully." So there's nothing wrong with studying the Law. There's nothing wrong with being involved in a biblical discussion about the Law. But these Judaizers would add to the Scripture and attempt to mix the Law with grace, we're not to have anything to do with them. All they'll do is bring division into the body.

How does that happen? You know what happens. You expose yourself to a false teacher. We have someone come in and begin to infiltrate this body of believers, begin to talk about the fact you know the Law was given by God. The Law was good, the Law reveals the righteous character of God. The Law sets the standard that God expects for His people. Now that grace has come in Christ, do you think God would lower the standard? If anything, the standard will be higher, will it not? And you begin to teach this and mix it in with the grace of God, and pretty soon there's going to be some believers who say, you know, I think they may have a point there. I think he's saying some good things we ought to listen to. And maybe it is, that we believe in Christ, that God does want us to keep His Law. It is God's Law, isn't it? What's happened? Pretty soon you begin to divide the congregation. And pretty soon you're in a battle about things. And it's going no place. So this kind of thing isn't to be tolerated.

It interests me that the way that the Scripture deals with false doctrine is, you rebuke it, and then you have nothing to do with it. You rebuke those who are teaching and promoting false doctrine, and then you have nothing to do with it. He's going to develop this a little more thoroughly for us as we move along.

Look over in chapter 4 of 1 Timothy. Chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, v. 3: "If anyone advocates a different doctrine" and note this, "If anyone advocates a different doctrine, different than the sound doctrine that's been presented through the apostles and prophets, does not agree with sound words, healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain."

This is what happens with the false teaching and the false doctrine. It divides, it brings division. You see here that we're dealing with believers are susceptible to confusion that is fomented by false teachers. Over in 2 Timothy chapter 2, v. 23: "But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels." So having nothing to do with them. When you come back to Titus chapter 3, and he says "shun these things," he means have nothing to do with them. The false teaching. The confusing mixture of Law and grace. The misuse of the Word of God. The myths and ideas that people come up with. I'm constantly asked by people, I heard somebody on television and they said they had a dream and this is what that dream said, do you think that could be true? That's just like the Jewish myths and speculations. They go on and it goes nowhere. It's just a story somebody has. They're not filling in any necessary information. It's one of the things we ought not to get involved in as believers.

The reason, at the end of v. 9? "They are unprofitable and worthless." Now that stands in stark contrast with the end of v. 8. "These things are good and profitable." The end of v. 9, "These things are unprofitable and worthless." And I as a believer am not to involve my life in the worthless, the unprofitable. And I need to be careful about that.

Alright, we have a problem. What do you do with a man who persists in teaching false doctrine and promoting it? Many churches have been ruined because they have not followed the advice of this portion of the Word. It's clear. It's consistent with what God says in some other passages. "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning." Now it couldn't be any simpler or more clear. "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning." A factious man is a heretic. We get the word 'heretic' from this word, hereticon is the Greek word. We drop off the ending, heretic. The basic meaning of the word is 'that which one chooses for oneself.' So an opinion. And it's used in a good sense; it's used in a good sense in the New Testament--a related word. This is the only place this word, hereticon, is used; but the word for heresy is used. It's used of the sect or party of the Pharisees, for example. Those were people who had an opinion and had bound together around their opinion. It becomes a party or a certain group who have a certain belief. But it takes on a negative connotation of one who holds an opinion, contrary to the Word of God, the teaching of the servants of God. And that's what he's talking about here. Reject a heretic, a man who holds on to his own opinions, his own view point in conflict with the Word even in the face of rebuke. The word is used a number of times. You can jot down some passages of the related word, heresy. 2 Pet. 2:l--there will be those who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Lord and Master who bought them. Secretly introduce among believers destructive heresies, self-made viewpoints. And they're going to come among believers, and believers, if they're not discerning, will not recognize it and the result will be division and ruin among believers.

Now I'm sometimes asked, If the Bible is the Word of God, if it is understandable, why are there so many religions? Why is there so much division over the Bible? You know, that answer is clear. Jot down Galatians 5:20, there in the midst of the list of the works of the flesh, the last word in Gal. 5:20 is "factions." It's the word 'heresy.' You know what? One of the works of the flesh is heresy. The flesh, the old fallen me, likes its own opinion and develops its own opinions and own ideas in conflict with the Word of God. So it's not surprising there are so many religions, there are so many conflicting ideas.
It's because that's a characteristic of fallen, sinful humanity to come up with their own viewpoints in conflict or contrast with the Word of God.

In fact, in 1 Cor. 11:19 Paul says there must be factions among you in order that those who are approved may become evident. In other words, you know what factions do? You know what heresies do? They reveal who the heretics are and who the true believers are, and among the church at Corinth, those factions served a good purpose. They demonstrated who the approved believers were, who those who really held to the Word of God in contrast to those who were against the Word of God. So there is even a good purpose in that sense of factions and heresy. They mark off who the heretics are and clarify who the true believers submissive and obedient to the Word of God are.

Now there's a pattern to be followed in Titus chapter 3, v. 10. "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning." This word "warning" means admonition, instruction. In other words, it doesn't mean that because someone comes in and is confused about the issue of the relationship of Law and grace I won't talk to them. In fact, I will talk with them! I will admonish them and attempt to instruct them. What you're saying about the need to submit to the Law and keep the Law plus believe in Christ is contrary to the Word of God. Let me explain to you what the Bible says about Law and grace. If they persist, we admonish them, warn them and instruct them a second time. If they persist, we reject them. We have nothing to do with them. Now here's where we often fall down as believers. When we have picked up and discerned and recognized the heresy, we sometimes will challenge them, but then we've been afraid to move forward and come to grips with it if they persist. There's an individual who came to this congregation, and he insists on mixing Law and grace. He'd go into Sunday school classes--wasn't a teacher--but he'd talk about it. We had to talk with him. He persisted. We had a talk with him. He persisted.

We finally had to tell him, You cannot come here any longer if you're going to persist in holding that doctrine and promoting it. That's what it says. "Reject him." This would carry us over into matters of church discipline and those passages that are related to that. We could follow through, and Paul vrites to the Thessalonians about, If any man does not obey the instruction in this letter, then you have to disassociate from him. There, if he's a believer, you continue to admonish him as a believer but you don't involve yourself with him. Here, you "reject a factious man," a heretic, "after a first and second warning." Don't have anything to do with him. The reason? Verse 11, "Knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned." This is strong language. The reason I reject him and won't have anything to do with him is, he's a pervert.

Now we use that word rather loosely today. It has a rather ugly connotation. When you say someone's a pervert. It means to be warped. Now this is a serious matter here. He uses this word in the perfect tense--the perfect tense denotes something that is a settled condition. It's happened in the past, the result I am now in this condition. Here is a person in a settled condition of being warped or perverted in the spiritual realm. Now that's a serious matter. And we as believers don't take it seriously enough. I am to reject him and his teaching, which means I have nothing to do with him. But it amazes me how many believers hang around with perverts! They will invite them into their living room and listen to them, day after day. They'll read their material. Then they wonder why their life gets all fouled up. They wonder why they begin to get confused. You know, we wouldn't think of wanting our children to hang around with perverts. I mean, you warn your children about certain individuals and characteristics of individuals you don't want them to have anything to do with. You'd say they were perverted. Now you know, even a pervert has some good quality. He is a human being made in the image of God, marred as that image may be by sin. You wouldn't say that everything even a pervert does is disgusting and repulsive every moment of every day. But I wouldn't tell my children, look, it's alright to hang around with a pervert, just look for the good things. You say, don’t have anything to do with them. Why? Because you're afraid that perversion will influence over time that child. Well, that's exactly the situation spiritually. We are God's children. You know what God says? Don't hang around with perverts!" I say, that’s good advice, isn't it? God doesn't want His children hanging around with those who are in a settled condition of a warped mentality spiritually, because you know why? You know what will happen to a child of God who does that? Pretty soon he'll begin to be twisted a little bit. And I begin to see some things that seem alright, and the devil works. It's clear here!

Now, does that mean he's not responsible? It's in the passive voice here? Passive voice means something that is done to you. Here is a person who has come to be perverted, perhaps by the work of Satan. But he's responsible for his condition and for his action; the next word indicates that. He's perverted and is sinning--present tense! He is living in sin and thus accountable to God for that action. He's responsible he's a pervert, because he is the one who has resisted the Word of God and refuses to submit to it. And there is no help, no good for believers being involved with those who are living in sin who are warped spiritually in their attitudes toward the Word of God. So I admonish them, rebuke them, attempt to correct them, but if they persist after the first and second warning, we cut them off. Because it's detrimental for our well being to continue that relationship. I take it that comes in every area. That affects who I listen to on the television, what I read, because you continue to expose yourself to that over time, and you begin to say, Well, they really do some good things. I really see some positive things. Maybe I ought to reconsider this other area. Pretty soon it's no longer the Word of God as the absolute final authority in my life, but it's my experience. You say, Well I see them doing some good things. I see some good things happening in what they do, perhaps I'd better reconsider. And the result is that then I become confused.

This person is self-condemned. Now that's good to know, because you know what always happens when you confront a person like this or you confront anybody in sin? They try to dump it back on you. You're not being loving; you're not being kind. What kind of church is this if you tell me I can't come here? Ah-hah, you're not putting that on me! You're self-condemned! Because you persist in your rebellion against God. You're condemning yourself! And it's good to be reminded of that. Some Christians act like their feet are in the cement. All of a sudden, we can't do that! We can't reject him! Why can't we? You know what the Bible says? "To him who knows to do good and does not do it, it is sin." And if I don't deal with sin the way God says, I become guilty before God also. That doesn't mean there's not love there. There's too much love to tolerate it.

I love my kids too much to let them hang around with perverts. Now I may sit down with that pervert and share the Gospel to see if they're open. See if they're willing to change their conduct. If they persist in that, my kids can't hang around with them. And God's kids can't hang around with spiritual perverts! Those who persist in sinning. Ought to remember that. We think, Oh I'm in my own living room, I'll watch what I want. Well, you're God's child there taking in a teaching of someone who is warped spiritually. I don't have the liberty or the freedom to do that, and I need to be very careful about it.

Look over in Romans chapter 16. Romans 16, v. 17: "Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them." Same instruction. You be on the lookout for those cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the truth of the Word of God and you turn away from them. "For such men are slaves not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." I want you to note that last statement. You ought to take special note of it. "They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." Believers are susceptible to deception. I am and you are! That's why it's so important that I follow carefully the instructions of the Word of God when I'm dealing with false teachers and false teaching. For me to sit down and say, I'm strong; I'm a teacher of the Word, and I'm not going to be influenced, and I tell Satan, "Now you give me your best shot; I bet you
can't trick me." You know who the loser is! I say, I thought "Greater is He who is in you than He that is in the world"? Yes, that's right. But if I don't submit to Him, then I'm in for trouble. And to refuse to obey the Word of God and do what God says, how will I know, maybe they have something? You know, that argument gets under my skin and I'll leave it there! People are always saying, unless you really listen to it, unless you read it, unless you hear what they've got to say, you won't know if they really have the truth. You know, I don't have to root in every garbage can in Lincoln to know what garbage is. I don't have to taste every piece of garbage to know I don't like garbage. Some believers don't know that spiritually. I can measure the teacher and the teaching against the Word. If it's not consistent, I don't have to delve into it any further. Because you know what the danger is, there is some truth. I'm not saying these false teachers don't have any truth. That's why they're so dangerous! But it's what they're doing with that truth in mixing it with error. You listen to the peace and prosperity preachers of today. They're saying some true things! But they've corrupted and distorted the Word of God by mixing it with other things! That makes it a lie. You sit there and say, well, they're saying some good things! I listen to that so much, you know what I begin to think of? I wouldn't mind being healthy 'til I die either. Now that's a little bit of a problem. I wouldn't mind being wealthy 'til I die. Pretty soon I try to see things. Why? Because I hear they do say some things that are true, and that's how by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. They've taken the truth of God and wed it to the heresy of man, and you have a corruption. How many believers are paddling down listening to that stuff by those of warped minds, the perverted spiritually? I need to be very, very careful what I'm exposing myself to as a believer.

Now isn't that a happy note to end a letter on? Paul's done! We as believers, we live in a day of positive thinking! Incidentally, that's another perversion by a pervert! I think we as believers think biblically, but there are some people who don't like the negative. Don't like sin. Here, under the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul ends this letter on such a man is perverted, is sinning, is self-condemned. Good-bye! That's pretty abrupt. You say, well, he's not done. Well, all these are are the good-byes. There are a couple of comments about some men. But what I had to say in the letter is brought to a conclusion on that note! Why? Because that will ruin you as far as good conduct is concerned! That will destroy a life of godliness. You ought to leave with that note ringing in your ear.

Now he has some concluding remarks, just a couple of observations. He's going to send Artemas and Tychicus. We don't know anything else about Artemas, evidently a faithful servant because this is the only place he's mentioned. Tychicus--I like Tychicus, although I know very little about him, and I don't want to develop any myths about him! But, the 4 or 5 times he's mentioned in the New Testament, he's usually being sent somewhere by Paul. You know the first thing I think of when I think of Tychicus? Errand boy. Paul says, I need this letter delivered here. Here goes Tychicus to deliver that letter.

Well you don't have to be any spiritual giant to do that, I mean . . . but you know what? Tychicus ends up being a spiritual giant. Tychicus didn't know when he went around being the errand boy/messanger of Paul that he was often carrying the inspired, eternal Word of God that we'd be studying 2000 years later! All of a sudden, those errands that Tychicus just went on took on tremendous significance! He wasn't just carrying a letter on a long journey so that someone could read it! He was faithfully doing what God called him to do, and Tychicus ends up standing out as a giant who played a key role in disseminating the eternal Word of God. I really like Tychicus. A good reminder to us not to look down on what we call the little jobs. I wonder when we get to eternity, a lot of what we thought were the little jobs, we'll see them in God's perspective! So the real reason that ministry went, so to speak, were the little things out here that seemed to be done by insignificant people doing insignificant jobs.

He's going to winter in Nicopolis. He wants to meet Titus there. Nicopolis is on the west coast of the mainland of Greece, 200 miles north and west of Athens. City founded by Augustus Caesar, known as Octavius before he became the Caesar.
He founded this city in commenoration of his victory of Anthony and Cleopatra,
31 B.C. It happened in this region. Good place to winter. Titus and Timothy are going to get together. Titus and Timothy . . .Titus and Paul! But you note, Titus can't leave Crete until a replacement comes. He has to wait until Artemas or Tychicus gets there. Evidently Paul didn't feel the church at Crete was ready to stand on its own under the pressure and influence of false teachers. So, Titus, you stay until a replacement comes; then meet me at Nicopolis.

"Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them." Two other key servants of God--Zenas, we don't know anything about him. Apollos, a man mighty in the Scripture. Acts 18 talks about him, his further enlightenment by Priscilla and Aquilla. He figures prominently in Paul's ministry at Corinth and his name appears in the letter to the Corinthians a number of times, the first letter. Now that "to help them on their way", perhaps Zenas and Apollos will be the
ones to bring this letter. We don't know. Apparently Zenas and Apollos are passing through Crete. Titus' responsibility is to help them on their way, to see that the believers there make every provision necessary for them to continue their journey on to whatever ministry they're going to. That reminds him as he draws the letter to a close, "Let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful." Back to that on this closing note. Good deeds. We must learn to do good deeds. That's something you grow in. Pressing needs provide opportunities for us to give. That's why it's good we have pressing needs as a body of believers. You know why? Under pressure we usually do more! We 1earn to do good deeds. That's why pressure is good for us as individuals and as a body. Praise the Lord for the pressure!
Then we can learn to meet pressing needs! And to do good deeds. We say, Lord, make me fruitful! He brings the pressure. And we complain. Well, pressing needs provide an opportunity for me to do good deeds, that we may not be unfruitful. We need to remember that as a body as well.

"All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all." That'll be God's provision, His grace to enable them in every situation. That's the letter to Titus. Live a life of good deeds. He mentions that phrase again and again in this letter. Do good deeds. The ungodly, the false teacher, they are worthless for any good deed, v. 16 of chapter 1 said. Is it any wonder you have to avoid their teaching? You have to avoid them? They're worthless for any good deed. And I'm to be building a life of godliness, a life of good deeds that have to be founded on the solid foundation of the Word of God. As I take in the Word of God and allow the Spirit to assimilate it into my life, then I mature. As I submit to His control, then I live my life day by day in obedience to Him.

How are you doing? Is your life characterized by good deeds? You have to back up. Foundation for good deeds is a personal relationship with God. Have you been made new? It's the grace of God that brings salvation, that brought redemption that enables us to live a life of good deeds. Is that really the foundation that you're building on? You say, oh yes, I've trusted Christ. What's your life like? Is it characterized by good deeds? That doesn't mean you're perfect. Sometimes I do what I don't want to do; sometimes I don't do what I should do. But is the general character of my life godliness? If not, I'd better back up. Maybe that's just a profession. I mean, what kind of hope would it be that God would cleanse and wash and make clean a vile sinner; make him a new creature in Christ, and then he'd go out and live an unchanged life. Something's wrong.

Now, if we are changed and I see inconsistencies, they need to be dealt with. How's your testimony among the realm of the unbeliever? You know, that's where chapter 3 is. What does the unbeliever think of us? Now, now "they're holier than holy!" But, chapter 3 started out with our treatment of them. Do we treat them with distain, with disgust, with arrogance? Something that, you know, like leprosy. I wouldn't want to get contaminated? Or do they see the kindness, the goodness, the gentleness, the courtesy that is a result of the gracious work of God at work in our lives. The appreciation we have for that gracious work that transforms the way we live in every situation. Let's pray together.