Grace in the “Now” Age

Transcript

GR 750
10/12/1986
Grace in the “Now” Age
Titus 2:11-15
Gil Rugh

Paul's letter to Titus and the 2nd chapter. In chapter 2 Paul has been instructing Titus on the kind of conduct that is fitting for those who profess a relationship with Jesus Christ. He began the chapter by telling Titus "to speak those things which are fitting for sound doctrine." In other words, instruct and teach the people of God regarding the way that they are to conduct themselves that will fit the pattern of healthy teaching.

Now the importance of our conduct becomes more clear, is brought more into focus, when we understand that God's intention in redeeming us was to have a people that served Him with their lives here on earth. Now ultimately in everything, God is bringing glory to Himself. He brings glory to Himself even in the destruction of the wicked and their eternal condemnation. He brings glory to Himself in the salvation of the elect and their lives of service for Him. So what Paul is going to do now is draw our attention in on the basis for godly conduct. The emphasis in Titus is to live lives conformed to the character of Christ. The basis for this is the finished work of Jesus Christ. And God's intention in having His Son die for you and me is that we as a result of His redemption might now live in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

He'll talk about salvation in its past, present and its future aspects. We're going to see the past aspect of our salvation, and the future aspect of our salvation work together to emphasize our living out the present reality of that salvation. So if you understand what Christ has done in the past, if you understand something of God's future intention for you as His child in that salvation, that should determine the way that you live your life today. So you'll see as we come to v. 11 of Titus chapter 2, he begins with the word "for."

"For the grace of God has appeared." That "for" connects it with what he is talking about. He has talked about in v. 5 the word of God not being dishonored. Then in v. 10 about adorning the doctrine of God our Savior in every aspect, and God is our Savior. And he moves right in now to a discussion of that salvation. Our conduct is not separated from our salvation, but our conduct is part of our salvation. It is a result of our salvation and the evidence of that salvation.

"For the grace of God has appeared." Vs. 11-14 are all one sentence in the Greek text. The subject of that sentence is the grace of God. When we want to study the grace of God as God reveals it in the Scripture, one of the key passages is Titus chapter 2, vs. 11-14. The grace of God. Now let's study the grace of God and God's purposes in that grace.
He says to begin with that "the grace of God has appeared." He has revealed or manifested His grace. Grace is often defined as "unmerited or undeserved favor." Grace is always sovereignly bestowed by God. So grace means that something is happening that we do not deserve or we do not earn, but God has sovereignly determined to do something to or for us. Now the grace that He is talking about is going to have to do with our salvation. So really grace here focuses on the death of Jesus Christ. The grace of God has appeared, "bringing salvation." So it's God's grace in providing redemption.

Romans chapter 5 tells us that the great demonstration of the love of God is "that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We didn't deserve it, we didn't merit it, we didn't earn it, but God had His Son die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. That meant the grace of God appeared, it was manifested. Down in v. 14 he'll talk about "Christ gave Himself for us that He might redeem us." That ties to the fact that the grace of God has been revealed, has appeared. So Christ gave Himself for us. Down in chapter 3 of Titus, v. 4, "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us." And we'll see when we study chapter 3 it was on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Back up to 2 Timothy, just before Titus and the 1st chapter. Second Timothy chapter 1, the end of v. 8 Paul talked about the Gospel which is according to the power of God. V. 9, the God "who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity." You see when he talks about our salvation, it is not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace.

V. 19, "But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." The same idea that God's grace, God's salvation has now appeared. God planned His salvation from all eternity, but it wasn't manifested, it didn't appear until Christ came and died on the cross. So when Paul writes in Titus chapter 2, v. 11, "the grace of God has appeared," he means the Son of God has come and died on a cross. So now God's grace is out for everyone to see and behold. That God had His Son die on a cross for unworthy, undeserving sinners. Why would He do that? Well, keep in mind, God always sovereignly manifests His grace. He did it because He chose to, to demonstrate the great depth of His love.

This grace which has appeared is "bringing salvation to all men." That "bringing salvation to or for all men" emphasizes the fact that the salvation that God has provided in His Son is not exclusive but inclusive. It includes all people. We talked in chapter 2 about older people and younger people, about men and about women, about slaves--all people, all groups of people, all classes of people, all kinds of people, all nationalities, all races, all groups are included in that provision God has made of His salvation. It is for or to "all men." We might say that God's grace in sending His Son to the cross has provided a salvation for all men; it makes all men, if you will, favorable. There was no hone apart from Christ; there is no hope apart from Christ. But the death of Christ is sufficient in paying the penalty for every single man, woman, and child. So that we have a salvation, now, we can offer as a free gift to everyone, whosoever will may come. If you will but believe in Jesus Christ, you can have forgiveness and cleansing. We don't say well, this is only for men; or this is only for women, or it's only for children, or only the rich or only the poor. No, God's grace bringing salvation for all men, all mankind, all humanity has appeared. Now that does not mean all humanity is saved because God requires a response to that salvation, and that is faith in the death and resurrection of His Son. But the fact that men and women are not saved today does not mean that God's salvation was too limited. It really means that in their sinfulness they are too stubborn to submit themselves in faith to the salvation that He has provided. His grace is the foundation for it. That's why Ephesians chapter 2 tells us in v. 8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest anyone should boast." God's plan provides salvation. Do it on the basis not of what men and women can accomplish to earn it, but on the basis of My own righteousness. My own mercy and now offer it to them at no cost. They must simply respond and believe.

Now this grace that has brought salvation for all men, teaches us something. So you come to v. 12. "For the grace of God has appeared," and you understand this is the grace of God that brings "salvation for all men," even though all men aren't saved. This grace is "instructing us" or teaching us something. And this is crucial. Many people who think they understand grace really don't. When we think grace means "I can do whatever I want, I can live however I want," we indicate we don't understand grace; because grace is teaching or instructing us.

Now we get the English word "pedigogen" from this. It means "to instruct or to teach." Literally it means "to train a child," child training, from the word "to be a child." It's the word used in "training up a child," raising up a child, training him. Now the grace of God is carrying on a child-training work in the life of a believer. It's instructing and teaching and developing us in the realm of godliness. That's why a licentious life under the name grace is such a distortion of the Word of God. Grace does not mean you can do whatever you want. Grace means you are now free by the power of God to live a life that is ol easing to God, and a life that is not lived pleasing to God is not a life of grace, it is a life of licentiousness in rebellion against God's grace. God's grace has appeared "instructing or teaching us," negatively and positively. It teaches us. What do we learn from the manifestation of God's grace? From the death of Christ on the cross? Well, first we learn we are to be "denying ungodliness." Denying, renouncing ungodliness. Ungodliness is everything contrary to the character of God. So I learn from the death of Christ and God’s grace in providing salvation for me that He wants me to reject and renounce everything now that is contrary to His character. Now we're talking about the way that I live my life. Now the attitudes are behind this. We're talking about conduct here in the Book of Titus. I am to renounce ungodliness. And secondly, "worldly desires." Now out of ungodliness come all kind of worldly activities and worldly desires lead to worldly lifestyles. They go together. "Worldly desires," they are the desires, the lusts that center in this world. The arrangement of this life. Now the unbeliever has his desires focused in this realm. The believer is to deny worldly desires, worldly lusts, those longings that are rooted in this life. The transitory, passing things of this world. The unsaved man has no place in his life for God. He's occupied and consumed with the things of this life. What really matters are the things of this world. He cannot imagine this life without them. That's the center of his being. Now God's grace in bringing salvation teaches us that we are to be living differently. We are renouncing worldly desires and lusts.

Turn over to First John, to the back of your New Testament, almost to the Book of Revelation. The first epistle of John chapter 2. John says the same thing, expanding it. He says in v. 15 of 1 John 2, "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." You see, you cannot have two centers in your life, and the unbeliever is rooted and founded and centered in this world. The believer has his life now centered in God, so we're not to love the things of this world. "All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

Here's a reminder--the world is passing away. "And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." The things that the world focuses on, longs for, lusts for, builds life around; do you stop and think that they're going to be gone. Doesn't matter how much you have, how diversified it is, when you die it'll all be here. And someday it's all going to pass away. It's transitory. Believers are called to build their lives on something that is eternal. "The one who does the will of God abides forever."

So we learn from God's grace, and the salvation that He has provided for us in Christ, that we are to deny ungodliness--those things contrary to the character of God--and to renounce worldly lusts, things that are so attractive or alluring and controlling in this world system. Mow he moves to the positive, back in Titus chapter 2.

How are we to live? It's not enough to know how you shouldn't live, but how should you live? And he starts out with that word that we've seen 4 times already in Titus. This is the 5th use of this word "sensible." "To live sensibly." That word that has the idea of self-control. A person who has his life under control. Now again, we're not talking about in the worldly, fleshly things, but a person through the power of the Spirit is exercising control over himself and over his life. Rather than being controlled by his passions, his appetites, his lusts, he disciplines himself for godliness. Like Paul writes to the Corinthians when he says, I discipline my body and bring it under control lest when I preach to others I myself should be a castaway. That's the point, my body is controlled. "Live sensibly, righteously." This is an upright life. A life that is characterized by truth, by justice. By righteousness. Believers are to be living righteously as well as sensibly. And thirdly, "godly." Now that's the antithesis of ungodliness. We're to renounce ungodliness. We are to live godly. In other words, in a manner that is consistent with the character of God. So that would be broad and encompassing. My life now centers in Him.
It's to conform to His will for me as His child. That's what really matters. I want you to note--you ought to underline this last statement. "In this present age." And literally, and I like the way that it's stated in the Greek, "in the now age." "In the present age" does it, but it says literally "In the now age." Today, right now, in this period of time in which you are living, we are to "deny ungodliness, worldly lusts, and live sensibly, righteously, and godly." This is a contrast with the age to come. Now I'm to have my life, as we're going to see, focused on the coming of Christ in the coming age; but that is to control how I live "in the now age." Today. This is the opportunity for me to live my life in a manner pleasing to Him. This is the time where I have opportunity to exercise my will in disciplining my body in submission to Him. We have to realize, I have to remind myself that we are in a unique period of time not to be repeated in all of eternity! Now in this sin-cursed world, in this present age, I am privileged by the power of God as a result of His redemption to exercise self-control over this body and to present it as a living sacrifice to Him. To live godly by virtue of submissiveness to Him. The unique opportunities of this present life will not be repeated in all of eternity. We shal1 live for Him; we shall live submissive to Him for all eternity. But I have a unique opportunity now, in this now age. So contrary to the character of God and the purposes of God, to exercise self- discipline, to have a body that is honoring Him in all that it does. Unique opportunity; it will not be repeated. What a tragedy that we fritter away the days not realizing it's unique even as we measure it in light of eternity. Living for Him in the present age.

Now if you're going to live like this, you have to have a focal point. You have to have your eyes fixed on the goal. A picture would be like a runner that has a goal. A lot of distractions, a lot of things that would side-track us, but if you know where you're going, that determines. You run over the obstacles. You face the difficulties, because you know where you're going. Again, Paul uses the same kind of analogy in 1 Cor. 9 when he talks about that he has a purpose. He's not boxing as one that beats the air. He knows where he's going. That's why he disciplines his body. And we are to be "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." So as we live in the present age conformed to the character of God, we're doing that looking for something. "Looking for the blessed hope." And that "looking for" indicates an eager expectancy, an anticipation on our part that drives us forward. Now it's important. As soon as you lower your sights and begin to think about other things—it's like a person running a marathon would have that goal, but as soon as they start to look down and see how much they're sweating, look around and see some of the obstacles, you begin to think, I could be sitting on the side with my feet propped up having a cold drink, I could be relaxing; then all of a sudden the goal becomes foggy, the determination and the self-discipline begins to wane, and then they're in trouble. That's the way it is for me as a believer. If I take my eyes off that goal, then my determination, my self-discipline begins to get weak. I've never run a marathon, and I hope never to(!), however, I do believe it would be easier to run a short race where I could see the goal than it would be to run for 10 or 20 miles when I couldn't see the goal that I was going toward. That's the way it is for us as believers. I can see it by faith. It's held out there, but it seems this race has gone on for a long time. Well, we are to be eagerly anticipating the blessed hope. It's the hope that will bring blessing. That will be the fulfillment, the fruition of what I have been striving for and moving toward. And the blessed hope is identified for us as "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior." That is the blessed hope. Looking for the blessed hope, and we could say to give the idea in English, "which is the appearing of our great God and Savior." And then you have the appearing again. We had the grace of God in v. 11, "has appeared" and that was the first coming of Jesus Christ. Where He provided salvation by His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Now I have my eyes fixed on His Second Coming, His future appearing. That's the blessed hope. That's what really keens a believer going, knowing the reality of the coming of Jesus Christ.

And He is identified here as "our great God and Savior." I think that's the strongest way to translate the text here. That is a statement of the deity of Jesus Christ. He is the "great God and Savior." The Triune God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and Jesus Christ is just as much God as God the Father is or God the Holy Spirit is. So here He's identified as "the great God and Savior." In v. 10 we talked about "God our Savior." Now here stressing "our great God and our Savior, Christ Jesus."

What are we looking for as believers? We're looking for the time when Jesus Christ shall come. His Second Coming, which is just as real as His first coming. Now that second coming will be in 2 stages. He's going to come to earth someday just as He came to earth 2000 years ago, and every eye shall behold Him on that occasion. Now when He comes to earth for the second time, He will set up a throne of judgment for the peoples on the earth, and He will establish a kingdom over which He will rule and reign in righteousness. But for us as believers in this 2nd stage, we are anticipating the first part of that second coming which is some seven years sooner than His coming to earth, called the Rapture of the Church. That's when Jesus Christ shall descend in the clouds and shall call then for all believers out of this present age, from Acts chapter 2 down until that event called the Rapture, to meet Him in the air. Couple of passages . . .

First Corinthians chapter 15, the great chapter in the Bible on the resurrection of the body. And at the event that we're talking about, the physical bodies of those believers in Jesus Christ will be caught up out of the graves, be transformed, glorified, and those believers will move back into them. In an instant following, every believer who is alive on the face of the earth will be bodily removed from the earth; their bodies will be transformed and they will meet Christ in the air. Note v. 50 of 1 Cor. 15, "Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God' nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." This physical, perishable body is not suitable for eternity in God's presence. "Behold, I tell you a mystery here is something that has not before been revealed--"we shall not all sleep (or experience physical death), but we shall all be changed, in a moment, (the Greek word atom--in an atom of time, the smallest particle of time. That's how quickly it will happen...) the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality." That's the blessed hope of the believer. Anticipating that time when I be called into the presence of Jesus Christ in the air. That's to be a motivating factor in the way that I live my life. It is the control 1ing factor. Where I am going determines how I live. So you see down in v. 53 Paul concludes this section, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." That keeps us going. We toil on. We battle on. Why? It's not in vain! It's not to no purpose! It really makes a difference! Because some day I'm going to stand in His presence to give an account of how I lived every day of this life.

Look over in 1 Thess. 4, Paul writes about the sane event, focusing on those who have died in Christ. And he says in v. 13 of 1 Thess. 4, "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep (believers who have died), that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again (that's the condition, that's the qualifying factor-- have you really come to believe that Christ died for you?), even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." Here's how it's going to work: "For we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first." So we talk about those loved ones, believers in Christ who have experienced physical death, don't feel badly for them. Right now they are personally in the presence of Christ. When it comes time for the transformation of the body, they're going to meet us again. So they not only have the glory and are enjoying that ahead of us, they're going to get glorified bodies ahead of us as well. But not too much before! "The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught uo together with them ..." and I think that's one of the most encouraging statements in all the Bible in the face of death. "Caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." That reality affects the way that I face death. That's the blessed hope. That's what I'm anticipating. Christ shall come in the air; descend in the clouds. We'll be bodily removed from the earth to meet Him and then He'll take us to His Father's house, the place where He has prepared for those who love Him. Now that's reality! That puts everything in this life in proper perspective. I don't want to get too attached here. Doesn't matter whether I live in a big home or a little home; doesn't matter whether I have a big salary or a little salary. It doesn't matter whether I have a big church or a little church. Doesn't matter whether people think I'm important or not. All that matters is whether I have a personal relationship with Christ and are moving toward that glorious event. One other passage on this.

First John 3, v. 2, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be." In other words, I'm a child of God but as you look at me you might think I'm .just an ordinary human being. You really haven't gotten the full picture of me yet. I haven't! "We know that, when He appears," (we talked about that appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, that blessed hope)-uwe know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And every one who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." If that's really your hope, then that will be a purifying influence in your life. That's why the Bible indicates, if your life is not been changed, you've never experienced God's salvation. You may profess anything you like, but those who have truly come to believe in Christ have lives transformed by the power of God. And if your life hasn't been transformed, you don't belong to Him. "Everyone who has this hone fixed on Him purifies himself."

So you come back to Titus, and you can see why Paul puts here in the midst of this section talking about the way we live our lives today the strong emphasis and attention on the blessed hope of the believer. He is the great God our Savior, Jesus Christ; and note what He did, v. 14: "Have gave Himself for us." Christ offered sacrifice of Himself on our behalf. That's the heart of salvation. If He hadn't done that, all of us would be on our way to hell. There would be no blessed hope. There is no salvation apart from the payment of the penalty. And the penalty for sin is death, and God's Son, Jesus Christ, died to pay that penalty. He gave Himself for us." He offered the sacrifice on our behalf. Two reasons are given. "He gave Himself for us," number one: "that He might redeem us," and we would say 'Amen' to that! Redemption! Word here that means 'to set free by the payment of a price.' The stress on this word for redemption. There are several words used for redemption in the New Testament. This word 'lutra-o' means to set free by the payment of a price. Now I was in bondage and slavery to sin, and the penalty for sin is death. Jesus Christ set me free from the slavery and bondage of sin by paying the price--death on my behalf. Now note. "To redeem us," but it doesn't stop there. "From every lawless deed." We sometimes make an artificial and unbiblical separation between redemption and lifestyle. God's redemption was "from every lawless deed." Now I've been saved from the penalty and power of sin and will be saved from the presence of sin, but I need to understand this within the framework that redemption means I have been set free from every lawless deed. A lawless deed is sin. 1 John 3:4 says sin is lawlessness. That's how God defines sin for us in 1 John chapter 3, v. 4. Sin is lawlessness. Because sin is rebellion against God. Now He died to set me free from every lawless deed. All sin, if you will. That's why when a person who is living a sinful life and professes to be redeemed by Christ is a liar! He's saying, I've been redeemed but it didn't do anything! God's purpose in redemption is to free me from sin! Sinful activity, lawless deeds. You ought to see that here. The way I live. And secondly, "To purify for Himself a people for His own possession." We're not only set free from the bondage and slavery of sin, we're set free from the defilement of sin.

Isn't that nice to know? I am purified by Him. He set me from slavery and bondage to sin, and He purified me for Himself. What a concept! To know we're pure, we're clean for Him. "To purify for Himself a people for His own possession." And this expression--we won't take time to go back into the Old Testament, but in Exodus chapter 19, v. 5, then a number of times through Deuteronomy, God talks about the nation Israel was to be His own possession. The word here carries the idea of "a peculiar treasure," something that belongs to someone in a special sense in a special way. It's saying here that the purpose in redemption was to set us apart from sin to set us apart for Himself, as a special unique possession of His own. Now you note what this would involve then. It's a people for His own possession, "zealous for good deeds." We've been set free from lawless deeds, purified, set apart by God, for Himself, as His own special possession, not to sit on a shelf and be admired! Not to sit and wait for the glory of the coming of Christ! But a people who are on fire for serving Him--"zealous for good deeds."
Actively, aggressively, eagerly pursuing the work of God! Doing the things that God would have us do. Living lives that are consistent with His character.

Nothing more inconsistent than a Christian who does nothing. I mean, that's not God's intention. He wanted to set us free from lawlessness, purify us for Himself, so we could have a zeal for serving Him. Would to God that we as believers have the zeal for serving Him that we get stoked up for other things. We can get excited about a lot of things. That draws us back to sometimes we find that worldly desires have consumed us. That's what we think about. That's what we enjoy. Mow let's see what directs and controls our lives! God's intention in redemption in the death of His Son is to end up with a people who are eager and enthusiastic and zealous for doing His work. I wonder, does that really characterize us? Are we a people who are running full speed, charging ahead, with an uncontrollable enthusiasm and zeal for accomplishing the work of God? This was His intention, in the redemption of the nation Israel, that Israel failed to perceive and understand. They got sidetracked with the things of this life.

Turn back to one passage, Deuteronomy 26. Note v. 16. "This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances." Now note this: "You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul." God's not looking for people who are half-hearted. He's not looking for people who are willing to serve Him 40%, 60%, 88%. "With all your heart and with all your soul. You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes." You see, they are inseparable. For a people who declare God to be their God, they are to be a people who serve Him. V. 18, "And the Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession." There's what we have, "purified for Himself a special people," in Titus 2. A treasured possession. "As He promised you," and note, "and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken." You see what God intends for the people that are His, that belong to Him? That they serve Him, that they honor Him!
With all of their heart; with all of their soul. What a high and holy calling! What a privilege that we should be set free from every lawless deed! Purified by God, set apart by Him, to be a special, unique possession of His own. Now that means, I have obligations to run full speed with all my heart and all my soul, all the stops are out! In my service for Him. Does that really characterize us? Individually? As a congregation of believers? Can people say, One thing about that congregation, you better be running full speed? You'll get trampled in the stampede if you don't, because they are a people zealous for serving Jesus Christ. Only question that dominates this, would this be pleasing to God, will this bring honor to Him? Then charge ahead! Zealous! It's always fun, if I can use that word, to be part of something that's happening. That's why sporting events can be so exciting. You go there and you can see people who are crazy! They are "fans" which are fanatics! And they are caught up! All that matters is that their team is going to win! We need absorbed with that in zeal, in enthusiasm. Some Christians are so boring to be with. You do really hope the Lord will come because you think you can't stand another minute with them. "Lord, come and deliver me from this boring, going-no-place atmosphere!" When God's intention is that we be a people charging ahead, zealous for good works. These are things we need to be reminded of because God exhorts Titus through Paul in v. 15 of Titus 2, "These things speak and exhort and reprove."

Three present imperatives. Commands given in the present tense. "These things be speaking. These things be exhorting. These things be reproving, with all authority." This is what we must be. The things we must speak about, teach, exhort. To encourage and urge and to reprove where it's not being done. We believers sometimes thing our liberty means no one should tell us we're not doing it right. But where believers not running up to speed; where believers who don't have lives conformed to the character of Christ, they ought to be reproved. They ought to be rebuked so that they can get in line, get up to speed. If we were going to tie everybody in this congregation together on a rope and say, now let's all run for the goal! You know, if half the congregation decided they didn't want to run, the other time would have a terrible time going anywhere wouldn’t they? And if more than half did, that would probably keep anybody from going anywhere. I sometimes think we are a negative weight around one another's necks. We get together and what do we talk about? We'll talk about grumbling in our study in the evening. We can find all the things that are wrong, all the things we don't like, and all the short-comings and so-and-so. And we're like those sitting along watching the marathon saying, Well, if they'd eaten like this they'd probably run faster. Well, if they'd have dressed like this they'd have probably done better. Well, if he hadn't cut that corner quite so short he wouldn't have gotten off the track. We need to be reminded, We're running that race! Some of us are experts on how somebody else ought to run it. But if I'm one of the redeemed, I'm in the race. Titus, "let no one disregard you." You get the idea some Christians aren't going to like to be told this? Why would he have to tell Titus "let no one disregard you"? When Titus carried this message back to the churches at Crete, some Christians are going to say 'I don't like that! I'm redeemed, I'm saved! You live your life; I'll live my life.' Titus, don't you let anybody disregard you. Teach them that they have to live the doctrine.

How are you doing? Personally? Do you really know Jesus Christ? Have you really understood that He died for you? That without faith there is no hope? You say, Yes I understand that. Then let me ask you, Is it really a reality? Is your life evidence that you've really been transformed? Are you really living denying ungodliness, worldly desires and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age? If not, first question is maybe your profession is empty. You don't belong to Him at all. Or maybe you are a believer who's been sidetracked, and we need the exhortation of the Word, Get on track!

How are we doing as a body? You say, Well, I see a lot of flaws. Well, maybe if you run a little harder and I run a little harder, that'll help pull along the others. You know, I think zeal is contagious. And if I have an enthusiasm for serving Jesus Christ and you have an enthusiasm for serving Jesus Christ, that's just like fire. It catches to whatever it gets near. And maybe if you think there's nothing going on, maybe you're sitting around with a lot of wet blankets. You ought to drag your wet old self over near the fire! Get dried out and catch a little bit of heat. Then maybe some of those other wet blankets get dried out. Wouldn't that be exciting! Say, Boy anybody that goes to Indian Hills, you got to be up to speed! They have a purpose, they have a commitment! To serve Jesus Christ and see Him honored! Let's pray together.