Coming to the end of the book, near the end, we'll be reading verses 1 to 8. Apostle Paul has left his co-worker and friend Titus on the island of Crete to establish churches and especially to see elders in every church there. And he's giving some words of encouragement to Titus as he does that, and especially how he would relate to the believers there as these churches are being established with local leadership. So read verse 1 through 8 of chapter 3. This is God's infallible and inerrant word. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others, and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God, our Savior, appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy. And I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. We'll stop there. In John 17, Jesus prayed what is called his High Priestly Prayer. In verses 15 and 16, he prayed, I do not ask that you would take them, talking about his disciples, his followers, out of the world, but you would keep them from evil. Or sometimes it's translated, or the evil one. They are not of the world, just so that I'm not of the world. As followers of Jesus Christ, as Christians, we're not of this world, even though we live here. We live in this present age, and yet our true home is up in heaven. And so as we live here, there are several questions that come to mind. How do we do this? How do we live as Christians in this world? Do we somehow want to withdraw from it? Form our own little conclave as some Christians have done? And stay there and have as little contact with the world as we can? How do we relate to the civil government? A government that at times can be hostile to Christianity. often very secular, sometimes even pagan. Do we need to cooperate in how much with such a government? And what about those we meet every day as I pass my cross? Who may be indifferent to the gospel, indifferent to Jesus Christ, or maybe too they are hostile to Christianity. Think of old-fashioned or narrow-minded, who live as if this world is all that there is, and say, oh, they live for pleasure, or they live to be successful, and care less about things that are eternal. Should we take time being friends with such ones? Wondering about what kind of influence we might have on them when we might never have any significant influence on their lives. Well, this section of Titus deals with those very questions. How we should respond to the civil government, how we should live with others in this world, and then why, which is really the most important part. What should our motivation be? as we live in this world. And so the first point as you look at verse 1 is how should we respond to government authorities? And it begins with those words, remind them, remind the Christians in Crete. And so what Paul is talking to Titus about isn't something new, it's something that as he had gone around Crete and taught and seen people become Christians and become parts of groups of bodies of believers, he talked to them about how they were to react to the government. And so it's not something new, but they need to be reminded. And we see that often in scripture, we sang from it. In Psalm 106, we're called to remember. A key part of the Christian life is remembering. In Psalm 106, it was the miracles that God did in Egypt. As we come to the Lord's Supper, it's to remember Christ's death. Here we're called upon to remember the teaching that has been given about relating to government authorities. Sometimes it's remembering the promises of God. A number of times are we called to remember. And a bad memory was often a source of problems for Israel. We sang it in Psalm 106. No, Psalm 50 rather. And we see it here, that it can be part of the downfall not to remember, and so to be reminded. Now this would have been a teaching that was especially important in Crete. In 67 BC they were taken over by the Romans. And just like Israel that was on the other part of the Mediterranean, they didn't like it at all. They didn't like to have to submit to Roman authority. And what was the result? Well, there was lots of rebellions, assassinations, attempts to throw off the yoke of the Romans. In contrast, the Christians are called here to be submissive to rulers' authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. It's an attitude that's radically different than their fellow countrymen. In 1 Timothy 2.1 we're called to pray for government leaders. But this verse takes it a step further. We're to be submissive. We're to be obedient. We can easily pray but be rebelling against leaders. But here we're called to submit and to be obedient. Now, of course, whenever the two are in conflict, we must obey God rather than man, but that's fairly rare that that would be the circumstance. And notice the way verse 1 ends, to be ready for every good work. Not only are we to be law-abiding citizens, following the laws of the land, but we're actually to be looking how we can be a good citizen, how we can help society around us. And notice, we're not to be reluctantly doing so. or out of compulsion, but with an eagerness to be ready to whatever is called upon to be a good citizen in our country. There was a young man who was here and then moved down to Houston and there was a contact with him after the hurricanes. He was out almost every night and taking some time off, helping hurricane victims. As many were called upon to help, he was showing us Christian faith and commitment. In the preparations, you know, filling sandbags beforehand and then going and helping those who'd been flooded afterward. As we read the story of what went on in Las Vegas, I don't know how many of them were Christians, but he had people protecting others with their own bodies, grabbing them, putting them in cars, and rushing them off to hospitals. I trust that many were doing it as Christians as part of their civil responsibility. And the only limit that is set here is what needs to be good. what's good inside of God and what's good inside of others. We can do as many of those good deeds as we're able. And so we're called upon to be supportive, to be really civically minded as Christians. To be exemplary citizens. The second point is how are Christians to live in this world? Verse two sets it before us. How do we live with our neighbors around us? It's not very complicated. There are two negatives we're to avoid and two positives we're to do. The negatives, we're to speak evil of no one. You know, we're not to be slandering and talking behind somebody's back about anybody. And then the other negative is to avoid quarreling. And that almost has a sense of fighting. So both with our words and with our actions, we're not to be belligerent, we're not to be attacking that other person, saying harmful words, or fighting against them. It implies the Christian is to be self-controlled in our speech and in our action. And then the positive is very simple, to be gentle and to show perfect courtesy to all. Now, the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 10.1 uses both these Greek words of Jesus Christ. As we think about what does it mean to be gentle, what does it mean to be courteous or meek, however we would translate that word, we looked at Jesus Christ and we could see in Him what it is to be like. The first word means a gentleness, a graciousness, and it speaks about a conciliatory manner that's always wanting to be at peace with others. The second word is a gentleness, a humility, a courtesy, a consideration, a meekness. It's just the opposite of the attitude that we see so often in society of demanding our own way, of forcing our own way. of getting upset with people when it doesn't go right in the store or whatever the situation is. And literally it says in the Greek, all gentleness to all people. All gentleness to all people. Because we find it easy to do some gentleness to some people. There are some people that are very nice and very friendly. We like to be around them. It's nice to be courteous to them. They're so appreciative. They say thank you and they go out of their way and you're almost embarrassed by the number of times they say thank you in two minutes. And then there's times when we're feeling in a great mood and something good has happened and it's easy to be gracious and courteous to others. But what about those times when it's hard to be gracious? You know, that neighbor, that family relative that everybody knows is a scrooge. And it's a downer to be around. And you're called upon to be courteous, to be gentle to that person. When things have gone completely wrong that day, and you don't want to be around somebody, and someone rings your doorbell, you need to be gentle, courteous, all the time, and to everyone. It's very broad in what it says. So it's to be to all persons, regardless of their race and their gender, their education, their position in society, and even their religion. Now it doesn't say to be gentle, to be courteous to all, except those who would not be Christians. To those who worship some false god, Then it's okay not to be courteous to them, even to such a one, or to be conciliatory and courteous and humble and gentle. And as you think about this, when we behave toward civil authorities this way, and when we behave toward our neighbor in this way, it will really commend the gospel. It will show the difference that being a Christian makes in your life. You don't respond the way the natural man does. You don't respond with anger and with gossip and by speaking about others behind their back. They may not like what you stand for, they may view what you do as being narrow-minded, but they will see your good actions, your good speech, and they will respect that. The third point is why. Why should we do these things? What should your motive and mine be? for acting in this way? Well, you might think in other places it is commented upon that this opens the door for the gospel for people. But here we're given a more basic and more important and deeper reason why we should do this. It's there in verse 5, the very first three words. You look at it. He saved us. Why do we live the way we do? He saved us. He saved us. And there's six things we can see. about that phrase from the surrounding verses. The need for salvation, the source of salvation, the basis of salvation, the means of salvation, the goal of salvation, and the evidence of salvation. So the need of salvation is found in verse 3. Paul reminds Titus and the believers of Crete, and us as well, what life is like without Jesus Christ. And it's not a very pretty picture. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, or that could be translated deceived, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others, and hating one another. What a picture of a miserable life, a miserable existence. And that is what it's like to be living in this world without Jesus Christ. And the Christian was like that before they knew Christ. And those who are apart from Jesus Christ are still living in that way. They may make up for it and try to put on a face of happiness and joy, that they're a success. But there's no real deep joy. No true joy. Rather an emptiness. And instead of brotherly love, there's hostile relationships. moodiness and sorrow and all the rest. And so we're called here to remember what we once were. And maybe if you became a Christian at a young age you really don't recall very well. But this is what life is like without Jesus Christ. And of course the big question then is how can a person get rid of this misery? This fallen mindset. This slavery to sin. And that leads us to be the source of salvation in verse 4. We need to note down in verse 5 what does not produce it. It's not because of works done by us in righteousness. It should already be clear as we looked at that description in verse 3, that there's not going to be anything good coming from us. That we're not going to be able to reach out to God and somehow win God's favor by who we are, what we do. Because we're foolish and disobedient, deceived and all the rest. And yet around us we hear that all the time, that we have to look inside, we need to find that inner strength. We don't have any. the scriptures tell us. But it does tell us where we have hope. And you look at verse 4, it says, God our Savior. The source of salvation is with God. And we can see as we look at these verses, it talks about the triune God. as the author of salvation, the love of God, the Father, is what summons this whole venue that we see here being illustrated. It's a son who dies for our salvation, the Holy Spirit who works inwardly to apply in our lives. And there are four very beautiful words that sum up salvation here. Verse 4, goodness, and loving-kindness of God, verse 5, His own mercy, and verse 7, the grace of God. It's pointing out that God reaches out to the guilty and to the undeserving. Salvation originates in the heart and mind of God the Father. Well, how is it accomplished? Well, C, we see the basis of salvation in verse 4. When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared. And as we come across that word appear, we think of Christ's appearance. His first and second coming. And so it's a reference to His first coming. How did God show His grace? He showed it by a Savior coming into the world. born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, who lived without sin, who taught the people, who healed the people, who showed mercy to people, who suffered and died, but rose again on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father. And of course, it's all pointing to the cross. What took place there at the cross. the atoning death of Jesus, where the sins of His people are placed on Him. He feels the punishment. He cries out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He accepts the punishment that we deserve as He carries those sins. And His righteousness is given to us, imputed to us, is placed on us. Sin is dealt with, and we're clothed with Christ's righteousness. Well, how do we receive the salvation? Well, D shows us the means of salvation. It's really the work of the Holy Spirit inwardly. Five, and then six, salvation is by the washing and regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he has poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. How are our sins taken away? They're washed away in regeneration and renewal, the new birth. The old lifestyle, the old nature is gone and it's replaced by something radically new and different. I can't help but think about the Elliotts and what they're doing and what Ben is doing in terms of their house repair. What are they doing? repairing the porch and the roof. What they're not doing is taking off the whole porch and tearing down the top story of the house and rebuilding it. They're repairing it. But when God works, He works radically. He takes away that old danger, that old sinfulness, that old being enslaved to sin. and replaces it with something new. It's a transformation that's accomplished by the Holy Spirit. And notice, it talks about how the Holy Spirit is poured out abundantly upon us. Do we have what is necessary to live godly? To show all gentleness to all people? Yes, we do. because the Holy Spirit has been given to us abundantly. We don't have to fear that somehow we're going to fall short in our growth and holiness and growth in spiritual life. Well, E, the goal of salvation is in verse 7, that we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. What are we looking forward to? It isn't that our life here is going to get better and better. We're looking forward to heaven. Now we get a foretaste of that here and now, as we would maybe experience fellowship with one another, as we would fellowship with God, as we would see some victory over sin, although never complete, We're looking forward to what lies ahead, when we receive the inheritance, when we'll have unbroken and complete fellowship with God and with each other, when there'll be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more death. And so we're looking to it. And it's a hope that's sure because it rests upon the promises of God. What God has promised to do, for us in Jesus Christ. He will do. He will safely deliver us into heaven. We should yearn for that more and more. And the final sub-point is the evidence of salvation. What is it? Well, verse 8 calls attention. Those who have believed in God. Those who are Christians who have believed on God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. What's the evidence that you're saved? Not what saved you, but what's the evidence? It's your good works. It's what you're doing, what you're involved in. We need to understand that clearly what Paul is saying. If you go back to chapter 2, verse 14, he says, the purpose of Christ's death was to purify himself a people zealous for good works. You know, part of becoming a Christian is you're zealous for good works. You want to be engaging in them. But he also is pointing out that, and we looked at it before in verse 5 of chapter 3, our good works, our righteousness, what we do can never be the basis of salvation. It's the evidence that we're saved, but it's not what saves us. It's not any works of righteousness that we do. Third, he's saying it's expected here, as we look at this verse, that Christians will do good works. Not only thinking about good works, even zealous for them, but we actually put it into practice. as there would be opportunities during the week to do something good. Here we have a choice. Do we gossip or do we encourage? How are we going to use our mouths? Are we going to slander someone or point them to Jesus Christ? And fourthly, as you look at Titus 2, 9 and 10, Our good works, they are described as adorning the gospel. As you looked at that verse, it was the idea that they set it in the light, that the glory, the beauty can be seen. The beauty of the gospel is always there, but when we are engaged in good works, it shows the gospel more. People can see it more easily, can see it more beautifully as a result. What a glorious salvation that's being described and the motivation for how we live in this world. It doesn't depend upon how people respond to us. Some may be drawn to Christ. Some may be rejecting Him completely. But we do this based on the salvation that His God has given us. He saved us. Therefore, We respond to the civil government in the way in which we do, we respond to our neighbor in the way in which we do. Let me suggest three applications. First, as you think about the government, civil government, the standard here is quite high for the Christian. We are to be submissive, we are to be obedient, and we are to be ready for good works. There are not that many that are good citizens, that look for opportunities to be civic-minded. But the Christians should. The Christians should be law-abiding as much as they're able, as much as their conscience permits them. Second, in terms of others, we're called to not be fighting or slandering, not to be using our tongues or strength to be doing harm to them. Rather, we're to be gentle and humble, to be conciliatory, to be courteous toward all. And that all becomes difficult. There are some that we may find it's difficult, but we're called upon to do it toward all. And third, and most importantly, we're called to remember. To remember that God saved us. It's something that we should meditate on often, to think about what we were, how God worked, what we are now by God's grace. It should cause us to have a sense of wonder of God's grace and how it works. And then how I live as I understand this great truth. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Our challenge as we read these verses, as we think about the government, and it's easy to have a wrong attitude toward the government, to see its faults, and yet we're called to be submissive, to be obedient, to be ready for good works, to help out, Show us how we can do that day by day and week by week. And as you called us toward others who are around us, those who are not Christians, how we're not to be harming them with our tongues or fighting against them, but rather we're to be gentle and conciliatory, humble and courteous. at all times and to all people. Help us to understand and to see the application of this truth each and every day. And help us most of all to remember the fact that you saved us. You know, without any works of righteousness, not anything that we have done, but what you have done in Jesus Christ. And that would motivate us to live godly in this world. We pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.