Our Heartbeat -Way
Titus 3:3-6 3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ; Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;
Our Anthem-Truth
Titus 3:7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Our Lifestyle-Life
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
1Peter 2:9-17 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
Christ died and rose again to purchase something for us here and now, If you think we just punched our ticket and only need to kick back relax and wait for rapture-Find that in the book! We cannot say I've got my fire insurance let's wait for the fire
No we are a Chosen generation -a Royal Priesthood –Holy nation – A Peculiar people "for Gods own possession"
Being called Christian which literally suggests that we are Christ's servant soldiers;
We serve one King -we can serve no other. Our King is sovereign so it can literally be said that we can go "As sheep to the slaughter" Romans 8:36
We don't live in fear of sin and death -He gives us joy and life –
- Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of heaven is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
We are free from the slavery of our own preferences. We are those who prefer Him!
Do you prefer Him over your own agenda or preferences?
- John10:27-30 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.30 I and my Father are one.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."
― C.S. Lewis
There is a sense of a A. Community of believers"Brotherhood"1Peter2:17
B. The Body of Christ 1Cor 12:25-27 Rom12:5
C. Saints 1Cor 1:2 Acts26:10
D. Bride of Christ Eph. 5:25-27
E. Brothers and sisters "family" 1Cor11:33
"One Another" is of particular importance- its part of how His kingdom reigns.
That's why when we look around these faces are so dear. These are the faces of AL-LA-LON – One another, each other, mutual, themselves, yourselves, together.
This is a reciprocal pronoun, there must be two or more people involved and they must be doing the same thing one to the other!
We should notà________"One Another"
1. Devour Gal 5:15
2. Provoking/envying Gal5:26
3. Hating Titus3:3
We mustà_________"One another"
- Love John 13:34 (2) 15:12 15:17 Romans 13:8 (2) 1th4:9 1Pet1:22 1Jo3:11 3:23 4:7 4:11 4:12 2Jo1:5 à14 times
- Excusing Romans 2:15
- Kindly affectioned/preferring Romans 2:15
- Not judge Romans 14:13
- Receive Romans 15:7
- Admonish Romans 15:14 Col3:16
- Salute Romans 16:16
- Greet 1 Cor16:20 2Cor 13:12 1Pet5:14
- Serve Gal 5:15
- Bear Gal6:2
- Forbearing Eph. 4:32 Col3:13
- Kind/Forgiving Eph. 4:32 Col3:13
- Comfort 1Th4:18
- Exhort Hbr3:13 10:25
- Consider Hbr10:24
- We must do this at times in spite of the other person and be sure they will need to do that for you!
Strengthen and encourage Gods people.
It comes down to a question of the heart
That is why we have words like Mortification and Self-denial.
- Foolish Questions The word foolish here is "Moros" where we get the word moron. A similar word is "Raca" meaning stupid scorning the mind where Moros Scorns heart and character. Foolishness as a personal quality.William Barclay –
"It has been said that there is a danger that a man may think himself religious because he discusses religious questions. There is a kind of discussion group which argues simply for the sake of arguing. There is a kind of group that will argue for hours about theological questions. It is much easier to discuss theological questions than it is to be kind and considerate and helpful at home, or efficient and diligent and honest at work. There is no virtue in sitting discussing deep theological questions when the simple tasks of the Christian life are waiting to be done. It is indeed true that such discussion can be nothing but an evasion of Christian duties."
"Paul was quite certain that the real task of the Christian lay in Christian action. That is by no means to say that there is no place for Christian discussion; but it is to say that the discussion which does not end in action is very largely a waste of time."
Orthodoxy= correct belief --- Orthopraxy= correct action
- Tim 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
- 2Tim 2:16But shun
profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. - 2Tim 2:23-24But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife's. 24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
You fill in the blank- are foolish or worse.
The heart
- Genealogy – Genealogies are quoted with a sense of pride and guarantee John 8:44" We are the children of Abraham –Look at the fall of Jerusalem in AD60 or the atrocities of the Nazi's in WWII. Jesus says to them "You are of your father the devil"
- Record of descendants or lineage
- Do you believe you will be saved if your parents are? Look at Esau
- Will you be saved if you're good? Look at the Pharisees and the rich young ruler
- Your Genealogy is about Gods sovereignty and mercy. You may not of had the best parents but God did choose yours and by the way you are here aren't you. How many are simply missing in this silent Armageddon called abortion. Well over a billion.
- 1Tim 1:4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
- Contentions and strivings about the law
- Immature "foolish" or Enemies of the cross _ I picture two toddlers fighting over a toy.
- LAW: No-mE-ko's – pertaining to the law "Lawyer" (8) "Law" (1) one learned in the law, one learned in the Old Testament, specializing in the OT and applying the teachings of established rabbis.
- It's not about doctrine and theology.
- I picture people who are wrangling the word and trying to justify their own sin, preferences, or personal convictions.
What we care and fight most about is not doctrine nor the law of God, but our preferences. Church History is ripe with the faithful of God dyeing for a biblical theology, biblical church practice and to have the words of God in their own language. We split churches over ….
- If it does or if it doesn't have youth programs and Sunday school. But the real sin of not discipling your children is ignored. Deut. 6:7
- Whether it does or doesn't have the right music. but the sin of not serving the Lord with gladness is forgotten. Psalm100:2
- If ladies ought always to where dresses but the real sin of immodesty is not covered. 1 Tim. 2:9
- Backbiting but we ignore grumbling. 2Cor. 12:20
- Drinking alcohol but the real sin of gluttony is not seriously discussed. Matt. 11:18-19
- Unprofitable and vain
- No practical use – isn't just like a man, if it doesn't have a practical use he doesn't have much use for it; what about how we feel.
- Newsflash your emotional dispositions are not always going to be right not to mention edifying to the church.
- Romans 1:21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things
they are Unprofitable and vain
In summary we have to consider Piety and Pietism
Piety is not just good it is a character trait of the righteous. It is those consistently following Gods law and Spirit while responding to them both with joy.
Pietism on the other hand is someone who believes they are earning something from God. Quite often they set standards and rules that God did not and all the while condemning those who don't hold to them.
God decides what is true; Pietism is prideful idolatry!
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;
The heart
- The Heretic: Titus 3:10 To take for oneself; to choose for oneself. A person who chooses what he wants to believe. the epitome of idolatry; it is Gods prerogative to decide what is right and wrong
- He's in the Church
- He is his own authority
- He alone determines truth
- After the first and second admonition reject. "Exhortation" its relational.
- It's not about being offended; it's about the honor of ChristMatthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
- Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
- Psalm 141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
- Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend
- Reject- Begged off –have nothing to do with- refuse-reject
- Not a hanging or flogging but a serious separation.
- Hebrews12:6"those whom the Lord loves he disciplines" even as a father to his son
- A sense of making things distasteful, undesirable, something to be shunned, rejected unsightly, shameful
Titus 3:11Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
The heart
Subverted: Titus 3:11 To turn or twist out, tear up. Invert, pervert, corrupt. Military point of view = "to dismantle a town, to plunder" To Pervert, turn inside out, away from the truth of Christ and His word.- This compares closely with the word reprobate, where subverted describes the process, reprobate describes the outcome.
- Matt.15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
- Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
- 2 Pet.2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction
- 2Pet.3:17 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness
Gal 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other
Eph 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Eph 5:19-20 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
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