Titus 2:11-14
Living in this world for the Believer can at times be extremely difficult. We are pulled by the world, we are fighting
continuously with our flesh, and the devil knows just how to push our buttons to drive us crazy with temptations. I
remember a conversation I had with a woman a few years ago; she was going through some hard times. She was
about to lose everything; her marriage had ended, her children were grown and were unwilling to help, she told
me; “I just want to die! I want to end it all; Life is too hard, and I just can’t do it anymore!” She professed to be a
Christian, and this is how she felt! If Christians have such a tough time, how do the lost make it? We have no
choice; we are alive, and must live in this present world, while looking to a new world is hopefully soon to come!
We will encounter difficulties along the way. I think of the storm the disciples were facing on the Sea of Galilee.
They were fearful of losing their lives; panic filled their hearts, yet Jesus was sound asleep in the boat! Folks, we
are all either about to enter a storm, in the storm or coming out of a storm at every moment of our lives here
upon this earth! “In the world, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world!”
Jesus said. My family has passed through stormy periods; our church; our school;-yet, we will always prevail; for
“Greater is He that is in you (us, Me) than he that is in the world!” We must gain a proper perspective on
dealing with this life if we are to live victoriously and faithfully in this present world. Look with me in Titus 2: 11-
14.
Upon reading this text one sees at a glance that Paul believed in a Divine Savior. He did not preach a Savior
who was a mere man. He believed the Lord Jesus Christ to be truly man, but he also believed him to be God
over all, and he therefore uses the words, “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
There is no appearing of God the Father; there is no such expression in Scripture; the appearing is the
appearing of that second person of the blessed Trinity in unity who has already once appeared, and who will
appear a second time without a sin offering unto salvation in the latter days. Paul believed in Jesus as “the great
God and our Savior.” He calls him here, “the great God,” thus specially dwelling upon his power, dominion, and
glory; and this is the more remarkable because he immediately goes on to say, “Who gave himself for us, that he
might redeem us from all iniquity.” He that gave himself, he that surrendered life itself upon the cross, He that
was stripped of all honor and glory and entered into the utmost depths of humiliation, was without doubt the
great God even through all of that
If you take away the Deity of Christ what in the Gospel is left that is worth the preaching? I listen to some of the
preaching today-it is man centered, as a matter of fact, many involved in the ungodly emergent church
movement have made statements to the fact that we must move on from the Christ on the cross! I read the other
day where that great bastion of spiritual knowledge, Oprah Winfrey also believes we must get beyond Jesus
being on a cross! Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” Again in Romans 1:16 he writes; “For I am not
ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.” So many today want to move past the cross; they want to emphasize the practical
teaching of the Bible. The Bible is to be a guide book to help them through life’s problems. These people speak
of how to manage your money, marriage tips, child raising techniques; personal achievement, success; all
important to be sure, but these things have been placed before the American church-goer as the essence of the
Gospel; as if God sent His Son to die so we could all live in a big house; and drive fancy cars, and never know
poverty! Where is Jesus in this except as a Guru who if we follow His example, always making sure to ask “What
Would Jesus Do?” We will never know a moment of trouble and heartache-and we will always have every dream
and fantasy fulfilled. This is not the Gospel! It never was, and never will be! Nor is the Gospel the promoting of
right political agenda!
Paul and the early Apostles, and Preachers, and believers spoke of Christ! He was lifted up as the Great God!
A.W. Tozer a man of God of the last century wrote in “The Pursuit of God” That we must never seek anything or
anyone, or any blessing other than just God Himself!
None but the great God is equal to the work of being our Savior. We learn also at first sight that Paul believed in
a great redemption. “Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity.”
We are ransomed, purchased back from slavery and this at the terrible price of the blood of Jesus! It is not
merely by the obedience of Christ, nor the suffering of Christ, nor is even the death of Christ, but by Christ giving
Himself for us. All that there is in the great God and Savior was paid down that he might “redeem us from all
iniquity.”
The beauty of the Gospel lies in the redeeming sacrifice of the Son of God, and we never attempt to substitute
something lesser for it. It must be the focus in our preaching. Paul never hesitates; he has a divine Savior and a
divine redemption, and he preaches these with unwavering confidence. Oh that all preachers were like him! It is
also clear that Paul looked upon the appearing of the Savior as a Redeemer from all iniquity as a display of the
grace of God. He says, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” In the person of
Christ the grace of God is revealed. It is not a private vision of God to a favored prophet but it is an open
declaration of the grace of God to every creature under heaven, — a display of the grace of God to all eyes that
are open to behold it. When the Lord Jesus Christ came to Bethlehem, and when He closed a perfect life by
death upon Calvary, He manifested the grace of God more gloriously than has been done by creation or
Providence. This is the clearest revelation of the everlasting mercy of the living God. In the Redeemer we behold
the unveiling of the Father’s face. . The grace of God hath shone forth conspicuously, and made itself visible to
men of every rank in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. This was not given us because of any deserving on
our part; it is a manifestation of free, rich, undeserved grace, and of that grace in its fullness. The grace of God
has been made manifest to the entire universe in the appearing of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The grand object of the REVEALING of divine grace in Christ Jesus is to deliver men from the dominion of evil.
The world in Paul’s day was sunk in immorality, debauchery, ungodliness, bloodshed, and cruelty of every kind. I
have not time to give you even an outline sketch of the Roman world when Paul wrote this letter to Titus. We are
bad enough now; with our reality TV revealing that we are consumed with the mundane, we are bored and are
always looking for some new stimulation to our dead souls. Our Televisions bring into our homes the lurid sordid
lives of moral degenerates, who are pushed out in front of us and our families as normal; as those we must strive
to become like- as models of the “good life” We are not far from the customs and character of the day in which
Paul lived and preached-perhaps it will not be long until we pass them in our sinful excess. In the apostle’s days
the favorite spectacles for holiday entertainment were the butcheries of men; the arena’s with the gladiators, the
lions killing Christians; the sewing of Christians into animal skins and watching wild animals tear them to pieces-
the soaking of Christians in oil and lighting them on fire to be used as lights in the arena’s so the crowds would
come and be entertained with more violence, and immorality on display. Homosexuality was the norm; and such
was the general depravity that vices which we hardly dare to mention were defended and gloried in. Yet In the
midnight of the world’s history our Lord appeared to put away sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
manifestation of the divine grace to men, came into the world to put an end to the unutterable tyranny of evil. He
came as God’s gift of love and mercy to an undeserving world!
He came to rescue us from the wrath of God against sin and sinners. He came to make us His own peculiar
heritage. Paul looks upon recovery from sin as being a wonderful proof of divine grace. He does not talk about a
kind of grace that would leave men in sin, and yet save them from its punishment. No, his salvation is salvation
from sin. He does not talk about a free grace which winks at iniquity, and makes nothing of transgression; but of
a greater grace by far, which denounces the iniquity and condemns the transgression, and then delivers the
victim of it from the habit which has brought him into bondage. He declares that the grace of God has shone
upon the world in the work of Jesus, in order that the darkness of its sin and ignorance may disappear, and the
brightness of holiness, and righteousness, and peace, may rule the day. God send us to see these blessed
results in every part of the world! God make us to see them in ourselves! May we ourselves feel that the grace of
God has appeared to us individually! Our apostle would have Titus know that this grace was intended for all sort
of men, for the Cretans who were “always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies;” (1:12) and even for the most despised
bond slaves, who under the Roman empire were treated worse than dogs. To each one of us, whether rich or
poor, prominent or obscure, the Gospel has come, and its purpose is that we may be delivered by it from all
ungodliness and worldly lusts. Paul’s desire here is to stimulate us to holiness, and urge us to overcome all evil.
Now how do we live in this present world without being overcome by the filth, and the evil which are the constant
reality of this life?
I believe that we must; understand Our Position, Our Practice, and Our Promise
Living in this world for the Believer can at times be extremely difficult. We are pulled by the world, we are fighting
continuously with our flesh, and the devil knows just how to push our buttons to drive us crazy with temptations. I
remember a conversation I had with a woman a few years ago; she was going through some hard times. She was
about to lose everything; her marriage had ended, her children were grown and were unwilling to help, she told
me; “I just want to die! I want to end it all; Life is too hard, and I just can’t do it anymore!” She professed to be a
Christian, and this is how she felt! If Christians have such a tough time, how do the lost make it? We have no
choice; we are alive, and must live in this present world, while looking to a new world is hopefully soon to come!
We will encounter difficulties along the way. I think of the storm the disciples were facing on the Sea of Galilee.
They were fearful of losing their lives; panic filled their hearts, yet Jesus was sound asleep in the boat! Folks, we
are all either about to enter a storm, in the storm or coming out of a storm at every moment of our lives here
upon this earth! “In the world, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world!”
Jesus said. My family has passed through stormy periods; our church; our school;-yet, we will always prevail; for
“Greater is He that is in you (us, Me) than he that is in the world!” We must gain a proper perspective on
dealing with this life if we are to live victoriously and faithfully in this present world. Look with me in Titus 2: 11-
14.
Upon reading this text one sees at a glance that Paul believed in a Divine Savior. He did not preach a Savior
who was a mere man. He believed the Lord Jesus Christ to be truly man, but he also believed him to be God
over all, and he therefore uses the words, “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
There is no appearing of God the Father; there is no such expression in Scripture; the appearing is the
appearing of that second person of the blessed Trinity in unity who has already once appeared, and who will
appear a second time without a sin offering unto salvation in the latter days. Paul believed in Jesus as “the great
God and our Savior.” He calls him here, “the great God,” thus specially dwelling upon his power, dominion, and
glory; and this is the more remarkable because he immediately goes on to say, “Who gave himself for us, that he
might redeem us from all iniquity.” He that gave himself, he that surrendered life itself upon the cross, He that
was stripped of all honor and glory and entered into the utmost depths of humiliation, was without doubt the
great God even through all of that
If you take away the Deity of Christ what in the Gospel is left that is worth the preaching? I listen to some of the
preaching today-it is man centered, as a matter of fact, many involved in the ungodly emergent church
movement have made statements to the fact that we must move on from the Christ on the cross! I read the other
day where that great bastion of spiritual knowledge, Oprah Winfrey also believes we must get beyond Jesus
being on a cross! Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” Again in Romans 1:16 he writes; “For I am not
ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.” So many today want to move past the cross; they want to emphasize the practical
teaching of the Bible. The Bible is to be a guide book to help them through life’s problems. These people speak
of how to manage your money, marriage tips, child raising techniques; personal achievement, success; all
important to be sure, but these things have been placed before the American church-goer as the essence of the
Gospel; as if God sent His Son to die so we could all live in a big house; and drive fancy cars, and never know
poverty! Where is Jesus in this except as a Guru who if we follow His example, always making sure to ask “What
Would Jesus Do?” We will never know a moment of trouble and heartache-and we will always have every dream
and fantasy fulfilled. This is not the Gospel! It never was, and never will be! Nor is the Gospel the promoting of
right political agenda!
Paul and the early Apostles, and Preachers, and believers spoke of Christ! He was lifted up as the Great God!
A.W. Tozer a man of God of the last century wrote in “The Pursuit of God” That we must never seek anything or
anyone, or any blessing other than just God Himself!
None but the great God is equal to the work of being our Savior. We learn also at first sight that Paul believed in
a great redemption. “Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity.”
We are ransomed, purchased back from slavery and this at the terrible price of the blood of Jesus! It is not
merely by the obedience of Christ, nor the suffering of Christ, nor is even the death of Christ, but by Christ giving
Himself for us. All that there is in the great God and Savior was paid down that he might “redeem us from all
iniquity.”
The beauty of the Gospel lies in the redeeming sacrifice of the Son of God, and we never attempt to substitute
something lesser for it. It must be the focus in our preaching. Paul never hesitates; he has a divine Savior and a
divine redemption, and he preaches these with unwavering confidence. Oh that all preachers were like him! It is
also clear that Paul looked upon the appearing of the Savior as a Redeemer from all iniquity as a display of the
grace of God. He says, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” In the person of
Christ the grace of God is revealed. It is not a private vision of God to a favored prophet but it is an open
declaration of the grace of God to every creature under heaven, — a display of the grace of God to all eyes that
are open to behold it. When the Lord Jesus Christ came to Bethlehem, and when He closed a perfect life by
death upon Calvary, He manifested the grace of God more gloriously than has been done by creation or
Providence. This is the clearest revelation of the everlasting mercy of the living God. In the Redeemer we behold
the unveiling of the Father’s face. . The grace of God hath shone forth conspicuously, and made itself visible to
men of every rank in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. This was not given us because of any deserving on
our part; it is a manifestation of free, rich, undeserved grace, and of that grace in its fullness. The grace of God
has been made manifest to the entire universe in the appearing of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The grand object of the REVEALING of divine grace in Christ Jesus is to deliver men from the dominion of evil.
The world in Paul’s day was sunk in immorality, debauchery, ungodliness, bloodshed, and cruelty of every kind. I
have not time to give you even an outline sketch of the Roman world when Paul wrote this letter to Titus. We are
bad enough now; with our reality TV revealing that we are consumed with the mundane, we are bored and are
always looking for some new stimulation to our dead souls. Our Televisions bring into our homes the lurid sordid
lives of moral degenerates, who are pushed out in front of us and our families as normal; as those we must strive
to become like- as models of the “good life” We are not far from the customs and character of the day in which
Paul lived and preached-perhaps it will not be long until we pass them in our sinful excess. In the apostle’s days
the favorite spectacles for holiday entertainment were the butcheries of men; the arena’s with the gladiators, the
lions killing Christians; the sewing of Christians into animal skins and watching wild animals tear them to pieces-
the soaking of Christians in oil and lighting them on fire to be used as lights in the arena’s so the crowds would
come and be entertained with more violence, and immorality on display. Homosexuality was the norm; and such
was the general depravity that vices which we hardly dare to mention were defended and gloried in. Yet In the
midnight of the world’s history our Lord appeared to put away sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
manifestation of the divine grace to men, came into the world to put an end to the unutterable tyranny of evil. He
came as God’s gift of love and mercy to an undeserving world!
He came to rescue us from the wrath of God against sin and sinners. He came to make us His own peculiar
heritage. Paul looks upon recovery from sin as being a wonderful proof of divine grace. He does not talk about a
kind of grace that would leave men in sin, and yet save them from its punishment. No, his salvation is salvation
from sin. He does not talk about a free grace which winks at iniquity, and makes nothing of transgression; but of
a greater grace by far, which denounces the iniquity and condemns the transgression, and then delivers the
victim of it from the habit which has brought him into bondage. He declares that the grace of God has shone
upon the world in the work of Jesus, in order that the darkness of its sin and ignorance may disappear, and the
brightness of holiness, and righteousness, and peace, may rule the day. God send us to see these blessed
results in every part of the world! God make us to see them in ourselves! May we ourselves feel that the grace of
God has appeared to us individually! Our apostle would have Titus know that this grace was intended for all sort
of men, for the Cretans who were “always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies;” (1:12) and even for the most despised
bond slaves, who under the Roman empire were treated worse than dogs. To each one of us, whether rich or
poor, prominent or obscure, the Gospel has come, and its purpose is that we may be delivered by it from all
ungodliness and worldly lusts. Paul’s desire here is to stimulate us to holiness, and urge us to overcome all evil.
Now how do we live in this present world without being overcome by the filth, and the evil which are the constant
reality of this life?
I believe that we must; understand Our Position, Our Practice, and Our Promise
- I. WHAT IS OUR POSITION?
- Living in this present world but not of it.
1. In Christ Eph. 1:3-13
a. Chosen In Him
b. accepted in the Beloved
c. joint heirs
d. sealed
2:4-7;10
Loved
Alive
Raised up
Seated with
His Workmanship
- II. WHAT IS TO BE OUR PRACTICE?
- Denying ungodliness-we live in a world which has little if any desire for the God of the Bible. O yes, many
want to believe in god, but a god of their own making; a god which suits themselves.
We must refuse to compromise one iota with the world’s idea of God; or their efforts to rid our culture of
God. We have already seen the attitude of the ungodly in our study of Psalm 1. Counsel and advice
which does not come from the Word of God; A path that is pursued with no thought of God’s will and
purpose; a life which scorns or mocks God, His Word, and His people.
Denying worldly lusts -
James 1:13-14; 1 John 2:15-17
Satan always uses these tactics in tempting us to sin. We must deny them; but How?
The Sword of the Spirit-The Word of God Eph. 6
Pray that ye enter not into temptation- Deliver us from evil Mk. 14:38; Mat. 6:13
Walk in the Spirit- Gal. 5:16-17
Say no- 1 Peter 2:11
Take the way of escape- 1 Cor. 10:13 the way in is usually the way out
3. Live
Soberly-under control; taking seriously your Christian life
Righteously- How we live in relation with others; treating them as the Lord has treated us; honestly, fairly;
kindly; with patience etc.
Godly- pious living how we live before God. Always in His presence
Ro. 6:19; Eph. 1:4; 1 Thes. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:2
- III. WHAT IS THE PROMISE WE WAIT FOR?
VS. 13 The Blessed Hope-the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ if we always
keep in mind that Jesus could come at anytime; it will help us to live holy lives; because we want to be
pleasing to Him when He returns.
Living in this present world is not easy, nor will it ever be; yet we can be joyfully triumphant as we live with
the knowledge of His glorious power and presence within!
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