Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Learn to maintain good works

Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Avoid foolish questions… about the law.
Avoid genealogies… about the law.
Avoid contentions… about the law.
Avoid strivings… about the law.

Why- they are UNPROFITABLE, and they are VAIN.

Tit 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.

What things are good?

Tit 3:1  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
Tit 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

Maintain good works is profitable.

We are GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS!

We are told what to do, and what NOT to do.

Do speak evil of NO MAN.
Do NOT brawl.
Do BE gentle.
Do SHOW all meekness to ALL.

AVOID foolish questions, genealogies, contentions, strivings about the law.

We have instructions but do we follow them?

We should.

When we don't can others who do say this about us?

Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

That we are hereticks?  The Greek word is this:  Hairetikos and the meaning is this:

 Schismatic, factious, a follower of a false doctrine.

Someone who causes a divide among a group, someone who is trying to undermine others, someone who is a follower of false doctrine- these are hereticks.

Those who are caught up in speaking evil, brawling, not being gentle, having no meekness, those who are caught up in disputing the law in many ways are HERETICKS, right?

And people who are hereticks need to be ADMONISHED- they need to be told they are caught up in wrongdoing- in NOT following God's instructions. Out of LOVE for our SAVIOR we strive to live for HIS glory and living for HIS glory means understanding HIS words to us and following HIS words. We can't ignore His words, His instructions, we cannot! We can't abuse others, and be contentious and such and expect that this is how our Savior would have us live.  

We aren't perfect, we have our moments of failure and by the grace of God we can be forgiven those when we are truly repentant and seeking forgiveness. When we LIVE a life contrary to the word of God, we cannot expect those who are striving to live to God's glory to want us among them, we can't.

God's word says this--

Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

This is a reality and a possibility. Yet, we like to tout a Christianity that  doesn't reject anyone for any reason. We fear that we are judging others and we are, we have to.  We have to be able to judge actions and behaviors, but we CANNOT judge eternal life for anyone!  We have to realize this, that judging actions and judging eternal lives are two different things. We have to realize that we can't voluntarily immerse ourselves into a life that is contrary to all we believe in our SAVIOR.  Yes, we can help all those who are downtrodden, all those who are caught in sin, all those who do not know the gospel of the kingdom of God. Jesus did that! Jesus loved all and died for all! Jesus forgave sinners and told them to go and sin no more. Jesus is our greatest example. Jesus wants us to LOVE all. We can't hate anyone, we can hate the actions that Satan induces from others, but we can't hat those people who are caught in his snare.  We cannot allow ourselves to be a willing part of sin, right? By the grace of God we will not.

Paul goes on to say--

Tit 3:12  When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
Tit 3:13  Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.

Tit 3:14  And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Tit 3:15  All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.

Tit 3:14  And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

These are followers of Christ being told to maintain good works for necessary uses- that they be not unfruitful.

So you have to ask yourself-  do we do good works to God's glory or do we neglect good works for fear we are trying to make it seem as if we are working our way to salvation? Do we strive to enter the strait gate--

Luk_13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Do we lay aside every weight and the sin that would ruin us?

Heb_12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Do we press for the mark?

Php_3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Do we maintain good works for necessary uses?

Spiritual lives.

All of this guides us in our spiritual living.  We must live for our SAVIOR as HE would have us live and that really does mean studying His word and following it as well, all THROUGH HIM and HIS POWER!

Please LORD, help us!

WE need You in our lives, living and loving always.

Help us.

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