Saving And Teaching

by Eubulus | Category: The Grace Of God | Jul 1936

Behold such a man of God! Not merely "refusing" the grosser sins which once held sway, but now positively committing himself to an attitude of life PERSONALLY, RELATIVELY and TOWARD GOD, which shall harmonize with the perfect example of Christ.

How comes it about? By the true appreciation of the grace of God and of the perfect standard set before him in the ways of Christ!

But there is a wondrous prospect before him. He has been disengaging himself from the things of time and sense, which exercise an inordinate influence over men in this present world, because he appreciated that the grace of God has something in store beyond this world; and so he is ever "looking." This looking is of expectancy, and indicates that the looker is from one point of view, not satisfied; he has something better in view, and what is this? "The blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." "The blessed hope" is that spoken by the Lord in John 14. 3, "I come again, and will receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." "The appearing of the glory" is that referred to in Colossians 3. 4, "When Christ ... our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with Him be manifested in glory." A goodly prospect, surely!

But before closing in this connection, the Apostle refers to the thought of the Lord's present purpose in relation to His saints, and that not as limited to the individual but as applied to a people, and concisely he puts it, that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from ALL iniquity (lawlessness} and purify unto Himself a people for His own (exclusive) possession, zealous of good works."

So let us not limit our thought to getting saved from judgement, but rather to appreciating the Lord's intent and desire in our present lives-and that, in view of the glorious future, which if held as a hope will exercise a mighty influence for good in this present world.

The Apostle appears to have reached the conclusion of the main portion of his letter at the cud of chapter 2.; nevertheless there was another important matter in the life of the Cretans which the Apostle found it necessary to deal with ere he closed his letter. It would seem that they naturally were of a very contentious disposition, both in respect of the civil rulers and also of men generally. This disposition springs from pride, an undue appreciation of one's self and a corresponding depreciation of others. There are many such men, ever wise in their own eyes though of but little account according to a true estimate. Such men in their unconverted days were always ready to find fault with their rulers, and ever ready with a remedy all their own for the problems of state government. When by God's grace they were turned to God, the same tendencies remained and unless checked the same self-assertiveness would shew itself in the Assembly. So, amongst the things to be taught and enforced was that of subjection; obedience; not to speak evil of any man; not to be contentious; to be gentle; shewing meekness (chapter 3. 1, 2). We may judge that the opposite tendency was deeply entrenched, and that this putting in mind would need to be a continual process.

Then in verse 3, the Apostle, using the pronoun "we," not "ye" (for he would not be unduly personal in pressing home their besetting sins), says, " For we also were aforetime foolish, disobedient," etc. "BUT" (verse 4), and here he makes a break with the past-" But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and His love toward man (philanthropy), appeared," etc. This is in keeping with chapter 2. 11, "The grace of God hath appeared"; and then we have added the essentials of grace, "not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves,"-for otherwise the reward would be of debt (or a thing demanding payment), "but according to His mercy he saved us." In this there was no obligation, but God as and from Himself-out of His love and compassion, saved us.

And in what way was this salvation effected? Here, we are not presented with the objective work of Christ on the Cross as the object of faith, but with a subjective work begun and carried on by the Holy Spirit in the inward parts-" through the washing (layer) of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." This has in view the illustration of the large bath, not for washing hands or feet, but for bathing the entire person. The " water" is the Word, and the one who bathes the subject is the Holy Spirit. The Word is thus applied to the whole person; every part is brought under its judging and cleansing process, and this is done once for all; even as the Lord said, "he that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit" (John 13. 10). This once for all bathing is otherwise described as being born again by the Word of God (see 1 Peter 1. 23), or yet again, "Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself up for it; that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing (layer) of water with the word" (Ephesians 5. 25, 26). This work is done once for all, but it leads on to a continuous work which is likened to the washing of the feet, which is a continuous thing so long as we are treading the "wilderness " of this world; and we must be willing to submit to the cleansing, or otherwise our fellowship with the Lord will be marred.

Many refer to Titus 3. 5 in support of the doctrine of "Baptismal regeneration," but to do so is to attach to an outward sign a vital power which it does not possess. The work set forth in Titus 3. 5, 6, is vital and internal; water baptism is professional and external, and may or may not be a true sign of an inward work; but certain it is that those who have accepted the Holy Spirit's testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ ought to submit to water baptism as a sign of

discipleship by which a pledge is given of obedience to the Lord.

The Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us richly (verse 6); the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5. 5). All this ensures the fact of "justification" and of "heirship;" and such as are "justified by His grace" and "made heirs," must be "Careful to maintain good works " (verse 8). It is important to see that Titus is not a doctrinal treatise, though it deals with doctrine, hut the doctrine is referred to in order to show the obligation to a new and exalted manner of life. Application of such doctrine is capable of transforming the worst of sinners into the best of saints ; so the Apostle emphasizes his main thesis "that they which have believed God may be careful to maintain good works." In verse 14, the Apostle, we suggest, appears to refer to some of his own helpers "and let our people (or "ours," A.V.) learn to maintain good works (or it may be "profess honest occupations ") for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful."

May we put ourselves into the place of these Gretian Christians and receive this word, otherwise perchance they will put us to shame, even we who have had a better past than they had, but perchance attained not unto their proficiency of Christian character.

Eubulus | Jul 1936
The Grace Of God