The great salvation

… Paul's letter to Titus chapter 1 and we read from verse 1. Paul a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after Godliness in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. To Titus my known son after the common faith, grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he had been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own said, the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith. Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. I would like to say a word about the great salvation. That term is not used in this epistle. You know that it comes from the epistle to the Hebrews. Great salvation. And we want to show from this epistle, the Lord will, that it is indeed a great salvation in all its parts. It must be, must be great, because in this epistle we have God referred to as Savior three times, and we have the Lord Jesus Christ referred to as Savior three times. And what comes from them must be perfect, must be great, and must be extremely valuable to have, to enjoy, and also to express. And I believe this is the whole tone of this epistle. Not simply talking about it, or even singing about it, although both of these things are very good, but to live it. And you notice at the very end of the chapter it says, they profess that they know God, but in works they deny him. And that's a very, very solemn thing indeed. Such an indictment against any who profess to know God, and enjoy his salvation. We don't know when God's grace touched the island of Crete, except that there were Cretans at the day of Pentecost. You'll find them mentioned in that long list of persons who listened to Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost. We know that Paul was extremely anxious that when the ship that he was in was in difficulty, that they should land at Crete, or take shelter in Crete. It may have been, I don't know, it may have been that he knew there were believers there, and there would be some kind of respite. That's only speculation. But the fact is, there were believers in the island of Crete, and Paul sent Titus, or rather left him there, in order to set forth what was wanting, that is, some form of regulating power to make sure that this great salvation was seen not only in words, but also in changed lives. But we want to say again about this great salvation, everything that comes from the hands of God must be great. Very, very interesting, if you read through the book of Nehemiah, to find how often we find the term great mentioned, and we do find it there, the great God. And of course, everything that came from his hands was great, great for his people Israel, and we praise God, great for us today. Isn't it wonderful to sit down quietly and think that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, long before ever time began, counseled in eternity that there should be salvation. You remember in Peter, it speaks about the Lamb that was ordained before the foundation of the world. And the Lamb is a sacrificial title of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son. And how wonderful to think of them, looking down at all the corruption and failure that marked people in all dispensations. In spite of all the directions that God gave to them in those different dispensations, they paid no attention and suffered the consequences. And so what was in mind before ever time began was a salvation that would accomplish something for God, for his glory, and for the glory of Christ, and for the eternal blessing of so many. And that's why we say, great salvation, as it comes from the hands of God, our Savior. Delightful expression, God, our Savior. We like to think of him as God, our Father, and perhaps that's the greatest way that we can think of him, term of relationship, term of nearness and endearment. But to think God, our Savior, brings home to our hearts power, power to effect what he wants to do, power to produce what he wants to produce, and how wonderful it has been done. God, the source, the source of this great salvation for you and for me, and for many, many millions more. But then we read, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. And there we have the sacrifice, the price paid to secure the salvation. And again in Hebrews, we read about eternal salvation, because it was secured by such a wonderful death, such a great price that was paid, a salvation in all its value and in all its attraction, because of the way it was secured for us. Good thing to have the source, good thing to have the plan, good thing to have the purpose. But it required, shall I say, one of the Godhead, I don't like using human expressions, but for the want of a better, one of the Godhead determined to become a man in order to die, and such a death, such suffering, such ignominy, and such awful sorrow when he was abandoned by God. The older I get, I can say this feelingly, I hesitate to take those words upon my lips that sprang from the lips of the Lord when he was in those hours of darkness. And you know the term that he said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I believe to be some of the most solemn words, some of the most profound words that the Lord Jesus ever spoke. We cannot understand them, cannot enter into the depth of them or the feeling of them. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Recently, I was reading in Mr. Darby's well-known book, The Sufferings of Christ, how he portrayed the father and the son together. And in the way that Mr. Darby explains things so, so well, so feelingly, the son receiving from the hands of the father the cup that he had to drink, and in full, perfect, loving communion, and taking a cup from the father's hand that he knew for him meant the greatest sorrow and the most awful wrath. We can't understand that, but we know it happened because we have the words of the Lord Jesus himself, the cup which my father had given me, shall I not drink it? And so dear friends, what a tremendous thing to consider, the price that was paid, the sacrifice that was made in order to secure your salvation and mine. Marvelous, and how full of gratitude we should be that the son became a man in order to accomplish this great work of salvation. And so I believe in those two counts, we can say yes, it's a great salvation and will reverberate throughout all eternity, the consequences of it. God the source, the son the sacrifice, and we are the ones who get the blessing. I believe in Paul and in Titus, we have two great samples of this salvation, one a Jew, the other a Greek. And you couldn't think of two more opposites than a Jew and a Greek. There was continual hostility between them, a great gulf between them. The Jew was warned to have nothing at all to do with the Greeks or the nations. And the Greeks of course despised the Jews. And so there was continual enmity, hostility between them. But the work of salvation was so great that it removed the middle wall of partition that divided them, removed the hostility and the enmity that was between them and brought them together in one body in Christ. Marvelous result of salvation. And here we find two brothers and their workers together. One describes himself as a bondman, a slave for God, and also an apostle sent by the Lord Jesus Christ and all according to the commandment of God. And the other one, Titus, good if you take a good concordance and look up every reference to his name and you'll find he's a most remarkable man. Diligent, feeling hearted, concerned about the well-being of the saints, and described by Paul as my own child, which would give us to believe that Titus was blessed by Paul's ministration. Also he is described as Paul's brother. And there we have a bond that is far greater than anything else. And two, he's described as a fellow laborer. And this is what salvation does. Because when we read Paul's own account of himself, he said, I was a blasphemer. I don't think anything can be worse than that. To cause people to deny the name of the Lord Jesus, or to say things against him that is blasphemy. Oh dear friends, that was a terrible thing. And Paul confessed that he was. He was a blasphemer and caused people to blaspheme. He was a persecutor. Well, many people have been persecutors down through the ages, but the kind of persecution that Paul was involved in was in relation to the followers of Christ. He wanted to stamp out the name of Christ. Stamp it out completely. That was the kind of persecution that he was engaged in. And then it says he was an injurious man. He was a hurtful, violent man. And what a wonderful change came into his life when he experienced salvation in a very real and powerful way. I don't need to tell this company of that marvelous moment on the Damascus road when he met the Lord Jesus and the proud imperious man was humbled because he met the Christ of glory. And then what a change. Oh, how wonderful the change in that man's life. Instead of blaspheming, it was his joy to herald forth the greatness of Christ and minister of his glory and his beauties. Change from a blasphemer to one who glorified Christ. And instead of being a persecutor, entering into the houses of the saints to take them away for punishment or imprisonment, he entered into the houses to build them up in relation to the things of God. And instead of being an injurious man, he became a humble, quiet, valuable Christian. The salvation entered into his life in a real practical way. It wasn't what he said, although he said much, and it wasn't what he sang, and he sang much too. It was what he was in his life that everyone could see indisputably that here was a man who was changed by this great salvation. We don't know anything about Titus, what he was before, but certainly we can write over him what was written over the Gentiles in Ephesians 2, that they were without hope and without God in this world. And suddenly salvation reaching Titus, what a man he became. What a tremendous man he became for the things of God, and we find him mentioned again and again and again, doing something worthwhile, not wasting his time in useless things or things that are of no account. His time is used up in helping the saints of God, willing to get the direction from the Apostle as to what he is to do. A man set apart because of the value of salvation in his life. Now then, we bring this home to ourselves. What do we think or what do we experience in relation to this great salvation? Has its greatness entered into our souls as infinitely greater and more superior to anything else that exists in this world, even the best of things? We're not talking about the depravity and the corruption and the unrighteousness and wickedness that is prevalent everywhere, but the very best that this world can produce, that even God honors in a natural way in our lives, even the very best of that, this great salvation is infinitely superior to these things. How wonderful it is to have it. I suppose as we get older, these values become more precious to us, that we realize that things of time and sense are rapidly receding from our minds and better things are occupying us. Oh, how wonderful this great salvation and all that it means in this present day for each of us to appropriate, to enjoy, and to follow. And so we have, again, in Paul and Titus, two sample sayings that are really worth following in their example for us. And what does it mean basically? A changed life. One thing to speak about salvation, my sins are gone, and then just to rest there. No, it means much more than that. I trust we shall see tomorrow night, if the Lord will, in what salvation teaches. But this is what happened in the lives of Paul and Titus. And we have to ask, is that what has happened to us? And I think we would say, praise God, yes. We are not what we were before we were converted. Much has taken place in our lives that has changed. The foul language that used to come out of our mouths, the ways we used to go, these things have changed. The interests that we have are entirely changed. New objects, new desires, new pursuits. Praise God. That's the result of this great salvation entering into our lives. We read in our chapter that Paul said, Titus, I want you to remain in Crete to put right what wasn't done. That is to appoint elders for the guarding of the flock. I want to use this expression that we've already said it, it's a great salvation because it has come from God and Christ. And Paul and Titus are samples of salvation. And I believe that these men who are to be appointed are stewards, stewards in relation to this great salvation. It says so precisely in verse seven, for a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God. That is the help by God and with the qualifications that they have, they can keep their eye on matters and guard and guide and help in relation to this salvation that was known, enjoyed, and was to be practiced in the island of Crete. So these men have to be upstanding persons of the greatest integrity, no blame attaching to them in any way whatsoever, either in themselves or in their homes or in their businesses or wherever they are. Upright men of the greatest possible integrity. And we want to examine this a little closer because it means guarding the great salvation, a practical guard, a practical vigilance in relation to the salvation that had begun in Crete. Now we want to say this because it's very, very important. We're in a world and we're in a land where the ecclesiastical setup has a great deal of importance. And elders, they are an inferior kind of office in the ecclesiastical setup. John Calvin had four offices for the guidance of the church. First of all, there was the educated man to whom reference could be made in any kind of point that arose regarding doctrine. And then there was the minister who was the one to care for the flock in preaching and visiting. And then there was the elder who also performed these features of service and caring for the flock and attending to many things of that kind. And then the last one was the deacon who performed the mundane things connected with the testimony of Christianity. Now, bishops, of course, they came later on in the ecclesiastical setup. And the outstanding one, of course, is the Bishop of Rome. And then we have episcopacy, which is the rule of the bishops in the Church of England. And we have to say that when we come to the word of God, these things have to go out because they find no place at all in the word of God. Because we find here that an elder is also designated as a bishop. We want to point this out in verse five, that Titus was to ordain elders in every city. And then he says in verse seven, referring to the same persons, for a bishop must be blameless. Now you'll find the same if you turn to Acts chapter 20, where Paul gathers together the elders of Ephesus and the island of Miletus. And then he says, the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers. So there is another scripture where both elders and overseers are contained in the same person. Now, if we understand the right, an elder, generally speaking, would be a person of age, but not only age, maturity, maturity, and bearing these qualifications that we find here. Age and maturity, Paul speaks about not a novice. And then an overseer or a bishop, an overseer is one who is marked by vigilance. The best way I can explain this is that if you went to some of the farms in Northumberland, and you're staying there in the morning, you might find that the farmer will say, I'm going out to look over the beasts. He's going to cast his eye over them. And he's going to see if some of them need help. Some of them need care. Now that's exactly what is meant by the overseer. He's looking over the saints of God. And I believe there's been a sad, sad lack of this in our companies. And many a way would have been checked when it was observed at the very beginning by some of the vigilance and discernment to see the course that someone was taking. Just a godly, quiet, helpful word of encouragement. It might even be a rebuke. But oh, how much could have been saved if this kind of activity had been carried on in love, in care, and in obedience to the word of God. So elders, age, and maturity, and overseers, vigilance. Now there we have a good combination for help in any local company of believers. It doesn't mean that they're great expositors. Doesn't mean that they're great preachers. They might not be either. But they are very, very well founded in the word of God. Because there's no good trying to help anyone in any particular instance, if you cannot bring the word of God to bear upon it. No good referring to circumstances, or relations, or any other form that might come into the matter. What decides every matter is the word of God. Most important. And if we cannot bring the word of God to bear upon any matter, whatever it might be, whether it be encouragement, or whether it be rebuke, then we're wasting our time. And of course it requires a great deal of discernment. But then when we consider, why are we doing this? What is the object? It's the great salvation. It's not particularly the up building, although it does involve that, or the looking after our particular company, our name attached to it, our fame, our interest. That's not the point at all. What's being guarded is the great salvation. That the fruits of that salvation might be seen in each and all, and that there might be much for the glory of God. Mind, that requires some doing. And of course, if we don't have those qualifications, then we're not going to be very successful in the exercise of eldership, or overseership. Absolutely essential that we have these things. Now, I can't remember all the things, so I've written them down, and I want to refer them to you very, very briefly. And first of all, I'm going to deal with the negatives. No charge against him personally. You can imagine an elder going to see someone who is in trouble because of some fault, something wrong in their lives, and the elder goes along. And the person to whom he goes turns around and say, you have no room to speak. What about yourself? And so how important it is. That the elder has no charge against him. Now, that doesn't mean, of course, that he's perfect. There's only one perfect man. But it means there's no outstanding evil connected with his life. No charge against him. Then it says, no charge against his children. I ought to say that I've put Daniel against that. No charge against him. You remember what they did with Daniel? They tried every way to find some fault against him, and they couldn't find it. Not a single fault in that man. Now, that was most remarkable. In connection with modern affairs, you remember when Gerald Ford, the vice president in America, was being selected, I think, because of circumstances to be the president. They went through his life very, very carefully, and they couldn't find anything that would hinder him from being the president. Now, that was a most remarkable thing in American politics. But that's the kind of thing we find in Daniel. There was nothing in his life that the enemies could latch onto to bring against him. And you remember, I like what Daniel said when he was amongst the lions. He says, there was nothing wrong in my life before God, and nothing wrong in my life before thee. Very like the apostle Paul when he says, I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense before God and men. What a standard. What a standard. First of all, God, and then men. And so how thankful we are that there was one man, and maybe many others too, who had this outstanding qualification right before God and right before men. Then no charge against his children. I think of Abram when God, that's not the proper word, when God commended Abram because he obeyed God. Now I know that Abram will look after his children and bring them up correctly. Very, very wonderful testimony. Now, this is absolutely essential in connection with an elder, that his household is orderly. Then we find that he's not to be arrogant or self-willed. Very, very sad feature in any Christian when ill temper and arrogancy is expressed in any situation whatsoever. Clear indication that the Spirit of God is not having his way in his life because one of the features of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. And it's no good anybody saying, well, I'm naturally ill-tempered, just as someone could say, well, I'm naturally amiable. Neither of these things is right before God. No one has any right to make any excuse about any feature of failure in their lives because the Spirit of God is the power to help and control. Diotrephes, arrogant, violent kind of man, the kind of action that he had in the assembly. Quick-tempered. I've put down Moses against that. You say, that's strange. Moses, quick-tempered. Why? The Bible says he was the meekest man in all the earth. That's true. When it was in relation to the things of God, you never find Moses angry or should I say angry in relation to himself. We find him angry in relation to the things of God. Went out from Pharaoh in a glowing anger. But when he was attacked himself, he was a meek man. But he did act in quick temper when he slew the Egyptian. And he thought he could secure the delivery of the children of Israel by killing one man. And God did it in one fell sweep when he destroyed them in the Red Sea. And so, dear friends, ill-temper is an unbecoming, ugly thing amongst the people of God. And we find that Moses struck the rock in an act of temper. You rebels, he said, about the people of God. And he suffered the consequences. He was temporarily prevented from going into the inheritance. I say temporarily because he finds his place beside the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. Very good for the dear man of God to find that great compensation later on in life. And it says, not given to intoxicating wine or intoxicating drink. Very, very sad. By Nadab and Abihu, they offered up strange fire before the Lord. And immediately after that, we find God directing Moses and Aaron that the priests were not to partake of strong drink in any shape and form. And I believe it's very, very easy to see that that was why they offered up the strange fire, because they were under the influence of this evil, evil thing. And so an elder is not to be given to that kind of thing, not to have his mind befuddled by anything of that kind. And if we forget about intoxicating drink and think of the principles of the world, the compromises that the world thinks so much about can be equally intoxicating, can affect the mind, clear thinking in relation to the issues that are involved. And so the elder has to be free from those things. And then it says, violently aggressive, not to be that. And we think of Cain, how he slew his brother. He wasn't pleased. He was angry against God, and he took it out on his brother, slew Abel. And there we find violent aggression. No, no good an elder going along to browbeat someone into accepting what is right, waste of time. An elder must be gentle and present the truth, but be firm. And the truth can be stated firmly without anger or without aggressiveness or without violence. The truth can stand on its own legs. It doesn't need our help. The Holy Spirit can empower it and make it workable at any time. And then lastly, not greedy for gain. Filthy lucre, it says here in this chapter, but not greedy of gain. Peter says the same thing in the fifth chapter of his first epistle, not doing this for filthy lucre's sake, some personal advantage. And there's one outstanding instance of this. And you remember when Elisha was helped by God in the curing of Naaman, the Syrian. The Syrian, Naaman wanted to give Elisha a present. And Elisha says, oh no, I don't want a present. It is God who has done this. I haven't done that. It's God, God's power. I don't want anything for that. But Gehazi, the servant, he told lies, deceit, and ran after Naaman and told a lot of lies in order to get changes of raiment and silver and gold. There was a man who was greedy, greedy for filthy lucre, personal advantage, because he was occupied in some measure in the things of God. Very, very sad. Don't find Abram, the man of God, when they came to him and offered him things. No, he said, I don't want them. Not a thread to a shoelatch. Nothing at all, don't want anything to do with that kind of thing. I've lifted up my hands to the most high God. That is sufficient reward for me. Awful thing, terrible thing. If anything is done amongst the saints of God, simply for personal advantage and whatever way that advantage might come. These are the negative things. Now there's quite a long list of positives. I don't know that we're going to have time to go over them all, but we'll just mention them. We'll come to the last one, which I believe is extremely, they're all important because the word of God is there. First one, an open home. What a wonderful thing it is to have an open home where you can invite someone to come along and have a talk about any particular matter. As Aquila and Priscilla did with Apollos, it says, they took him to them. And I suppose that would be, come along Apollos, we'll have a talk at home. And that's the blessing of having an open home given to hospitality. And then it says a lover of goodness, lover of goodness. Well, when the Bible speaks about goodness, it speaks about all the things that come from the good God himself. He is good and he does good. And he's filled the world with good things that we can enjoy. But the best things that are good are the things that are seen in a practical way in the lives of the saints. And an elder should be ready to promote that and to nurture it so that it might grow and be enlarged, a lover of goodness. Why there's plenty of lovers of badness in this poor, sad world. It speaks about a balanced mind, a sober mind, able to think clearly, not in any way governed by any personal matters or matters pertaining to relatives or business or any other thing whatsoever, but to have a mind that can clearly see the things that are at stake, a mind that is balanced in every possible way, able to think for God and to think for the well-being of those concerned. Then righteous, my, that's most important, in an evil, wicked world. How much unrighteousness has come to light recently in big business, awful things with severe consequences for those concerned. But righteousness in our lives is extremely important and more so in someone who takes a lead amongst the saints of God in caring for them. Unrighteousness is an adverse feature that destroys spirituality, destroys power. There is no power in anyone's life, doesn't matter who or she might be, if they are unrighteous. God is righteous, the Spirit is holy, Christ is righteous. And if we are not righteous before God and before men, then we are not acting as we should be. Righteous to our employer, perhaps not stealing his goods, we might steal his time, and one's as bad as the other. Righteous in our lives and our obligations as a member of a society, a community, obeying the laws of the land, righteous, righteous before men and righteous before God. Absolutely essential in every one of us and more so in connection with any who leads amongst the saints. Self-control, we've already spoken about that. Power of the Holy Spirit operating and keeping down from our lips those hot retorts that we might make, those sayings that can never be withdrawn. Once we say them, they are implanted in people's minds. We wish we had never said them, but they remain. Sometimes they can be forgotten, but not often. Self-control so that we might not say or do the things that bring dishonor on the name of the Lord. Lastly, sound knowledge of the truth to help believers and to oppose evil. I believe that this is one of the greatest features that we all require for our personal Christian living and also for the exercise of this great service of eldership or overseership. That is a knowledge of the Word of God. The Bible provides much instruction as to various requirements among the people of God. I believe there isn't a thing that arises amongst the people of God, but it can be met by the Word of God. The more we know about the Word of God and bring it to bear on the matter, then the better chance there is of that matter being rectified. Of course, eldership is not always drawing attention to evil or correcting evil. Far from it. It is the shepherding, the caring, the ruling amongst the saints of God to help them in every way. Oh, how thankful we are for many of the wise rebukes that we receive from older brothers. I often think it would be better if I had received a lot more when I was younger and done in love and faithfulness. But on the other hand, we are also indebted for old brothers and we'll say, thank God, old sister Stu, for their wise, kind remarks of encouragement and help. I don't know if I've said this before, but I'm going to say it again if I have, that when I was a young believer, the first time I went to a prayer meeting, the mother of Peter Harkis, she shook my hand so warmly with the tears running down her cheeks, saying how thankful she was to see me at the prayer meeting. Well, that was encouragement for a young brother. Just that little word of help and encouragement to come back again, not to feel that we were unwanted, not to feel that we were out of place, just to feel well, yes, this is the place to be. Some warmth and kindness. And this is the kind of thing that eldership means, overseership means. Guarding this salvation, nurturing it, promoting it, leading along so that those who may need to be rebuked are rebuked in love and faithfulness. Those who need to be encouraged are encouraged with gentle blessings and help and prayer, all these things necessary. Oh, what a tremendous service this is. I think I remember a brother's meeting being held in this hall some years ago, and this was one of the features that was raised, the great necessity for shepherds. I know how true that is. What a requirement there is for shepherds who care for the flock, not like those in the 34th chapter of Ezekiel who were shepherds for their own personal advancement and aggrandizement. Tomorrow night, we hope to speak about the teaching of salvation. And there's very much in that, a great deal, the requirements of teaching in relation to our great salvation. May we be encouraged for his namesake. …

… The Epistle of Paul to Titus, chapter 2, and we'll read from verse 1. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine, that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded, in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering again. Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. We were speaking last night about the great salvation that we find Paul presenting in this epistle, writing to Titus, his fellow laborer, and we thought this was set forth when God is referred to as the Savior God three times, and the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as Savior three times, and we believe this is sufficient to show that what Paul is talking about is the greatest possible salvation presented by God and by the Lord Jesus, and also seen in men and women like ourselves, salvation really operative in lives, and I believe that's what the whole epistle is about, in stark contrast to the awful behavior that marked those who lived in Crete, and you know that it's always true that what belongs to this poor sad world can spill over into the Christian profession, so Paul is at pains to emphasize again and again through this letter to Titus that the Christians should be entirely different, separate from all these evil things that mark the Christians, and walking in such a way as to please God, and this is great salvation, not only our sins being dealt with, thank God for that, and we all rejoice in that, that our sins are gone, but day by day salvation, and as we shall see in this chapter, final salvation, and all practiced in the power of the Holy Spirit, which is really the subject of the next chapter, so tonight we want to concentrate on one great feature of salvation that's absolutely necessary for each of us, and that is teaching. Now you know in every walk of life, there are certain procedures that have to be followed, and if they're not followed, then chaos or difficulty of trial or disturbance happens. In chemistry, if you mix the wrong ingredients, well, you'd be in trouble, there'd be an explosion. And also in any form of profession, electrical profession, certain things have to be followed. If you connect up the wrong wires, then there's trouble. All sorts of things in this poor sad world require careful instruction before things can be done properly. Some of them quite simple, others very complex. And I believe this is one of the great requirements of all times in the Christian profession, is the value of teaching. I want to point these things out to you. Verse 1, the things which becomes sound doctrine, or if you like, sound teaching. Verse 3, the aged women, they have to say to sacred things, and it says they're to be teachers of good things. In verse 4, that they may teach the young women to be sober. Then we have a reference to the word of God, that it's not to be blasphemed. And of course the word of God contains every form of teaching. There's a very special word to Titus, that he is to show himself a pattern of good works in teaching uncorruptness. Then in verse 10, we have adorning the teaching of God our Saviour. Verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness, and so on. Well I don't think we can miss the point, that in this part of the epistle, Paul is concerned about correct teaching. I think I'm correct in saying that all the errors that exist in Christendom, as to forms of worship and practical living, stem from this fact that proper teaching has been ignored. Now teaching is extremely important, and when we find that God teaches, the scripture says that precisely, they shall be all taught of God. When we think of the Lord teaching, the Lord Jesus teaching, he taught them as one that had authority and not as the scribes and Pharisees. His teaching was unique. When we think that the Holy Spirit is here to teach the words of the Lord Jesus, he shall teach you all things. Again, we realize the importance of teaching, when Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in it. And who can teach as they can teach? Their teaching is perfect. We find that when the church is set up, one of the distinct gifts given by the Lord to the church is pastor teachers. There again, we see the importance of teaching. The foundation, the apostles and prophets, in between the evangelists who go out and bring those who are saved to the sphere of the assembly, well, they're taught, and that's divine order. And so we can see clearly that teaching has a very important place in our lives and in the lives of all Christians. Paul says, Doth not nature itself teach you? There are lessons that we can learn as we look around and things about us, things that can be helpful to us. So that teaching is extremely important, and we want to emphasize it. Now the first point I want to refer to is in verse 1, sound teaching. Now if you look up the meaning of these words, you'll find that sound is very often connected with health. Healthy body. And this is what the scriptures are saying to us in this particular respect. Teaching that produces healthy Christians. Now we're not talking about keep fit enthusiasts. We're talking about spiritual keep fit enthusiasts. Taking on the teaching that we might be spiritually strong, if you like. We'll come to that in a minute. Sound teaching. It says, Speak thou the things which become sound teaching. Now in 1 Timothy, we find Paul writing to Timothy and giving him a few exhortations, and among other things he says, Nourished up with the words of sound teaching. Nourished. That is strong. Healthy. Agile. Able to meet whatever is necessary in the Christian profession. You remember Paul spoke to the Corinthians. He says, I'm very sorry. I've had to feed you just as if you were babies. I'm giving you milk. You can't stand anything else. You're in such a deplorable condition. Now Paul's saying to Timothy, You make sure that you speak the things that are sound, sound teaching. So that saints will be nourished up, strong, well provided for, so that they're able to stand. That's the great point. If we're not sound in teaching, we'll be liable to be overcome by any of the false errors that are circulating today. As one has said aptly, If we don't stand up for something, we are liable to fall for anything. And so we require spiritual strength in order to stand in this evil day. We find this emphasized by John when he wrote to the young men in chapter 2 of his first epistle. The young men were credited with being strong, strong because the word of God was abiding in them. It wasn't that they had a small Bible in their pockets, although that would have been very, very helpful at all times. Good thing to carry your Bible with you. But they were strong because the word of God was abiding in them. It was operative in them. Paul says the same about the Thessalonians, that the word of God came to them and was operative in them. That is, it was producing things in their lives that were well worthy of God. So John says, you young men, you're strong because the word of God is abiding in you. And what did that produce? They were able to deal with the wicked one, able to overcome him. The world, of course, all was a danger. And John warns them about that, the world and all its evil in whatever way it comes. But the fact is they were credited with being strong, that the word of God abode in them. Makes one think of Ezra, what a man he was. He set his heart to learn the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. The word was abiding in him. He learned it, he practiced it, and he was morally qualified to pass it on to others. Very, very important principles. And so this is a great matter, sound doctrine that's able to build up the saints. Not a mass of platitudes which are sugary and attractive just in terms, but real solid teaching. Cuts us down to size perhaps, very, very necessary, but points us the way to be here for the pleasure of God. And so that's very, very necessary to have this health, this nourishment, this strength that comes from sound teaching. You know the strongest man in the Bible physically was Samson. And he abode by what he was before God, a Nazarite. The principles of the Nazarite were active and operative in him. And when he gave them up, he lost his strength. Sound teaching showed him the way to be here for God. Oh, how sad when we neglect sound teaching and all that it means so that we can be healthy, healthy Christians. One last reference in that respect. And you remember Peter when he wrote his first epistle. He says, As newborn babes desire earnestly the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. Growth. We don't want to be stunted in growth. We want to grow normally and understand the mind and will of the Lord for us. And we do that by paying attention to teaching. That's why I gave that hymn out, Hazel Dixon's hymn, about the parable of the sower. And it's quite possible that all those conditions in that parable can be here tonight. There can be a hard condition of heart and mind, and the word takes no effect whatsoever. There can be a heart that receives the word in some measure and appreciates its beauty, and then because of difficulties and trials, the power of that word is lost. Oh, that there might be in each of us a heart that is ready to receive the word and accept it and also follow it up so that it is operative in our lives. Oh, it's very, very important. We cannot stress enough the importance of that parable that the Lord taught. A good and an honest heart to receive the word that is spoken as it comes correctly interpreted and for the benefit of all concerned. So sound doctrine produces healthy Christians, healthy spiritually. And there's no good engaged in warfare of any kind whatsoever or even in the normal duties and obligations and responsibilities of the Christian life if we're not healthy. We all know in the natural affairs of life, if we haven't got healthy bodies, we're not able to do things that are normal, things that are accepted. We're unable to do those things because we're weak in body and in mind. So it is in the Christian life. If we are not strong spiritually, if we're not healthy, if we haven't been built up with the words of sound teaching, then obviously we'll be adversely affected in taking our place in the Christian testimony and whatever is involved. We ought to say that this first portion from verse 1 to verse 10 comes home to every one of us, everyone in this hall this evening. First of all, there's the servant himself, Titus. He is being exalted by the Apostle Paul. And then there are references to old men and old women and young men and young women and servants, children. So really this is a word for everybody without exception that the word of God is to have a place in everybody's heart and produce something for God's glory. Now we find in verse 3, it speaks about the old women being teachers of good things. Maybe sometimes the old sisters might think, well, there's not much we can do. We can't preach. We can't take Bible readings. We can't expound the word. Here is something that they can do. They can be teachers of good things. And the Apostle says that they're not to be false accusers or slanderers and that's the word that's used for devil. So slander in whatever way it takes place from an old sister's lips or an old brother's lips or anybody's lips is really doing the work of the devil. Isn't that solemn? That by slandering language of any kind whatsoever we can be doing the devil's work and by he's done plenty of it amongst the saints. Irresponsible talk, slander, not speaking about facts. Slander is misrepresentation. Slander is assassination of people's character. Slander is the devil's work. And the teacher, the old woman who is teaching, the old sister I should say, is not to be marked by that. She's to be a teacher of good things. We're very, very thankful that there are a few old sisters in the meeting, I should say in the scriptures who present examples of this kind of thing to us. I want to talk about Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. She was a woman who was governed by what she was taught. She was taught specifically that the baby boy that was to be born, his name was to be called John. And when other people thought that they should conform to custom and call the baby boy after his father, she said, no, his name is to be called John. So here was an old sister and she was resolutely abiding by what she had been told divinely. She wasn't marked by natural custom, the prevalent custom of the day. She was concerned about fulfilling what God had told her. She wasn't exactly teaching young people but she was abiding by the word of God and that's a very, very sound thing. And we're very, very thankful that she did. And then she made a tremendous utterance that she could only do by the Spirit of God. She spoke of the unborn babe that was in Mary's womb as my Lord. She couldn't have said that but by the Holy Spirit. She certainly was uttering things of the utmost importance, the utmost value, and the Bible does tell us that she was advanced in years. And so we're very, very thankful that this dear woman can show us the way to abide by what she received from divine communication and also to abide by what she was given by the inspiration of the Spirit. She certainly, in some measure, was a teacher of good things. And then we come to dear Anna. And she certainly was a very, very old lady indeed. But she was very active. She spake of him. My, there's a wonderful sphere of service for any brother, sister, any aged sister, any aged brother, to speak of him. Oh, what a tremendous service that was. And she did it. She was a very faithful woman. Old as she was, she departed not from the temple day and night, being involved in fastings and prayers, and speaking of him, the one who would accomplish redemption for Israel. Very, very, very good speaking indeed. Wise speaking. Faithful speaking. Speaking that glorified the Lord Jesus. Lastly, there was Sarah, the wife of Abram. And she was an old woman, well on in years. And she was much wiser than her husband at this particular juncture. When she saw Ishmael mocking, mocking Isaac, then she said, this man's got to go. He must leave the house. Abram, very, very upset. After all, it was his flesh and blood. No, said Sarah, he's got to go. Cast out the bond slave, or rather the son of the bond slave. And she did. She insisted upon it, and she was right. There again, we find an old woman with wisdom, instructing her husband in this case. You could say good teaching. Good teaching that showed the way. So, thank God, there are things that the old sisters can do. Also, it says here they have to teach young people, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. What a tremendous asset this is in any Christian company, when an elderly sister with spiritual worth and wisdom can help younger sisters, things perhaps that brothers are not competent to do, because for many reasons. But quietly, humbly, and with a desire for the well-being of the young sisters, to take them aside and speak to them and help them. To be teachers, yes? Not teaching in the assembly, but teaching in relation to it. Not orally teaching in the assembly, but teaching very important things to young sisters for their spiritual well-being. Now that's not being a busybody. It's not interfering in people's home affairs. It's wise discretion in helping in a spiritual way young sisters who need counsel and guidance. And so here's a wonderful sphere that is open for elderly sisters to help and encourage in things pertaining to the Lord's interests. Now we want to speak about the uncorrupt teaching. That's in verse 7. And this is a word to Titus himself. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Now here again, find what we were saying last night, that if anyone is going to be of any moral worth and power and authority in the Christian circle, then he must be upright himself. And so Paul is saying to Titus, now Titus, you yourself, you've got to be a pattern of good works. You've got to show other people by what you are. And also your speech is such that it cannot be condemned. No good saying yes to one and yes to the other when they're diametrically opposed. You've got to be upright. If a thing's got to be condemned, you must say so. If a thing's to be encouraged, you must say so. But don't be running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. No, not that kind of thing. Not pleasing all people, but sound speech, healthy speech that cannot be condemned. The Lord said, let your yea be yea and your nay be nay. Upright speech, not two-faced, not double-minded. A proper estimation of what is right and wrong and fearless in stating it, whether good or bad. Now, also, his teaching had to be marked by no element of corruption in it. Unfortunately, that cannot be said about a mass of teaching that circulates today. If we think of the New Age movement, which has infiltrated into the Christian realm, then we have a form of teaching that is corrupt, absolutely corrupt, because it links Christianity with every conceivable form of paganism and idolatry and mysticism and things that are dishonoring to God and to Christ and harmful to the people of God. And one of the things that they state, and state it again and again, is so shockingly opposite to Christian teaching that you wonder at Christians being taken in by it. Think potentially. Use your potential. Get thinking big. Get up, up, up. The Lord Jesus tells us to go down, down, down. Yet this is the kind of teaching that people are being presented with. Think of yourself as God's. You've got a tremendous potential in your mind. Don't think small. Think big. And that's directly contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. That's teaching that has corruptness in it. There are many, many forms of teaching in the Christian realm, or should I say in Christendom, that has many features of corruption attaching to them. Very, very sad. But teaching that is not corrupt, the first great thing that we look for is, does it glorify God? Does it glorify Christ? Is it the evidence of the Spirit's power and control? Does it produce holy desires? Does it produce conformity to Christ? There are many, many questions that can be asked. Let your speech be with salt. Let it be with grace, seasoned with salt. And salt, as you know, is a preventative of corruption. And so, dear friends, our teaching has to be marked by that which is pleasing to God in all its parts. No acts to grind in a particular way. No hidden things that will lead the saints astray. Straightforward interpretation of the Word of God, rightly dividing the word of truth, cutting in a straight line. No roundabout, ambiguous language that leaves people in a fog, but straightforward teaching that is clear and that is understandable and that leads saints into a deeper and fuller idea of the things of God. No corruption. Oh, dear friends, what a tremendous necessity that is in this day in which we live. And you're responsible for it, and so am I. We're all responsible to carry on this form of teaching for the well-being of the interests of the Lord No mutual encouragement and help. When we come to the Epistle to the Corinthians and we read about prophetic ministry, something that we need a great deal of, we are told that that ministry, it builds up, it edifies, it comforts, and also it can be hortatory, it can be for exhortation. And so, dear friends, there is ministry that has no marks of corruption attaching to it, ministry that's productive of good in the Christian company. And so, Titus was responsible to God to have this form of correct teaching without corruption. Then it says in verse 11, sorry, verse 10, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Adorn the teaching. Now, I think we're all very much aware of adorning. We can adorn our homes in many, many ways. We can adorn our persons in many, many ways. But here we're told to adorn the teaching, that is to make the teaching attractive. Very, very sad if what the world sees in us is features of ugliness, sin, worldliness, bad spirit, unrighteousness, positive evil. That certainly does not adorn the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ or the teaching of God. To adorn it means that we make much of it in our lives, open lives, open to see what kind of people we are. Do you remember when there was a work in Antioch? Barnabas was sent down to see what was going on. And it says, when he saw the grace of God, he saw it. Didn't hear about it, he saw it. He saw change lives. He saw how the grace of God was operating in those people who had been brought to the Lord Jesus. He saw something. That's a very, very wonderful thing when this can be seen in your life and in mine, something that the world can take account of that is worthwhile, that adorns the teaching, makes the teaching attractive to look at because they see it in persons. You remember the four men who brought their friend to the Lord to heal and they lifted up the tiles in the roof and they let down the man into the midst of the people where the Lord was and he healed the man. It says, he saw their faith. He didn't hear them saying things, he saw their faith. He saw something operative in them that was extremely attractive and that's what adorning the doctrine means. Marvelous thing. John the Apostle, he writes in his second and third letter that he had no greater joy than to hear of his children walking in truth. That's what was attractive to him, something that pleased his heart and his mind to see those believers, whoever they were, walking in truth and walking in love. Oh, how it's important that these two things are together. Perhaps if we hammered away at truth, we might be as hard as nails and if we hammered away at love, we might be that soft we're prepared to accept anything. But if we have both of them in balance, walking in truth and walking in love, then we can be sure we're doing what is pleasing to the Lord. So John was pleased with hearing about the children walking in truth and walking in love. Oh dear friends, what a tremendous way to adorn the teaching of our Saviour God. You remember in the Old Testament, it's a beautiful expression, a word fitly spoken, how right it is. It's like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Now isn't that attractive? That's adorning, the teaching. What you say about the truth and what you are linked together and it's a fit word and it's a word that produces blessing. Well then, may you and I and other Christians too be marked by adorning the teaching. That is the teaching is operative in us in every form whatever it might be. Wonderful opportunity. Then the apostle goes on to say in verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. I suggest that the denying initially comes about in conversion, that when the problem of sin in one's life is brought to one's attention and also the great work of Christ that can cleanse that sin away, then in one sense there is this denial and turning away from it, turning away from these evil pursuits because of the salvation which Christ provides. But then it doesn't stop there. And the teaching that we receive is that we are to live soberly, righteously, godly in this present world. If we understand this right, it deals with our responsibilities in ourselves personally and towards others and towards God. If we're living soberly, it means that we have a balanced mind, that we're thinking correctly in relation to ourselves in this context, what is right for us as Christians seeking to do the will of God. Perhaps we spend far too much time thinking about other people and their responsibilities instead of sitting down quietly and humbly and giving some thought to ourselves, which is required in us to please God in our individual lives before him. And if we're right personally, then of course we're going to be much better collectively. But here is the personal responsibility of every Christian before God to live soberly. And as you said already, it doesn't mean that we're to keep clear of intoxicating wine or intoxicating drink of any kind whatsoever, although that would be involved in it. Good for us if we can keep clear of these things. But it's more than that, much more than that. It's a sober assessment of what is right in our lives for God. But then righteously means how we live in relation to others, whether it be the local council and the rules that it passes, or it be our neighbors or our business associates, friends, relatives, our brethren. It's connected with our dealings with other people. And our dealings should always be of a character that they are beyond reproach, that they don't bring any disgrace on the name of the Lord Jesus. We say this humbly, that my wife and I each morning as we bow down together and pray, we pray a simple prayer. We might not always succeed in it, but we pray that the Lord would preserve us in what we say and do each day that we might not dishonor the name of the Lord Jesus. That name is so precious. It means so much. That name can be brought into disrepute because of our behavior in this world. And so, dear friends, oh, how important it is that in our dealings with others, we are righteous, upright, righteous in all that pertains to God. I've said this before, perhaps you've heard me saying it, but Mr. Darby's description of righteousness is, I think, the best that we can have, and that is that we are in consistency with every relationship into which God has brought us. Now, that might seem a long, involved sentence, but it really isn't. That we might be right, consistent with every relationship into which God has brought us. A marriage bond, employer, employee, member of a community, and also in our relations with each other as Christians. Righteousness demands that we are consistent with every sphere of responsibility and relationship. And if we sit down quietly and consider that, we'll see how the whole world, and the Christian testimony more so, would be transformed by the principle of righteousness being enacted day by day. It certainly will transform the world, and the world to come, when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns in righteousness. Godly, or piously, that is, we take account of what is pleasing to God. And that's very, very exacting indeed. Because it destroys self-will, it means that I have to refer every matter to God. Where I'm going, what I'm doing, why I do it. Certain things in our lives, indeed all things in our lives, related to the God who has loved us and given himself for us. Marvelous thing then, to be able to turn aside from the things that are in this poor old world, and live in this way soberly in relation to ourselves, righteously in relation to others, and piously or godly in relation to God. As we quoted last night, Paul says, I have a conscience which I exercise that I might be right before God and right before men. Very, very good exercise indeed. Now we must spend a few minutes in this verse 13, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Oh, how much teaching we have had in relation to this verse. And I trust that it has been imbibed, appropriated, and we are looking. I don't think a day should go past in the life of any Christian today, but this should be very, very much in their minds. Every Christian looking. It's so imminent, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And of course that would have a salutary effect upon all the things that we've mentioned, about proper teaching, proper behavior. That day by day we are looking and waiting and longing to hear that shout, when the Lord will summon us out of this world to be with himself. And that's the blessed hope, marvelous hope, happy hope, to be waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we know this involves a rapture and we read about this in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and features connected with it in Philippians 3 and in 1 Corinthians 15 and other passages too. And then the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The coming in power and glory. And we go to be with Christ in the rapture and we come out with Christ in the appearing. My, that's a wonderful thing to look forward to. Power and glory in the appearing. And who is it? The great God, an affirmation of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the great God, our Savior Jesus Christ. And how thankful we are that this is presented to us to impress upon us the greatness of this salvation that we have. And this will be the final feature of it when our bodies are changed and we are taken out of this world to be with him forever, the rapture. And then we'll come out with him in power and glory to set up the kingdom, or rather he will set up the kingdom. And then what a marvelous day that will be. To be rewarded for all that we have done in connection with good teaching and pleasing our God and Father. Well, may we be encouraged. And if anything else sticks in our mind, may it be this, that teaching, teaching of salvation, is one of the most important features of our Christian lives. And when we hear people saying, give us something practical, we don't want doctrine. That's a very sad thing to say. It's not a right thing to say. By all means, have proper teaching and the practice will flow from it. You can't have proper teaching without, you can't have proper practice without proper teaching. They both go together. Indeed, wherever you get evil teaching, inevitably evil practice will follow. May we be encouraged for his namesake. …

… Titus chapter 3 and we'll read from verse 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But 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. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 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, but avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself. When I shall send Artemis unto thee, O Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis, for I have determined there to winter. Bring Zenos, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. For those who haven't been here, we've been looking at this epistle and considering the great salvation. We are convinced it's a great salvation because it comes from God our Savior, who is the source, and from Jesus Christ our Savior, who was the sacrifice to make it possible, and many other features we have seen of this great salvation. And we were speaking on another night, last night, about the teaching in chapter 2, teaching that is so necessary for the continuing of this salvation in a practical way in our lives. And tonight we want to see a little more of this great salvation, how it has come to us, the power of it, and the proof of it, and also the wonderful prospect that is in view. First of all, Paul says to Titus, now tell them to be obedient to the powers that be. And that seems to be a very simple exhortation, but it's a very necessary one. We have to remember that God instituted the times of the Gentiles in which we are still in. They haven't stopped since the time they were set up in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. And God set up the times of the Gentiles that there might be decent rule upon earth for the blessing of mankind in general. And so the laws of those powers have to be obeyed. And let us say here very briefly that if those powers do set up laws which are contrary to the mind of God, God is not responsible for them. The powers that be have failed in their charge before God to promote evil and to curb good. But the believer is not to call in question what those laws are. He is to obey them. He might have to suffer under them. He might have to suffer loss under them. But because he is a Christian and responsible to God, he is bound, obligated to obey the laws of the land in whatever way they come to him. And bad, bad thing if a Christian breaks down and fails in this responsibility because a Christian above all should be obeying the laws of the land. And then Paul says we were terrible in our unconverted days. And notice what he says, we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Well, that's a pretty dark picture. But I believe it's necessary to see this dark picture to throw into relief the greatness of God's salvation. And what can be secured in the lives of men and women when God begins to be active? And we see here how he is active and what it produces. Those features, the kindness and the love of God, his mercy and his grace, the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Oh, what wonderful features those are to bring about the greatness of his salvation in the lives of men and women. Then we trust we shall see something of the proof of salvation in us day by day. But let's look at these things closely. The kindness of God. These things that we've mentioned, these awful things, awful features of the flesh energized by Satan. These things are contrary to the mind of God and will of God. And they deserve his wrath, his punishment. And instead of that, he shows kindness, the kindness of God. There's something very warm about the term kindness. I often say that even animals understand what kindness is, what kindness is. Stroke a cat and it purrs, it's contented. Clap a dog and it wags its tail. They appreciate kindness. A little child understands kindness. It's so easy for them to appreciate intuitively what kindness is. No, dear friends, what a marvelous thing when we think of the kindness of God. Surely illustrated for us in David when he showed the kindness of God to Mephibosheth, a member of Saul's family, the family that showed him hatred, continual hatred, Saul particularly, hunting him like a partridge on the mountains, desiring his death. And yet David says, I want to show the kindness of God to any of the house of Saul. What a marvelous thing that was. And that's just a little illustration of what we have here. Those awful features that are offensive to God. And God says, those people, I'm going to show them kindness. We know why he could show them kindness. We know that when Jesus died on the cross and bore the wrath of God against sin, that enabled God righteously to show kindness to all those who were offensive to him. Indeed, to the very ones who crucified him in answer to his own prayer, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Kindness, beautiful term, the kindness of God. But then it speaks about the love of God and who can speak adequately about the love of God. I don't think we can do better than quote the scripture that we quote again and again and again, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Marvelous, marvelous feature of the love of God. So loved the greatness of God's love in sending his son. There is the measure of the love of God. Tremendous expression of it. And we are very, very thankful that it has brought about a tremendous amount of blessing in the lives of men and women here in his love. Not that we love God, but he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Marvelous demonstration of the love of God. And this too has produced a tremendous crop of blessing in the lives of men and women. I wonder how many people have been converted through listening to John 3 and 16. I think it was Whitfield who preached it again and again and again and again and again. And of course, many, many souls were converted and has been preached by many, many gospel preachers down through the centuries of the Christian era. Thank God for his love. And the wonder of it is that it doesn't stop. It's not just simply initially meeting us in our need and helping us in our sins, although that is true. At the end of chapter eight of Romans, Paul tells us that nothing, not even death can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Isn't that a comforting verse? All the different things that might come upon us, nothing can separate us from the love of God. We are loved now, we'll be loved throughout all eternity because we are accepted in the beloved and will be assured of that love again and again and again through successive ages. Then it speaks about mercy. I like to think of the parable of the good Samaritan because it is a perfect expression of mercy. When the Lord Jesus asked the question, which one showed mercy? Oh, the good Samaritan, go and do thou likewise, show mercy. But there we find a beautiful picture of what mercy means. It means need being met by someone who has adequate resources to meet that need. And that man, the Samaritan, he used his time, he used his resources, what he had with him, and he pledged himself to care for every feature of need that that poor man might require. And so there we have a wonderful picture of the mercy of God. Oh, what need! We think of the tremendous need that exists in the world, has always existed. And oh dear friends, the mercy of God met that need in all its parts, meeting that need more than enough. And indeed we find the Bible speaks about abundant mercy, great mercy. Many, many other adjectives used to describe this mercy that God has. You can never get to the bottom of it. You can never exhaust it. God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love wherewith he loves us. And so thank God everyone here in this room this evening has known what mercy is because mercy has met their need, that great need initially in forgiving us our sins and day by day meeting our need, whatever that might be. What a wonderful thing it is, the mercy of God. Perhaps you've heard me saying this before, but I'm going to say it again. I was in a Bible reading once and a young brother asked an old brother to explain what mercy is. No, he said, I'm not going to attempt to explain when you get older, you'll know what it is. And there's a great deal of truth in that. When you look back over your life and you see the way the Lord has led you and preserved you and provided for you, then you have an enhanced knowledge of what mercy means because he's a wonderful God and is great in mercy and delights in meeting the need of his own. So if you think again of that tremendous parable in all its parts, and it indeed is a wonderful parable. We think of the man stopping when others who ought to have had more sense and more sense of what was required passed by. He stopped and he was on a journey, deliberately going somewhere to do something, but he stopped and he used his time and then whatever he had or the oil and the wine and the bandages binding up the wounds and pouring in the oil and wine and caring for the man and setting him on his own beast. And he walking along beside it, taking the man to an inn, providing for him and saying to the innkeeper, now here's something to look after him. If it's more, just let me know. I'll repay you when I come back. Absolute coverage, nothing missing, everything that was necessary for the man's welfare. And that's what the mercy of God is for you and for me every day of our lives. This abundant mercy spoken of in the gospel by Luke in the early chapters, marvelous thing, the mercy of God. And then the other thing, fourth feature is his grace. And I like to think too of that parable in Luke 15, when the father is watching for his son coming back from the far distant, dissolute man wasted his resources. Oh, how sad it was coming back from serving the swine, coming back perhaps with the smell of the swine upon him, hungry, tattered, torn, wearied, sad. And his father was watching for him. And his father wasn't concerned about his condition. His father was concerned about his son. Wonderful picture of grace, favor that not only embraced him, kissed him, loved him, brought him into his home and said only the best is good enough for my son. And when we read those verses in the epistle to the Ephesians that we're accepted or graced in the beloved, we understand something of the wonder of the grace of God. Initially, of course, meeting us in our sins, by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wonderful grace of God, many, many statements that refer to the grace of God and what it secures initially in our lives, not judgment, not wrath, not punishment, grace, grace meeting us in such a remarkable way. If mercy meets us in our need and deals with that need effectively, grace is an indication of the favor of God that places us far beyond our need, places us in a position before him for his pleasure and for our eternal blessing. And when we think of that young man brought in from the far country into the father's house with all its feasting and merriment and the robes, the sandals and the ring and everything done to show that he's home, home in the father's presence to enjoy all that the father has without any sense of all that had transpired in the past. Oh, how wonderful, completely blotted out the past and now in all the favor of his father's provision. We like the story of the little girl who came home from Sunday school and the teacher had been telling her about the parable in Luke 15 and the mother very gently said, now, what did you like best about that story? She said there was no casting up and that's a very, very good description of it. No reference to the father chiding his son because of wasted resources or wasted time or any dishonor upon his own name. I know, love, favor, embracing, kissing, kindness, all bound up together and what a wonderful thing it is, the grace of God and that beautiful verse I like it very, very much in first Peter chapter five, the God of all grace who has called us to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, appalling expression used by Peter and what a marvelous one it is. So I believe there we have these four features, the kindness of God and the love of God and the mercy of God and the grace of God, those four provisions to secure salvation in the lives of men and women and completely blot out all these evil features that we see in that verse that we read together, verse three. Now that's marvelous. That is a miracle and a miracle that takes place again and again and again in the lives of men and women. Would to God we saw more of it today as we have seen it in the past. People crying out for mercy, people experiencing the love and kindness of God, people experience the warmth of the grace of God and going on their way rejoicing, set free from these evil things that we have been speaking about and it is stressed it's by God our savior. Isn't that a lovely term? God our savior. We can speak about God in other ways and emphasize his power, the most high God, the almighty God, El the mighty one, many many other ways in which God is spoken of, the everlasting God, the eternal God, but oh how wonderful this simple expression God our savior and mind if we appropriated really those four things that we're speaking about by which God has blessed us then I'm sure it would produce in all our hearts what it produced in Mary. My spirit hath rejoiced in God my savior. That's an act of worship and that's what we require more and more, not simply to be theoretical, not simply to be able to quote the scriptures, very important to be able to quote scripture, but the proof that the quoting is having an effect upon our lives is the production of worship and testimony. The devil can quote scripture. Dear friends how wonderful to be able to quote and to act in such a way as to prove that these things have an abiding place in our hearts and in our minds and says Paul not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. The renewal of the Holy Spirit is consequent I believe upon the washing. The washing of regeneration if you like is the cleansing away of all that's obnoxious to God. It's interesting I can't say very much about it but it's interesting to notice how often we find water and the Spirit linked together. John 3 for instance in new birth. John's epistle the three that bear witness the Spirit the water and the blood and here and there may be other ones yes there is in John 7 the well of water springing up into everlasting life and the water flowing out that was chapter 4 chapter 7 the water flowing out this speak he concerning the Spirit and here we find them linked together again the washing cleansing away of all that's obnoxious to God and then the bringing in of all that's powerful and pleasing to God the renewal of the Holy Spirit. It's not that we had the Spirit and lost it and it was renewed to us it's not that it's the renewal that goes on in the person's life that these evil things don't find any place in the life what is of God is substituted if you want that expression in the power of the Holy Spirit. Isn't it good to know that all that's offensive to God has been cleansed away washed away completely we have a figure of this in the inauguration of the priests or the consecration of the priests first of all they were bathed all over never to be repeated and then we find that they used the labor which was a daily thing in their activities as priests but this is the washing that is done once and for all never to be repeated a new condition that's brought about and it says so precisely through our Lord Jesus Christ I believe that both things are there and you remember that when the spear pierced his side forthwith came out blood and water and these things are always connected together we believe and how wonderful that this cleansing action has taken place once and for all before God. God is satisfied with what Christ accomplished and this cleansing has been done to give us a new position and then we find the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit and I want to spend a little time in this because the power that is necessary for the maintenance of this salvation in a practical way in our lives is the power of the Holy Spirit and there isn't a feature of Christian living where we can afford to neglect or ignore the Holy Spirit and the Bible is abundantly clear that it is necessary for the Holy Spirit to be operating in our lives to secure what is pleasing for God. It's expedient for you that I go away said the Lord Jesus and when he went away the Holy Spirit was poured out that's the word we get here it says which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Very interesting that that word shed or poured out is the same word that is used in connection with the blood of our Lord Jesus. No restraint, no reluctance and this gives us the impression of the tremendous gift that this is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Acts chapter 2 when so many Jews were converted mentioned in the house of Cornelius when the Gentiles were converted no difference the pouring out of the Holy Spirit without stint without any reluctance on his part to come to show what was available for every child of God in their Christian life and experience. That's very very wonderful and of course it's so easy to forget that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit it's so easy to ignore this in our coming together and substitute human arrangements for the free activity of the Holy Spirit and so we want to hold on to this great truth it's necessary to hold on to it because if ever it's given up we fall back upon man's arranging man's ideas and what a hopeless business that is. If you think of 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 Paul speaks about the preaching of the gospel and he says our word came to you not only as man's word he says it came to you in assurance and in power and then he says in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now the agents used for the preaching of the gospel Paul and his companions were upright godly clean vessels and I believe that's why the Holy Spirit could operate through them and that's always true that where there are clean vessels vessels of integrity before God the Holy Spirit can use them and that was evident in the power of the Holy Spirit that was seen in the preaching of the gospel and so that's necessary today and of course we might ask ourselves humbly why do we not have converts one reason of course is because hardly ever anyone comes into the hall who is unconverted but then various endeavors are made in personal contacts and gospel tracts given away and yet how seldom we hear of conversions of an outstanding character. We need the Holy Spirit's power to help us in this great matter to present Christ to the unconverted in power. When we come to the activities of believers again we need the Holy Spirit. Worship the highest service of the believer must be in the power of the Holy Spirit if it is to reach the Father's ear with approval. Remember Paul says in Philippians 3 we have no confidence in the flesh we worship by the Spirit of God in contrast to all the material ceremony that mark the old dispensation investments and music and incense and material furniture no the Spirit of God spiritual worship spiritual sacrifices which are well pleasing to God and so true worship with the Father's approval must be in the power of the Holy Spirit. If ever we attempt to organize worship we'll find how flat and how powerless it will be but wherever we sit down humbly and simply and quietly to make much of Christ then we'll find that worship will flow because the Spirit delights to glorify Christ and the Spirit will lend his power and service and his energy in true worship we worship by the Spirit of God. The activity of prayer Jude says precisely praying in the Holy Spirit not long dissertations telling God the things he'd never heard before oh how well instructed God is when we rise up and pray long dissertations that's not the prayer meeting that's not for the prayer meeting we have to pray in the Spirit things that are vital things they're connected with the local company or an international way things of need things of concern not that there isn't room to mention the great things of God in prayer there is prayers of Paul are a striking example of that but to pray in the Spirit is to get away from phraseology a continual repetition of the same things again and again praying in the Spirit guided by the Spirit to say the right things in the right manner nothing more obnoxious of course than praying to your brothers or sisters pray to God if you pray in the Spirit and so how thankful we are that in the power of the Spirit we can pray and please God and then if we think of ministry well we just need to turn to first Corinthians and we have indications how ministry is to be conducted and that in the power of the Spirit and of course when it comes to the functioning in the assembly so many things that are done in the power of the same Spirit and of course a great variety variety in unity and empowered by the same Spirit as to worship we ought to say this that this is the Spirit's great joy great unique service that he delights to lead us to the Father that we might worship him the Bible says precisely that we address the Father Abba Father in the power of the Spirit the Spirit is shed abroad in our hearts so that we can do this great service for the Father or to the Father and then no man can say Lord in connection with Jesus but by the Holy Spirit and this of course is in contrast to evil spirits that would say curse on Jesus but those who are empowered by the Spirit delight to refer to the Lord Jesus as Lord giving him his supremacy and his place and so we believe this is the unique service of the Holy Spirit we cannot worship the Son correctly we cannot worship the Father correctly unless by the Spirit this is his unique glory and we are not ignoring him or we're not delegating him to a lower position when we say we do not worship the Spirit or pray to the Spirit we recognize his unique glory that belongs to him that he can lead us in worship to the Father and to the Son and in prayer also and without that Holy Spirit's power and blessing we would be powerless ineffective in addressing the Father and the Son in worship or in prayer very very wonderful thing thing then to take account of the Spirit the power of this great day in which we live in which many features the results of salvation are seen and we think of that tremendous statement in first Corinthians 12 that in the power of one spirit we are baptized into one body there is a tremendous statement what began at Pentecost exists today great conversations have taken place in relation to what's the main thing in connection with the unity of believers is it light or is it life and the truth is neither of them the great unity that marks believers is the power and presence of the Holy Spirit that life and light are essential matters is abundantly true but without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit there would be no unity of the body and so we're deeply thankful for that tremendous statement beginning at Pentecost and right on to the present day and will continue to the rapture and beyond it we think of this marvelous organism has been brought into being in the power of the Holy Spirit and then access we're told by Paul in second second chapter of Ephesians we all have access in the power of one spirit to the Father marvelous thing that Jew and Gentile privileged to have access to the Father at all times and access means that someone takes you by the hand and brings you into the presence of another an august personage and what a beautiful picture this is of how we're privileged if you like taken by the hand of the Son in the power of the Spirit into the presence of the Father well these are wonderful things marvelous things and again we want to see how necessary it is to take account of the power of the Holy Spirit abundantly shed forth notice that word no stint the great giving of God I believe commend your it with the giving of his Son oh how wonderful abundantly shedding forth the Holy Spirit for our present and eternal blessing now I've noted one or two things down here that I want to speak about because we've been speaking about salvation and its practical effects in our lives and it would be wrong to stress all the wonderful things that we brought into in the power of the Spirit and omitting the practical side and if we read in Romans chapter 8 verses 1 & 2 where Paul says precisely about himself the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death now I spoke earlier about quoting scripture now it's very very easy to quote scripture and I'm not saying anything wrong about quoting scripture let us be accurate in quoting scripture but Paul says in that particular context it set me free that was his personal testimony the fact that I quote that scripture it may not be true of me I might quote it actually accurately and it's right that I should do so but then of course Paul goes on to indicate that what was true in him could be true of others and we want it to be true of us that the law of the Spirit of life the rule the rule of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus can set us free from the law of sin and death we have the potential I want to use that word we have the potential to overcome those awful features of and death sin shall not have dominion over you whatever that feature of sin might be some bad habit ill temper any other feature that's obnoxious to God can be overcome in the power of the Spirit we have the indwelling Spirit and if we can use a term reverently we are not using him to his potential if we do not overcome those evil features that are in us whatever they might be no dear friends when we turn to Galatians 5 what a tremendous challenge that is I don't want to engage you with the list of evil things that is mentioned tremendous list of evil features of sin and the flesh but Paul goes on to tell the Galatians that we are indwelt by the Spirit we can live by the Spirit we can walk by the Spirit and when we do then the fruit of the Spirit is expressed in us in its ninefold features and they are marvelous things peace and love and joy and so on and while they have been divided up into three sections I prefer to let them alone as they are nine features one fruit and all specifically bearing upon the Christian company of course individually worked out because if you come to the last verse in that chapter you'll find that Paul is referring to harmony and blessing amongst the Saints of God and so any eruption that takes place amongst the Saints is a proof that those fruit or those features of the fruit are not being expressed in the power of the Spirit thank God that we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to give us the power to rise above those things to defeat them and to express the fruit beautiful pleasing to God and beneficial to us as it is in practice amongst us day by day awful thing to see the ugly features of the flesh beautiful to see the features of the fruit of the Spirit now there's a list of here that a list of things here that I want to read out because I can't remember them but I want to draw your attention to them because I think this is one of the key features in the epistle of Paul to Titus and that is good works now very very definitely Paul indicates that we do not have salvation because of our good works he says so precisely verse 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done so they are clearly works are out of court as far as our salvation is concerned then good works they form a very very important part of Paul's teaching I want to point them out to you chapter 1 and verse 16 good works are mentioned there in a specific way if I make a difference in the quotation I've written these things down from mr. Darby's translation chapter 2 and verse 7 Titus is to be a pattern of good works if you like an example he himself was to show good works so that others could take character from from him I think in that respect he's very like the man who wrote to him Paul Paul says I have showed you and he showed them by example how to do things that were pleasing to God then it says in chapter 2 verse 14 zealous for good works there is to be a zeal for it it's not something that you're just to wait casually it might come along but to be zealous for good works chapter 3 verse 1 ready to do every good work not to be taken by surprise oh I wish I had been more alert but to be ready ready at any time to show good works chapter 3 verse 8 to pay diligent attention to good works and then verse 14 of chapter 3 to apply themselves to good works now if you wrote a letter to me and I noticed that again and again you mentioned the same thing I would say well that must be very important they've drawn attention to it six times now Paul has drawn attention here to good works six times in his brief letter to Titus and so good works must be a very very necessary feature of salvation if you like the proof of salvation not the result of not the the power that produces salvation but the proof of salvation very very wonderful blessing that we can in some way show forth good works things that God approves of you remember Dorcas she was full of good works she died she was too valuable a sister to lose and so Peter was sent for and you remember he raised her out from that condition she was a good worker we're told to provoke each other to love and to good works we might ask what are good works well the Lord Jesus said that they should take account of his good works that he did from the father and we know the kind of works that he did he healed he visited he was kind he was helpful always ready to show kindness in a very practical way to people that he came in contact with so to ourselves we should be alive and ready to do good works whenever we can it's a very very definite feature indeed Paul says in the epistle to the Ephesians precisely that we're created for that special reason to show for good works well lastly before I finish in that part you remember the Lord Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3 says to assemblies I know thy works some of them were bad I believe most of them were good but the Lord Jesus knows if any of us are in chapter 1 I think it's verse 2 hope of eternal life which God promised before the ages of time the God who cannot lie the hope of eternal life was Paul speaking about hope in a speculative sense I might have it or I might not not for one moment that hope was absolutely sure in other other places he speaks about hope with four adjectives attaching to it a clear indication that there's no and there's no speculation attached to it certain hope sure hope living hope dear friends that's the kind of hope we have here eternal life we've been talking about salvation we've been talking about the awful features of life that were exhibited in our unconverted days now he's talking about a quality of life that is unsurpassed eternal life that finds its joy and its energy and contemplating and enjoying the Father the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit according to John 17 this is eternal life that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent they say that's not a definition of eternal life it comes pretty near it and dear friends what a marvelous thing that this life that we have this quality of life finds its deep satisfaction in singing to the Father and the Son and worshiping them and reading about them in every feature connected with them we enjoy it's the proof of this life that we have a quality of life not even the length of it that's not the point it's the quality of that life so distinct from all that had gone before and of course airship is connected with it which of course connects us with the display in the kingdom when we shall be joined tears with our Lord Jesus Jew and Gentile alike marvelous place of blessing that shall shall be ours in contrast to Satan reigning in our lives and producing evil features heirs according to the hope of eternal life what a prospect for us when all that belongs to this poor sad world is gone and gone forever we'll be in a sphere of eternal life and blessing find its joy in divine persons in the power of the Spirit and to to take part in the administration of the kingdom all the wonderful wonder of salvation will be realized in a tremendous way well may we be encouraged so much more could be said but these I believe are sufficient to indicate to us marvel of this provision that God has brought to us to secure salvation in our lives and an ongoing matter in the power of the Spirit and producing this tremendous prospect that we're all looking forward to and the sooner the better may we be encouraged for his namesake …