Remind them to be
subject to rulers and authorities,
to obey, to be ready
for every good work,
to speak evil of no
one, to be peaceable,
gentle, showing all
humility to all men.
For we ourselves were
also once foolish,
disobedient,
deceived, serving various lusts
and pleasures, living
in malice and envy,
hateful and hating
one another.
Titus 3:1–3
Original
sin and the corruption of the soul due to a person having no desire for godly
things even though a person may know the difference between what is evil and
what is not evil, subjected us, at least those who are honest about their past,
to various forms of evil. We cannot blame our evil doing and desires only on
the sin of Adam. Yes, he is the progenitor of sin, that sin that entered into
the world turning the world upside down, but we are sentient individuals with
the ability to make choices. Am I speaking of some Pelagianism or Arminianism
doctrine which teaches man can save himself? NO! But, we can make daily choices
that are either moral or immoral for in man is the knowledge of good and evil,
a result of Adam sinning against God by partaking of the fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge whereby man from that point on has knowledge of good and evil and can
make choices to do either or not to do either one. Satan was the cause, the
liar, the one who deceived Eve, but Adam was not deceived for he willfully
partook of the fruit from Eve when it was offered. He did not trust God who he
walked and talked with in the Garden. Adam first hand knew that God not only
existed, but that God creates and by a simply obedience to what he knew then he
would have trusted God to correct this issue between Eve and Satan. It was
simple obedience, no sin, no original sin, but free–will; and it was abused. To
choose salvation is not a choice man can make for himself for his corrupted
soul does not desire godly things and that means salvation. Oh! People hope to
be saved, and they do all sorts of things to make them feel pious, or worthy,
but without God enabling them to choose Him; they will not do so! God saves us
and not ourselves saving ourselves. Yes, we must when enabled choose Him and
live for Him and follow His commands and that which has been taught by the
apostles and other Bible authors, i.e., Luke, Mark. God showed Himself once
again to man in a real and empirical manner by sending His Wisdom by having His
Wisdom become clothed in flesh and be the Son of God, the Only Begotten Son of
God: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercer He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4–7).
Paul was
reminding them, those who were not only in places of oversight in the Cretan
congregations, but also for them, those overseers to remind them that as
believers in Jesus Christ they have a responsibility to rulers and authorities.
Was Paul speaking of government authorities and rulers, or was he speaking
about those who were in places of authority in the congregation? This command
by Paul to be subject to rulers and authorities has a two–fold application. 1.
For those in places of authority in the congregation, that those Cretans who
claimed to be Christian were to obey them and be ready for every good work. 2.
To secular leaders, rulers, and authorities for this is what a Christian does
as a Christian, he or she, follows the laws set forth by those in authority.
This is abused in what may seem a slight and simple manner: The law in regards
to speed, as in many places on highways in California the top speed is 70 Miles
Per Hour, when posted or less when posted. Yet, we ignore the law, we are not
obedient, rather we have made a prior choice to leave home late, or to just get
to a place as fast as we can and then brag how quick it took to get to your
destination. Some Christian, right, can’t even make simple but good choices,
they don’t allow enough time to get to where they desire to go allowing for
traffic, accidents, or flat tires, etc. But for many they have the sign of a
fish, a Christian symbol on the back of a car or some bumper sticker that
indicates that they are Christian and drive as though they were most important,
more important than following the commands of God. This and more is what we
were if we have truly converted to Jesus Christ. We are to have integrity, not only
in our doctrine that should be our foundation, doctrine that is in Scripture
and not some man’s doctrine. We are to show ourselves to the world as a model
of Jesus Christ for we are to be the image of Jesus Christ. Are we slaves,
bondservants to God or to ourselves? Are we pleasing God for that is why we
obey rulers and authorities and not to just show by our works that we are
somehow worthy for our worth is not in ourselves, what we do, our works, it is
simply that God has poured out upon us His mercy by the washing of regeneration
and a renewing of the Holy Spirit in us and then justified through His Grace.
We are heirs! We are heirs! We are heirs! Do you get it, we are heirs, heirs of
the kingdom of God which is eternal life a promise of God, a hope that is
assured by the life of Jesus Christ, His death on the cross, and His ascension
back to the Father where He now sits and makes intercession eternally for all
of God’s children. All this being true then how are we to live? What are you
plans for this Sunday? Is it to be a fellow worshipper with other brothers and
sisters to God, to sing together praises to God, to just love upon our fellow
Christians or are our plans to just take care of ourselves, yourself. Does this
mean that a person cannot take a vacation? NO! Does this mean that a person
cannot have time to himself? NO! Yet, we are not to neglect our duty to be
obedient to the commands of God and to be subject to His command which commands
us to subject to those over us, both in the congregation and to those who are
in secular authority.
This is a faithful saying, and these things
I want you
to affirm constantly,
That those who have believed in God
Should be
careful to maintain
Good works. These things are good
And
profitable to men.
Titus 3:8
Praise God For He Keeps His Promise
Richard L. Crumb
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