Elders and Young Men

Below is a quote from Alexander Strauch's book on Biblical Eldership.  I found it to be very insightful!

The younger men who are diligently working--eager for change and further service--are the ones who are most likely to conflict with the church elders.  Polycarp, in his letter to the Philippian congregation, also encouraged the younger men to submit to the elders: "In like manner also the younger men must be blameless in all things...submitting yourselves to the presbyters and deacons as to God and Christ."  If the eldership is stagnant or ineffective, the younger men are the ones who are most likely to be discontent.  Peter David's vivid portrayal of the natural tension between young people and the church elders bears repeating:

It appears best, therefore, to see the "younger" here as the youthful people in the church...Such younger people are often (but not necessarily) junior leaders, ready to learn from and assist those directing the church...but their very readiness fro service and commitment can make them impatient with the leaders, who either due to pastoral wisdom or the conservatism that often comes with age are not ready to move as quickly or as radically as they are.  It would be quite fitting to address such people with an admonition to be subject to their elders.  Indeed, particularly in a time of persecution their willingness to take radical stands without considering the consequences could endanger the church.

The best training a Christian young man can have in preparation for church leadership is to first learn to submit to those in spiritual leadership.  A spiritually keen young man can gain invaluable wisdom and leadership skills through the experience of older, godly men, even if they are not paragons of leadership excellence (which most are not).

Bibliography 

Strauch, Alexander. Biblical Eldership. Littleton, CO: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1995. (accessed November 20, 2012).

 

 

Gift Envy

We read in the word of God that every Christian has at least one gift (Rom. 12:6-8).  God the Holy Spirit has implanted at least one gift to take up residence in us and to be exercised in the body of Christ.  The Scriptures also teach that different measures of this gift are distributed (Rom. 12:3).  For instance two people can have the gift of teaching while one is a better teacher.  This is the reality of how God works!  Imagine of all of us were the best teachers in the world...there would be no one to teach!  In addition the Bible reveals that some have more than one gift when the Lord imparts a ministry gift(s) to them.  These ministries gifts are commonly referred to as the evangelist, pastor and teacher (there are a few more, but we will just focus on these three).  The Lord calls a few men within the local body of Christ to take on one of these public ministry gifts.

There is a strong tendency in this day and age to elevate the public ministry leader in an unhealthy way.  There seems to be this idea that those with ministry gifts are more spiritually committed than those without.  This is nonsense!  A person who is given the GIFT to be an evangelist, pastor or a teacher is simply being obedient to the Lord.  They are not doing something extraordinary!  Now, the office they are filling is extraordinary, but they themselves are servants of the Lord just attempting to follow the calling of the Lord like every other believer.

Another tendency is to view those with public ministry gifts as more important than others that serve in the local church.  Now, I must be clear on another point again.  These offices as vitally important to the church and certainly do rank higher than others, but the person filling these offices should never be viewed as some spiritual elitist.  A person who works their job during the day and cleans the toilets of the church at night is just as important in the body of Christ as the public minister.  Every member of the physical body is important and is there for a reason just as every member of the church is.  Our duty as members of the body is to figure out which part of the body we are at and begin to use it!  Seek out your gift, exercise it and thank the Lord for the gift(s) He has given to others.

A Parent's Regrets

The Bible speaks clearly on the importance of training young minds in the truth of the Scriptures.  It is my holy resolution that the little ones under my influence will know the whole counsel of God.  My wife and I intercede daily that their little souls will be saved early in life.  Let us not neglect our duties as parents lest we live with the regret of one young women converted under Charles Spurgeon's ministry.  Spurgeon shared a conversation with this women in one of his sermons:

I shall never forget the anguish of a poor illiterate woman whom I had been the means of leading to Christ.  She was rejoicing in Christ when I had seen her before, but when I saw her next she was in great sorrow and bondage of spirit, and I said to her, "What aileth thee?"  She replied, "My children! my children!  They are all grown up, and they are all ungodly.  I brought them up as well as I could; but, woe's me, I never thought about their souls.  I did all I could to comfort her; but I can only say to younger persons while they still  have their little ones about, never let the occasion go (Spurgeon 56-57).

Salvation is a sovereign work of grace.  Ultimately it is in the Lord's hand to regenerate a soul causing them to put their faith in Christ Jesus.  Let us not use this as an excuse to neglect our duties.  May we not embrace the leaven of hyper-calvinism which has no course for pleading with souls and praying for them.  Woe is us if we do not do all we can the win the souls of our children to Christ Jesus!

Bibliography

Spugeon, Charles. 12 Sermons to Young People. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976. (accessed November 2, 2012).

Common Grace

Common grace is the favor that God grants to the unbelieving world.  This is the grace of God by which He grants innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation.  The word "Common" means something that is common to all people and is not only restricted to God's elect.  We understand more of the character and nature of God when we are clear about Common Grace.  In order to better understand how God blesses all people I will reference the six realms that Wayne Grudem depicted in his work on systematic theology.

The Physical Realm

Unbelievers are able to live in this world, to breath in the air and be sustained by daily food and drink.  I know that there are some exceptions to this as there are people that die of thirst or hunger, but by and large we see the entire world blessed continually with these physical needs.  Furthermore, we know that since the fall of Adam that the wages that we now earn is death not life.  So, what is it that keeps the unbeliever alive?  Of course it is the Common Grace of God.  In the book of Matthew we read that the Lord Jesus Christ taught this important doctrinal truth, "for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45).  In the Old Testament it is recorded that the the unbelieving political leader, Potiphar, was blessed for Joseph sake.  This blessing was a material blessing in which he Potiphar prospered even more.  Today just as in any age people prosper and acquire great physical blessings.  How is this explained?  It is because God has poured grace upon them.

The Intellectual Realm

There is no such thing as an original thinker.  All men are merely interpreters.  All originality flows from God and God alone.  Any intellectual capacity that is gained comes from the revelation of God.  God has revealed Himself general through His creation and specially through the inspired literature.  God is the source of all intellectual achievement for the believer and unbeliever alike.  Any brilliant scientist or technologist acquired this knowledge as God has imparted it to them.  God is gracious to all people and allows people to achieve great heights intellectually even if they reject Christ as their savior.

The Moral Realm

God is also the one that restrains people from being as evil as they could be.  Mother Theresa lived a life of complete sacrifice and did this apart from a saving relationship in Christ.  It is clear that she trusted in her works for salvation.  How could an unbeliever be so sacrificial?  God bestowed grace to her.  We could also consider Benjamin Franklin as an example.  He was a professing Deist for most if not all of his life.  Yet he penned thirteen virtues that are sound principles for any person to live by.  In addition Franklin was the one that called the Constitutional Convention to pause their activity and turn to the Lord in prayer.  Mother Theresa and Benjamin Franklin were able to live out these moral virtues because of the Common Grace of God.

The Creative Realm

What distinguishes us from the rest of God's creation (amongst other things) is the ability to be extraordinarily creative.  This should be no surprise to us.  Man was created in the image of God and God is the author of creativity and beauty.  What may be somewhat surprising though is that many of the most creative people in history did not bow their knee to the Most High God.  The Greeks had a creative genius and they were very humanistic in their ideology with a particular emphasis on the rational powers of mankind.   Shakespearian literature to this day is considered to be the most creative literature ever penned.  Yet, Shakespeare was never a born-again believer even though he was largely influenced by the Scriptures.  The creative abilities of all people are a result of the outpouring of Common Grace upon all people.

The Societal Realm

God's grace is very evident in the existence of various organizations and structures in human society.  The fact that the family persists today as an institution for believers and unbelievers alike is evidence of this fact.  God could have reserved this divine institution only for the elect, but He has chosen it to remain in tact for all people.

Also, a look at governments that exist reveals to us more of God's common favor.  Many governments are able to maintain certain elements of goodness and justice.  If God left man to pursue the own desire of their hearts all governments would be far worse than Stalin's society or Hitler's regime.

In addition we see that many organizations like education institutions, businesses and corporations, voluntary associations and even personal relationships are able to function due to God's grace.  Without the Common Grace in society we would have not ability to develop let alone maintain any of these relationships.

The Religious Realm

The Holy Spirit teaches us in the book of Romans that all people know the one and only God, "because although the knew God, they did not glorify God" (Rom. 1:21).  Everyone knows God personally and intimately even though many people reject this truth and they, "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18).  People are religious by nature because of Common Grace.  When some serious trial or affliction strikes the unbeliever their response more often than not is to pray or ask a Christian to pray for them.  This is because they know God and because God has been gracious to them!

Pattern of Behavior

Understanding the gracious nature of God to the unregenerate gives us a pattern for how we should treat those outside of salvation.  If God blesses those that curse Him how much more should we?  God showers blessing on he unregenerate and we should seek to do the same.  We are reflecting the nature of God when we are gracious to people who do not deserve it.  This is what grace is!  It is unmerited favor bestowed to a person who has not merited it and certainly does not deserve it.  So, go and treat the unbelieving world the same way that God Almighty does and then see what an impact we may have.

Piper, the Bible and the iPhone

I love technology.  I will admit that I am part of the apple family.  The macbook, iPhone and iPad are great tools that make balancing life much more convenient.  Now, if a person is not careful these 'tools' can soon become your 'master.'  John Piper in the video below talks about some of the potential dangers that creep up on a person if they don't guard their life.

Mind, Heart and Will

It is imperative that a person properly understands how the process of salvation works.  The worst case scenario is that an improper view will keep the person outside of the fold and the best case scenario is one will remain a very immature Christian struggling with assurance their entire life.  In salvation the whole personality of man is involved.  There are three essential components that depict the nature of who man is--mind, heart and will.  In order to gain a proper view of salvation we must know that the intellect, emotions and will are all affected.

Many people falter at understanding the necessity of having the entire man impacted by the gospel of Christ.  As Martyn Lloyd Jones points out in his book, "Spiritual Depression" some men trust in their intellectualism:

There are some people in whose case the head only seems to be in use--the intellect, the understanding.  They tell us that they are tremendously interested in the gospel point of view, as a Christian philosophy.  There were people when whose only interest in the gospel was their interest in theological problems; and they argued about them and discussed them.  But the tragedy was that it stopped at that interest, and their hearts have never been touched.

The mind must understand the gospel message in order to come to salvation, but reliance upon the intellectual understanding alone is not enough.

Another type of people are not concerned with doctrine (intellect) and are moved purely by emotion.  This problem is much more prevalent today than the former.   Although a different issue there doom is the same as the intellects.  Dr. Jones also shared some insightful comments about these people as well:

These are people who feel that they have had an emotional release.  They wanted this particular release and have had it.  Or it may be that they were naturally interested in mysticism and the mystical phenomena.  There is great interest in this at the present time.  Life has been hard and cruel to them and they have been embittered by circumstances.  But they go to a particular service and somehow they find themselves comforted and soothed, and they feel happy and contended.

Intellectualism alone will not save.  Emotionalism alone will not save.  Intellectualism and emotionalism combined will not save.  Something more is still yet needed.

Finally, you have people who are alone trusting in their sheer act of determination.  They say that they have made 'a decision for Christ.'  Again Lloyd Jones had something to say on this issue:

These are the people who decide to take up Christianity instead of being taken up by Christianity.  They have never known this feeling of constraint, this feeling of, 'I can do no other, so help me, God', that they must, that everything else has to be excluded, that the truth has come to them they they must accept it.

The influence of Charles G. Finny has lead many Americans to trust only in their wills for salvation.  If one travels down this road they will find it only leads to destruction.

The Christian position is not one part of the personality involved nor is it a combination of two parts.  It must be the entire man.  The whole man has become totally depraved by sin and the whole man must become a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).  The good Dr. emphatically drives this point home:

The Christian position is threefold; it is the three together, and the three at the same time, and the three always.  A great gospel like this takes up the whole man, and if the whole man is not taken up think again where you stand.

Are you taken up by Christ?  Do you contemplate the truths of the gospel often?  Are you moved when you think about the glorious doctrine of free grace?  Has your life changed as a result of the gospel's impact?  If you whole man has been impacted by the gospel then understand that God alone deserves to be praised for this as salvation is, "all of grace."  If you stumble at any one of these points I would encourage you to listen to the words of the Apostle Paul, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith" (2 Cor. 13:5a).

 

 

If I Were The Devil...

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones was said in one of his sermons, "There is nothing that so characterizes all the activities of Satan as his subtlety.  He is not only able and powerful, he is subtle; indeed the Apostle Paul tells us he can 'transform himself into the angel of light' if necessary."  Tune into this 3 minute video.  This was recorded in 1965 and is even more applicable today. Mr. Harvey describes in an extraordinary way how the Devil has creeped into our culture. Listen to Paul Harvey as he gives the rest of the story!

Lukewarm Christianity

Lukewarm Christianity is something that is despised by our Lord, "And to the angel of the church of the Laodicieans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth" (Rev. 3:14-15).  Every time I read these verses they shake me to the core.  The idea of becoming a lukewarm Christian frightens me.  Remember these two verses are words spoken by Christ Himself and I certainly do not want to be the cause of making Christ vomit.

This morning I have been studying Ian Murray's work, "Revival and Revivalism."  There is a chapter in this book about Samuel Davies who Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones said that this American preacher was, "the greatest preacher you have ever produced in this country."  Davies was challenging and addressing the prevailing lukewarm Christianity of his day and he shared these searching words with his contemporaries:

How common, how fashionable is this lukewarm religion!  This is the prevailing epidemical sin of our age and country...We have thousands of Christians, such as they are; as many Christians as white men; but, alas! they are generally of the Laodiciean stamp; they are neither hot nor cold.  But it is our first concern to know how it is with ourselves; therefore, let this inquiry go round this congregation; Are you not such lukewarm Christians?  Is there any fire and life in your devotions?  Or are not all of your active powers engrossed by other pursuits?

Do you ever feel yourself drifting towards lukewarmness?  I know I do!  My heart is prone to wander away from the God I love.  I do not want the fire and life to depart from my devotions and Christian living.  If you feel the same way I encourage you to cry out to the Lord saying, "O thou God of Love! kindle a flame of love in this cold heart of mine; and then I shall perform my work faithfully."  Then find someone to serve and to share the passion you have for our Savior!

Why Memorize Scripture?

John Piper shares some powerful insights about the importance of memorizing Scripture. I encourage you to give 4 minutes of your time to watch this video and apply its principles! 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Life is full of decisions.  We face a variety of choices each and every day of our lives.  Some choices are seemingly very small and do not require much thought at all.  On the other hand some of our choices are on a much bigger scale which requires much more thought and contemplation.  The lagging question for Christians is how to make choices that are pleasing to God.

The Objective Standard

It is vitally important that the first thing a Christian does while contemplating a decision is to compare it to the objective standard.  The word objective in lay men's terms means--black and white.  By using the word objective I am saying that the answer is quite clear.  How then does this relate to our decision making?  Upon gathering all the information about a decision you are faced with you must examine the word of God and see if the Bible opposes this decision.  Will this choice cause you to do something that is contrary to the clear teachings of God's Word?

Psalm 37

Psalm 37 offers some key insights about God's will.  There are some principles contained within this chapter that should be applied to every Christians life especially when considering God's will for your life.  Let me list a few key verses:

"Do not fret" (Ps. 37:1).

"Trust in the Lord" (Ps. 37:3).

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4).

"Commit your way to the Lord" (Ps. 37:5).

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" (Ps. 37:7).

Counsel

The proverbs teach in several different verses that there is great wisdom in seeking counsel.  Particularly we read there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 15:22).  It is essential that a Christian enlist a group of advisers to seek counsel with when facing decisions.  When speaking with these counselors it is so important to present all of the facts and honestly listen to their assessment and advice on the situation.  This does not mean you have to follow through with exactly what they say, but all too often people seek counsel in an effort to only get the answer they want to here.  We need to be completely transparent with our trusted advisers.

Pray

Through the entire decision making process we should be praying fervently for the wisdom of Solomon.  The Apostle Paul asked to church at Colosse to pray in this manner, "They you may be filled with the knowledge of His will" (Col. 1:9).   Do you regular involve God in your decision making or do you think you have it all figured out?  Be sure that you seek the Spirit's guidance and direction as you strive to make choices that are pleasing to God.

For the Sake of the Nations

There are roughly 16,500 people groups that exist in the world today.  Typically a people group is placed in a category based on the language that they speak.  With every language comes ones own customs, culture and identity.  Some actually refer to these people groups as ethno-linguistic list of peoples.  Out of these 16,500 people groups over 7,000 are listed under the category of "unreached peoples."  Unreached peoples are those who do not have a local church, pastor or a translation of the bible in their own language.  To put it plainly: They do not know anything about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ!!  Our great commission is to penetrate these people groups with the knowledge of the Lord (Hab. 2:14).  In order for these peoples to be reached the established church must view themselves as a missionary organization.    They must make it their duty to see that the gospel of Christ infiltrates these cultures.  Trained missionaries must be sent to the field to reach these people with the support of the local church financially and through prayer.  What can the local church do to be part of reaching the nations for the glory of God?

Grow

It is healthy for the local church to have a vision and a mission to grow the community.  The larger the church grows the more dynamic of a missionary organization they become.  Now, we do fully rely on the sovereignty of God to build the church.  We also know that the means He uses to grow the church is us who go out in the places we live, move and have our being carrying the torch of Christ and pleading with people to come to Him.  I challenge us to think in terms of how we can grow the church for the sake of the nations.

Give

More than 90% of Mormons give at least ten percent of their income back to their church.  That is right...you read it correctly...more than 90%!!  It is no surprise that they are one of the fastest growing religions in the world as they are sending hundreds of missionaries to these unreached people groups.  How does the evangelical church compare?  On the high end roughly 25% of evangelicals give 10% or their income to the local church.  Many statistics were much lower than this, but for the sake of the article I chose the highest statistic I could find.  What this means is that 75% of professing evangelicals are being disobedient to the Lord's command to give back to God.  I urge all of us to see to it that we are giving for the sake of the nations.

Go

We need people that are willing to forsake life in the West and go to the field in order to reach these people. An erroneous idea has crept into the Western mindset that all we need to do is send money and others will take care of the missionary efforts.  They say, "Well isn't it more fruitful if local people go and share the gospel with them."  The problem is that in the unreached people groups there are no local people to go and plant the seeds of Christ.  Furthermore, the Apostle Paul himself went into every area he could possibly get into crossing cultural barriers every step of the way.  What we need are willing servants of God to take up the cross of Christ and GO into the mission field for the sake of the nations.

Titus 3:3-8: All of Grace and Good Works

Below you will find that last two sermons I preached from the book of Titus.  May the Lord bless you through these expositions!

The Danger of Presumption and Despair

Imagine for a moment that your are traveling down the road in route to reach your destination.  Picture two large ditches on each side of the road as you are on this trip.  If you lose control of the car and slide into either one of these ditches you will not make it to your destination.  Let's picture the destination as being heaven and one ditch is the ditch of presumption and the other is the ditch of despair.  If a person falls in either one of these ditches they will not make it to heaven.

The Ditch of Presumption

If a person slides into this ditch it is a great danger to their soul.  Many people quickly presume that they are Christians and this presumption could lead to eternal damnation.  They trust in certain principles rather than in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  They trust in the facts that they are from a christian family, attend church, read their bible, give tithes or because they said the sinner's prayer.  They simply presume that because they have done all or some of these activities that they will be accepted into heaven.  Jesus Christ gave a stern warning to those who find themselves in the ditch of presumption:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, case out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?'  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matt 7:21-23).

The principle from this verse is that many a presumptuous person is going to be surprised on judgment day when they are condemned to hell.  To their shock and horror Christ is going to say to them, "Depart from me."  My prayer is that this will not be you!  Make your calling and election sure lest you be too presumptuous and face the condemnation of Christ.

The Ditch of Despair

The ditch on the other side of the road is equally as dangerous.  The ditch of despair can keep a person from reaching the eternal destination.  The individuals that find themselves in this ditch cry out and say that there is no way God could ever forgive them.  They conclude that because of the severity of their sinfulness they could never be accepted by Christ.  To these individuals I present some glorious promises that are found in the bible:

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).

"And it shall come to pass, that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).

"For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).

To the person that may find themselves in despair I exhort you to look to these precious promises.  Test God see if He will hold true to His promises.  I challenge you to trust in these promises.  God's promises are "Yea and Amen" so I know if you look to the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved!

Titus 3:1-2: Proper Attitude Towards Civil Authority

Have you ever wondered what your responsibility to civil authority is as a Christian?  The Apostle Paul answers this question in the third chapter of Titus.  View the video below to find out more!

Characteristics of a Healthy Church- Titus 2:1-10

The individuals that have been radically transformed by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the people that make a church.  The local church is established when these individuals come together for corporate worship and mutual edification while submitting to the authority of God as their rule for faith and practice.  We use the phrase "community of believers" to describe the church as it is a group of individuals who believe and form a like-minded community.  The individuals that come into the church come from a wide variety of backgrounds and find themselves at all different stages of life.  They have a burden to be faithful to the Lord do not understand how to face the trials of life according to the Scriptures.  One of the main missions of the church is to teach them exactly how to make biblical decisions in all areas of life.  In Chapter two of Titus Paul begins by sharing with Titus some practical principles that he needed to teach his church.  A healthy church is one that has the characteristics mentioned in the second chapter of Titus.  Watch the video below to learn more about what these are!

The Damascus Road Experience

Conversion is a term commonly used by all of the religious sects of the world.  In essence conversion means in the broadest sense that an individual has acquired certain knowledge about a worldview, embraced that view that eventually lead to a lifestyle change.  Conversion affects all three aspects of the human—mind, heart and will.  The term conversion is one espoused by Christendom as well (Acts 3:19).  However there is a key difference between the Christian view of conversion and all the other religions of the world.

The bible espouses a conversion that comes solely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9).  Now, this grace pours out upon people in different ways and in different measures.  For instance some people experience salvation in a similar manner that John the Baptist did.  From the womb of his mother the Spirit came to John the Baptist (Luke 1:41).  Some people live as if they have always been a Christian.  Still others have a more gradual process like Nicodemus.  This religious man sought out Jesus with some serious questions.  Christ told him of his great need of regeneration and he did not respond immediately (John 3:1-12).  We do know that sometime after this initial meeting he did come to embrace the Christian faith as his own.  History is full of great Christian leaders who came to the Lord in this manner.  Final there are some that have a dramatic experience.  It is as if the heavens open and the glory of God floods that person’s soul in an instant.  This is the account we read about the conversion of the Apostle Paul.  Paul’s conversion has often been referred to as the “Damascus Road Experience.”  It was given this name because of how God came to Him on the road to Damascus.

            In the entire history of the Christian church there has not been a more dramatic and powerful conversion (in the writer’s opinion).  Saul of Tarsus was completely transformed and became the Apostle Paul—a pillar of the church.  Saul the slayer was changed by grace and transformed into Paul the preacher.  To follow we will consider certain elements of this conversion experience.

PAUL’S PERSECUTION

            Paul’s magnificent obsession was to put an end to Christianity as it began to rapidly spread.  As was previously mentioned he approved of the killing of Stephen (Acts 8:1) and now he wanted more.  His fury had not diminished since this time but was enraged and now he sought the blood of Christians in Damascus.[1]  Acts chapter nine begins by stating, “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1).  Paul’s thirst for vengeance against the Christians had not yet been quenched.  His focus was not to stop pursuing the Christians until they stopped proclaiming salvation through Christ Jesus.  Paul’s tactics were sharp and severe cutting people through with threats and inflicting harm on them when necessary.

            Some have stated that the, “breathing out threats and murderings” was merely as internal battle taking place within the mind of Paul.  They say that this means that Paul could not silence his heart in this intense battle.  This clearly was not the case!  Paul was not confused about what side of the fence he was on.  He was not having an internal struggle with the tenets of the Christian faith, but rather was passionately and zealously defending his.[2]

KNOCKED OFF HIS TRACKS

            With the authority of the high priest carrying him Paul set out for Damascus with a band of militant men.  His full intention was to get to Damascus and begin “rolling the heads” of the Christian converts.  To the utter amazement of Paul and the men with him Paul was knocked off his horse dead in his tracks by a powerful force.

            It was not a human force that took Paul to the ground, but a spiritual force, “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.  Then he fell on the ground” (Acts 9:3-4a).  The supernatural bright light appeared to Paul and should be understood as an expression of divine glory and it is no surprise that this light knocked him down and blinded him (Acts 9:8a).[3]  In this scenario Paul actually encounters the risen Christ.  The Lord Jesus Christ came to Paul demonstrating the electing sovereign grace of God.

            There is some discrepancy concerning this event when comparing the different testimonies of this account in the book of Acts.  The bright light was referenced to being seen by him alone (Acts 9:3; 22:6) and also by everyone in his party (Acts 26:13).  I believe this can easily be explained.  The first two accounts is reference to the fact that Paul not only saw the bright light, but that he saw the risen Christ in the midst of that light.  Now, in the final account in the book of Acts the author was stating that everyone in the party saw the bright light (they knew something unusual was taking place) and only Paul witnessed that it was actually Jesus.[4]

 A VOICE OF AUTHORITY

          After Paul was knocked down by the blinding light he heard a booming voice of authority, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4b).  Paul knew that the author of this voice was God, but he was not exactly sure who this God was, “And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord” (Acts 9:5a).  Then comes the moment of truth!  This voice of authority reveals who He is, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b).  It is interesting to note that Jesus equates the persecuting of Christians to actually persecuting Himself.  Woe to those who seek to destroy and persecute the church.  This thundering voice and the words that were communicated left Paul puzzled and utterly speechless.

            There is some debate about exactly what language Christ communicated to Paul in.  Some definitively say that the language Jesus spoke in here was Aramaic.[5]  Others say it was Hebrew.  Some say it was either Hebrew of Aramaic.[6]  Both languages would have been spoken by Paul.  I think the testimony Paul shares in Acts 26  makes it very clear, "And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me" (Acts 26:14).  

           Furthermore at first look there seems to be a contradiction concerning exactly who heard the voice of Christ.  Verse four seems to indicate that only Paul heard the voice and verse seven seems to state that all those in the company heard the voice.  Here the critic of the bible would hang his hat in attempts to strike down the inerrancy of the Word of God.  Well, the critic should put his quiver away as there is a perfectly good explanation for this.  The word for voice as used in both verses can either be translated “sound” or “articulated speech.”  The logical conclusion is that those traveling with Paul only heard a sound, but did not understand what that sound was.  This is consistent with spiritual deafness that handicaps the unregenerate man.  On the other hand Paul heard “articulated speech” which allowed him to not only hear, but actually comprehend everything that he heard.[7]

CONCLUSION

         What a powerful account of the grace of God we read in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts.  While on the road to Damascus Christ came to Paul with a blinding light and a thundering voice.  This event is real documented historical fact.  It was more that Paul simply having a distracted state of mind, in remorse, allusion, vision or a myth.  Paul sought to persecute the Christians in the name of  “God” (actually in the name of Pharsiasm) clearly blinded by his zeal, and in this moment Christ came to him.  Paul was seeking to arrest the Christians and on his way to do so he was arrested by sovereign grace.  This grace changed the course of his life and ultimately the course of the direction and development of the New Testament Christian church.[8]

---

[1] Barrett, C.K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. ICC. New York, NY: T & T Clark, 1994.

[2] Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts” in Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.

[3] Marshall, I. Howard. The Acts of the Apostles. TNTC. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 1980.

[4] Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts” in Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.

[5] Bruce, F.F. Commentary on the Book of Acts. NICNT. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988.

[6] Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts” in Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.

[7] Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts” in Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981.

 [8] Barrett, C.K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. ICC. New York, NY: T & T Clark, 1994.

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The Elder's Task: Titus 1:10-16

In the previous section Paul exhorted Titus to find godly qualified leaders in order to appoint them as elders to serve the church at Crete.  Paul detailed the kind of man that would be able to be ordained to this office of eldership.  In this portion of Scripture the work that awaited the elders is given.  It is common and customary when a person takes on a new position that they receive a specific job description .  This job description will outline the project(s) that the new hire is responsible for.  Paul tells Titus that the task that is incumbent upon the elders is to go head to head with the false teachers and put an end to their public teaching.

Characteristics of False Teachers


Paul outline several characteristics that described these false teachers:

Insubordinate.  This means that they had a problem with respecting authority and following any kind of direction or leadership.  It is possible that these false teachers may have even rejected Paul's apostolic office.  Ultimately they were insubordinate to the Lord Jesus Christ who appointed these earthly authorities.

Idle (vain) Talkers and Deceivers.  They conceited themselves to be wise, but in reality they were foolish.  They may have been eloquent and charismatic in their personalities, but their teaching was empty and full of deception.


Lovers of Money.  They also had an incredible appetite for money.  Their motivation in deceiving people with false doctrine was in order to acquire more money to curb their monetary appetite.  Money can be a powerful motivator.

Liars, Evil Beasts and Lazy Gluttons.  Paul cited a proverb that was accepted as a description of the Cretans natural tendencies, "Cretans are always liars, and evil beasts, lazy gluttons (Tit. 1:12b).  Paul affirmed that he agreed with this assessment of the Cretans (Tit. 1:13a).

Defiled Mind and Conscience.  The works that manifested from the lives of these false teachers was indicative of the inward corruption that resided within them.  Their mind and conscience had been influenced by the works of Satan.  The only cure for this defilement is a proper understanding of the truth.

Profess to Know God.  They did not just profess to know a god, but the triune God of the Scriptures--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  On the contrary their works proclaim that they do not know the one and only God in a personal relationship as they bear no marks of being the child of God.

Defeating the False Teachers


Paul gave some advice to the young leaders of how to go up against these false teachers:

They Must Be Silenced.  Paul stated, "Whose mouths must be stopped" (Tit. 1:11a).  He is stating that these individuals must be silenced.  They should no longer have a public platform to espouse these false ideologies.  They were not to do this by outward force, but by confutation and conviction showing them their error.  As Spurgeon the great Baptist minister once stated, "Defending the gospel is like defending a lion, all you need to do is let is loose" (Spurgeon).  The Christian soldier enters in combat with their loins girted with the truth, wearing the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness, holding the shield of faith while yielding the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:14-17).

Rebuke Them Sharply.  Anyone at the church of Crete who rejected the faith delivered unto the saints in it's pure form should receive a sharp rebuke.  This rebuke was to be corrective, clear and direct.  Not all rebukes demand this level of intensity.  Rebukes ought to always be given according to the nature of offences, and the circumstances surrounding them.  Some rebukes are to be given publicly and some privately.  Some should be reproved with gentleness and meekness while others require a more direct and assertive approach.

Do Not Give Heed.  Paul wrote, "not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments" (Tit. 1:14).  Titus was instructed to not give an inch while he is contending for the faith.  To not "give heed" means not to adhere or accept any part of the false teaching.  It is the natural temperament of many to compromise on certain areas for the sake of unity.  Christians should never compromise when it comes to truth and error.

Audio Sermon

Bible Study Questions 

Qualifications for Eldership: Titus 1:5-9

Recently Pastor Dickie and I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Joel Beeke who is the President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.  It was a great blessing to fellowship with this man of God.  After we had some time conversing together Dr. Beeke gave us a tour of the campus and we were able to meet some of the students.  PRTS draws many international students from all parts of the world.  Two men we met were from Malawi.  It was quite interesting what the church in Malawi did to ensure their men were trained for the ministry.  Every couple of years they select two of their pastors and sent them to PRTS in order to be more equipped for their service at the church.  This is a very wise thing to do.  However, all the training in the world cannot equip a man if he is not truly called.  I heard a quote one time that I am in full agreement with, "God does not call the qualified but He qualifies the called."  God will make sure His elders meet His biblical qualifications.

Titus' Purpose at Crete


Titus was a God called leader and preacher.  He could have served the Lord anywhere in the world and it would have been perfectly acceptable.  In the providence of God Titus found himself left in Crete to minister and serve the Lord.  Paul reminded Titus that God has called him to the minister to the church at Crete for such a time as this (Est. 4:14).

Titus as the newly appointed leader of the church had a daunting task in front of him, "set in order the things that are lacking" (Tit. 1:5).  The logical conclusion we can draw from this statement is that the church at Crete had some serious problems.  The church was in chaos!  Titus was to get in the trenches at Crete and bring order to eliminate the confusion at the church.

Church Structure


Intrinsically connected to this idea of bringing order to the church Paul instructs Titus to, "appoint elders in every city."  A chief means of bringing order to a church is through godly leadership.  It cannot be argued that Paul is exhorting Titus to ordain leaders to establish church structure; however, the type of church structure is often reason for debate:

Elder- The pure elder paradigm provides a true plurality of governance with no chief leader.  Some biblical evidence may support this view.

Pastors and Elders- This approach uses a plurality of leaders, including the pastor, who serves as an elder and is the "first among equals."  Other elders may be laypersons or paid vocational staff who work alongside the primary elder and under his leadership.

Pastor and Board- The pastor is seen as the leader but looks to the church board to share in tasks of leadership and major decision making.  The board may be comprised of elders or deacons.  This patterns is often the most commonly practiced from of church governance even though there is little biblical support for it.

Board and Pastor- This form acknowledges the pastor as an employee of the board performing ministry at their direction.

Pastor- Churchs that follow this ecclessiolgical system clearly follow only the Pastor.  The pastor in this model is the only decision maker for the church.  The church follows him and him alone.

I believe the Pastors and Elders model is the most biblical.  In this structure the Senior Pastor's authority is respected and he works with a team of godly elders to shepherd the church.  In my message I give some reasons why I support this view.

Qualifications for Eldership


Paul gives Titus a number of characteristics to look for in a man that is fit for spiritual leadership.  Not all men are equipped or called to this service:

Blameless- The word does not refer to sinless perfection but to a personal life that is beyond legitimate accusation and public scandal.  This is a general and primary requirement of spiritual leaders and is again repeated in verse seven.

Husband of One Wife- Literally this means, "a one women-man."  This is referring to a husband who is both inwardly and outwardly devoted to his wife.  This does not disqualify single men from eldership as the Apostle Paul was a single man.  It does disqualify women, polygamists and adulterers from this position of spiritual leadership.

Having Faithful Children- This does not mean having Christian children as many have espoused.  Salvation is not a work of men's hands but of God's.  By faithful the author is referring to those that are not ardently opposed to the gospel.  A leaders children should also have the marks of temperance and not be rebellious towards authority.

Not Self-Willed- Not operating as a leader according to his will, but according to the will of God.  He does not become obstinate, stubborn, inflexible and conceited of his own sense and judgment resolving to have his own will and way for all things relating to the affairs of God's house.

Not Quick Tempered- A spiritual leader is slow to wrath, which shows he is a man of understanding, and fit to teach others, which an angry man is not.  He must have command and rule over his own spirit.

Not Given to Wine- This does not state abstinence against wine, but denotes a man not addicted to alcohol.  The man of God does not sit at, or continually drink wine.  The elder is a man that can control his inhibitions and does not allow substances to cloud the mind.

Not Greedy for Money- Not covetous of getting money.  This does not state having a desire to provide for ones family as all men are commanded to do.  This is referring to a person who desires to be a leader to make money and to use his influence and authority to make more money.

Hospitable- This literally means a 'love of strangers.'  This idea is suggesting to look for a man who is quick to open his home and heart to others.

Loves What is Good- Loves prayer, preaching, reading, meditation and good spiritual conversation.

Sober-Minded- Serious, with the right priorities and sensible.

Just- Righteous in his dealings with men, giving everyone their due.  Is not overcome with emotion in the treatment of men.

Holy- Devout towards God in manner of life whether in public or private.

Self-Controlled- Not given to any major vices in life.  Self controlled in eating and able to guard against the lusts of the flesh.  In addition I believe application can be made that they are able to abstain from that which might be lawful to avoid causing others to stumble.

Able to Teach- One who has a clear grasp of truth and an ability to communicate truth.  He is able to teach the believers and stand up against false teachers and false doctrines.

Lesson 3 Bible Study Questions

Paul's Salutation: Titus 1:1-4

Paul's Salutation

The book of Titus is a letter that Paul penned to instruct Titus.  This is a real historical communication that took place between these two men.  As it is the custom when writing a letter Paul begins with a salutation.  Paul's greeting to Titus bears many similarities to his other letters as well.  Often in addition to greeting the recipient Paul establishes that he is a servant of God and one that occupies authoritative office(s) within the body of Christ.  This is certainly what he does in this epistle as well.

Paul the Servant


Paul begins this epistle by affirming that he is a servant of God, "Paul, a bondservant" (Tit. 1:1a).  He depicts the nature of the relationship that exists between he and God.  He wanted to make clear that although he bears some high titles his first position in the sight of God is one of a servant.

This word "bondservant" is the word "doulos" in the original Greek writing.  In reality the word bondservant does not really capture what Paul was getting at here.  A better interpretation of this word is slave.  Paul is just like every other christian and operates within the realm of the slave/master relationship.  Paul was a slave to God serving under His divine authority and guidance.

Paul the Apostle


After establishing that he is a slave to God Paul asserts that he also does fill a high office, "an apostle" (Tit. 1:1b).  A literal interpretation of the word apostle is: a sent one.  Those who operate in an apostolic office or function are sent to 'foreign' lands in order to bring the gospel message to them.  Furthermore Paul was a primary apostle. The primary apostleship was not a permanent office, but one that was temporary in nature.  In order for a person to fill this office it was required that they: 1). Have seen the risen Christ, so they could preach a resurrection that they had been an eyewitness of (1 Cor. 9:10); 2). They had to be called an commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ directly (John 20:21; Acts 26:15-18); 3). They received the gospel from Christ Himself (Gal. 1:11-12).  Paul fit this description and was one of the few primary apostles.

Paul the Preacher


One of the main priorities of Paul's ministry was preaching, "but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior" (Tit. 1:3).  This verse reveals to us that preaching is the divine vessel in which God has chosen to use in order to reveal His truth.  Understanding this point should radically transform how the church views the act of preaching.  We should gather in the house of God as eager listeners who desire to know more of God's truth.

Paul the Father


Even though the the Apostle Paul was never married he did have many children.  His children are not in the flesh, or by natural descent, but in a spiritual sense.  Paul was the spiritual father to many including this young man Titus.  Most scholars do believe that Paul was the instrument in God's hand to lead Titus to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In addition Paul maintained this relationship with Titus and guided him to a level of spiritual maturity.  At the point of this writing Paul was still exhorting his son in the faith.

There is something very special about the relationship of a spiritual father and a spiritual son.  I feel so blessed to know the nature of this relationship.  Pastor Dickie has continued to be my spiritual father for nearly ten years now.  Let me take this time to exhort all of the young men and women like myself.  You all need to go and find a godly man or women in order to sit at their feet and be discipled by them!

Lesson 2 Questions

Introduction: Titus

Introduction

The book of Titus was authored by the Apostle Paul through divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  This epistle is one of three letters that are commonly referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles."  Paul penned these leadership manuals to his two young proteges: Timothy (1 & 2 Timothy) and Titus (Titus).

These books bear this title due to the nature of the letter and the recipients.  Paul was writing these affectionate words to his sons in the faith who were faithfully serving the Lord as pastors.  Paul held a personal and intimate relationship with these young men in addition to being their mentor.  As their leader Paul sought to properly instruct both Timothy and Titus on how to properly lead within their respective ministries.  Titus and Timothy were both young men who desperately needed the guidance of a seasoned veteran like the Apostle Paul.  All young pastors and veteran pastors should follow this model of being a discipler and being a disciple.  It is a sad sentiment when an experienced pastor has no desire to train up a young protege behind him.  It is tragic in the life of a young man when he does not submit himself to a godly leader for guidance, wisdom and direction.

In each of these three letters Paul was dealing with different situations and circumstances that these men of God found themselves in.  The first letter Timothy received was a letter reminding him of the ministry gift that was given to him and not to let fear overtake him.  The second letter was a great book of exhortation and encouragement to this young man.  The book of Titus was written to encourage Titus to lead and set in order the things that were lacking at the church (Tit. 1:5).

Who is Titus?

The young and gifted ministry leader Titus was mentioned thirteen times in the New Testament:

"To Titus a true Son in our common faith" (Titus 1:4).

"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me" (Gal. 2:1).

"Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised" (Gal. 2:3).

"For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica, Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia" (2 Tim. 4:10).

"I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother" (2 Cor. 2:13).

"Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted by the coming of Titus" (2 Cor. 7:6).

"Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort.  And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you (2 Cor. 7:13).

"For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed.  But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true" (2 Cor. 7:14).

"So we urged Titus, that he had begun, so he would complete this grace in you as well" (2 Cor. 8:6).

"But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus" (2 Cor. 8:16).

"If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you" (2 Cor. 8:23).

"I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him.  Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? (2 Cor. 12:18).

Upon taking this biblical survey we learn a great deal about Titus.  We can see that he was very close to Paul, a Gentile, and was very involved in the church at Corinth.  Furthermore Titus was not named in the book of Acts by name, but is seems probable that Titus, a Gentile (Gal. 2:3), met and may have been led to faith in Christ by Paul (Tit. 1:4) before or during the apostle's first missionary journey (MacAruthur 1982, 1883){1}.

The Controversy Over Titus

Titus has been the topic of some debate and controversy throughout the history of the Christian church.  The discussions have arose over what Paul wrote in the second letter he sent to Timothy, "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica--Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia" (2 Tim. 4:10).  The question is did Titus fall away from the faith just like Demas did?  Was Titus an apostate?

Some have stated that this verse clearly states that Demas, Crescens and Titus all departed from the faith.  The reason for this conclusion is based upon the phrase, "having loved this present world" (2 Tim. 4:10aa).  These individuals say that this phrase means that Demas was overtaken by the lusts of this world and pursued after them leaving this present world behind.  In addition they connect this phrase to Crescens and Titus as well, thus stating that they left their first love as well.

Others have taking this phrase to mean no more than Demas had to mind his worldly business.  Due to some economic difficult they conclude that Demas had to depart for Thessalonica to try to get himself back upon his feet again.  Then they do not connect this phrase to Crescens and Titus stating that they left for reasons not specified to us by the apostle.

I do not believe that Titus was an apostate.  I believe that Titus was sent to Dalmatia by the Apostle Paul himself.  Upon investigating the book of Romans you will take notice that Paul had been to Dalmatia preaching the gospel of Christ.  Dalmatia is a country in Europe, a part of Illyricum where the Apostle Paul cited that he ministered (Rom. 15:9).  Since there is no other evidence that Titus departed from the faith, Paul did not specify that Titus apsotatized and the fact that Paul had preached in the very area Titus was going I believe that Titus was sent by Paul to go and minister to a church or churches that he had planted in that region.

Theme of Titus

Paul left the well trained and gifted young leader in Crete for a very specific purpose.  Titus was divinely and authoritatively appointed as the leader for the church in Crete.  It is probable that the church in Crete was comprised of several small home churches just like the church at Ephesus.  So, just like Timothy it is presumable that Titus was a leader of leaders.  In the fifth verse of chapter one we get an idea of what the main responsibility Titus was to carry out and the main theme of this book, "Set things in order which are lacking" (Tit. 1:5).  This was a leadership letter instructing Titus how to set in order the things that were lacking at the church in Crete.  Throughout this book we will cover more detail of HOW Titus was instructed to bring order to the church.  The rally cry from the book of Titus is, "Order, Order in the church!"

Abaondement of Structure

There have been people in recent days that have called for an abadondment of any structure within the body of Christ.  These people have become so relationally focused that any mention of the word authority or structure seems to make them schemish.  Let me tell you that from practical experience that were there is no order there is chaos.  If the church does not have order than it is a church of chaos.  So Paul is calling for Titus to bring order to the church at Crete.

Paul has imparted an imparted biblical principle to Titus that the Christian church needs to be by necessity a church of structure and order.  As we embark upon this journey through the book of Titus together let's pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us how to properly order the church for the glory and honor of Christ, the head of the church (Eph. 5:23).

1.  MacAruthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1982. (accessed June 6, 2012).

Lesson 1 Study Questions

Lesson 6- Church Membership

Is it important to be a member of a local church?  What does it mean to be a faithful church member?  These are some of the questions that we addressed in lesson 6 on our Wednesday night study.

Sermon: Church Membership

Lesson 5- Evangelism

In chapter 5 we read what about a Biblical View of Evangelism.  Below you will find the link to my sermon on this topic.

Sermon: Evangelism

*You can also find the message on Berean's Podcast.  Go to iTunes and search Berean Baptist Church.

Lesson 3- The Gospel

This week we covered the gospel at our Bible Study.  There is nothing more enjoyable to preach on than the glorious gospel of Christ.  Below you will find a link to my Wednesday night sermon and a 3 minute video from Michael Horton describing exactly what the gospel is.

Sermon: The Gospel