TITUS 1 (FIRST READING)
TITUS 1 (FIRST READING)
CAC It is striking that the apostle of Jesus Christ is spoken of as according to the faith of God’s elect. The faith of God’s elect was looked at as a subsisting verity and the mission of Paul was in accord with it.
Ques What does he mean by God’s elect?
CAC There are those in this world who have a certain character by God’s calling, and a faith peculiar to themselves. They are people able to recognise what is of God. It is hinted in another passage that you cannot deceive God’s elect (Matthew 24: 24).
Ques Is the faith of God’s elect the system of teaching believed and received by the elect?
CAC Yes, and the apostle was conscious that there was that which would answer to his ministry; he was apostle according to the faith of God’s elect. There was a company who would answer to what he presented; he presented Jesus Christ and there were those who would appreciate it.
Ques Is the faith of God’s elect a kind of standard?
CAC Yes, there are two things, faith and piety. All the apostle said was in perfect keeping with divine faith and piety.
Ques Does not faith involve a sovereign work of God?
CAC Yes, so it is spoken of here as the faith of God’s elect. They are not spoken of as believers, but God’s elect have a certain faith and all Paul presented was in perfect keeping with it. When the Lord presented Himself there [p. 312] was that in Him which was in keeping with a certain company in Israel; He was in perfect keeping with all that was in their hearts; they were His sheep.
Rem Our great idea of election is security, but the point is that God has a definite purpose in electing certain individuals.
CAC So you find in many of those who came across the Lord’s path for blessing there was a definite thought of Christ; they were looking out for that which could only be found in the Christ of God. That shewed they had the faith of God’s elect, so the Lord could say what their faith had done; their faith had saved them. The work of God in souls becomes a test of truth too; it is amazing in connection with ministry to see there are hearts in this world prepared to receive, to value and answer to it.
Ques Is the apostle presenting his credentials here?
CAC He is shewing the character of his ministry, and he brings in these two things, the faith of God’s elect and piety. His ministry was in perfect keeping with both. Piety is the maintenance of what is due to God.
Ques The result of ministry is tested by piety; does it lead to that?
CAC That is important. G.V.W. used to say, Do not tell me your sermons but shew me your pupils.
The ministry of Jesus Christ is according to faith; the elect are marked by that. You cannot put anything or anybody in place of Jesus Christ; He stands out pre-eminent in the faith of God’s elect; no substitute can be foisted on God’s elect. Then it is on the practical side that piety is to be maintained; all that is due to God in the daily life of men and women is to be maintained. The truth is according to piety. Every part of the truth is in keeping with a life that maintains all that is due to God. As the saints are maintaining piety there is power in giving forth the word. It is lack of piety that makes lack of power in the giving forth of the proclamation.
[p. 313] Ques Is the word the whole counsel of God or the gospel?
CAC It is the gospel, because Paul says it is manifested in the proclamation with which he was entrusted. It is the gospel that is proclaimed. While eternal life is still in this passage a matter of hope, something else has been manifested — the word. The word coming out is the present character of blessing.
Ques Is the thought of promise what was in Christ’s mind to bring in, not a promise made to any one as promises were made to Abraham?
CAC No, it was “before the ages of time”. You have the record of what transpired before the ages of time and in that way it becomes a promise. In Proverbs 8 you are carried back in a distinct way before the ages of time and there you find that men are in view for blessing, and you find that life is in view too. It shews the thought of good that was in the mind of God for men before men existed. Wisdom could say, “I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him... and my delights were with the sons of men”, Proverbs 8: 30, 31. Before the ages began to run their course God had in His mind eternal life. God had in view all that would come in of sin and death, and God had engaged Himself before the evil came in to meet it and bring in infinite good. If you think of what the history of this world has been, what a comfort it is to be in hope of what is in God’s mind — eternal life. He is going to bring it in.
Rem It all lies entirely outside the course of this world.
CAC Yes, God is going to break in upon the course of this world, He is going to change the course of things. What a change! To set aside death and Satan’s power.
Rem Death swallowed up in victory would refer to that.
CAC Yes, it gives one a wonderful thought [p. 314] of God that can be received and enjoyed now. Think of what God will actually bring in; He will publicly set aside everything that has been the result of Satan’s power. He makes Himself known in grace as the source of good for men. While this is all after a spiritual order now, it is in keeping with what will come in in the future. Eternal life is the measure of the good, if you can speak of measure where all is measureless. It is not the heavenly side of things, but it is the good that will be brought in for men on earth in the world to come, the good that the Old Testament Scriptures speak of in such detail.
These are very distinctive things — the faith of God’s elect, piety, the hope of eternal life, and the gospel. They refer to a time when all is in confusion, and outwardly there is the reign of sin and death. They come in as great spiritual realities, and you can see they necessitate a moral order in the midst of confusion and degradation. The epistle is taken up with the establishment of this moral order according to God while as yet outward conditions are unchanged. We see a people redeemed from all lawlessness, living “soberly, and justly, and piously in the present course of things” (chapter 2: 12). In view of this the assemblies were all to be ordered, elders were to be established, and everything put in order.
Ques It is interesting how the thought of a Saviour is brought in. Is the thought of salvation the first step towards the realisation of eternal life?
CAC Yes, it is deliverance from the present course of this world.
Rem Paul wants to establish them on that step. We cannot have much appreciation of another course of things if we are still connected with the present one, so the thought of God as a Saviour is brought in in order that we might be delivered.
CAC I suppose the hope of eternal life would have a [p. 315] most delivering effect; if the coming in of eternal life were in view, it would put us out of touch with the present order of things.
Ques Is the “blessed hope” the appearing? (Chapter 2: 13).
CAC Yes, eternal life will come in publicly when that glory appears.
Rem We used to connect the blessed hope with the rapture.
CAC I think saints have been hindered by having so much in view the thought of going to heaven. What Scripture is so full of is what God is going to bring into this world. He is going to have a people in heaven according to His counsel of blessedness, but He will not allow the history of this world to close without an answer in blessing to every evil that the enemy brought in. God will bring in a triumphant answer so that He will be vindicated and glorified by what He does on earth. It is highly important to keep this before us. The elect belong in spirit to that order of things; they are looking for an entirely new world to come in. It is very important that christians should be in advance of the times. People sometimes think of us as behind the times, but a christian is really in advance of the times. We are “awaiting the... appearing of the glory of our great God”; if His glory appears it brings in every good. The coming out of His glory has an, important place in Scripture; only one scripture speaks specifically of the rapture, but a number of scriptures speak of the coming out. Then in the mean time God is vindicating Himself by the character of things that appear among His saints: that is the exercise for us. It is all very well for us to speak of God vindicating Himself in the future, but He is doing it now. His present vindication is the character of things that is maintained here.
Ques Do you mean, by our living soberly, righteously,
[p. 316] and piously? We either adorn the doctrine or bring dishonour on it; the character of God is at stake.
CAC As to the gospel we have the privilege of speaking a good word for God, but the man who does it must have practical credentials. If he is not maintaining practically what is for God there is no power. Paul desired the Thessalonians to be established in “every good word and work”.