Titus 3 – The quick ticket out

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As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. – Titus 3:10-11 (ESV)

Warped. A word you use to describe someone who paints their bedroom black. Not a word we use to describe a person who stirs up trouble.

At Titus' church you a couple of shots at showing unity before you're shown the door. It is important to get along.

Titus 2 – The favorite teacher

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in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned – Titus 2:7-8 (ESV)

This passage is weird because it doesn’t emphasize funny anecdotes or compelling stories in teaching. You can get a lot of good comments if you tell a good joke in your message.

It is rare for someone to comment on a message using words like integrity or dignity. Hopefully that isn't because such adjectives aren't appropriate for the messages that are given.

Titus 1 - Being pure

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To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure - Titus 1:15 (ESV)

Often we see good and evil in defined actions: you help an elderly person across the street (good), you trip them as they walk away (evil). Certainly our actions demonstrate evil, even if our lips say something different. But looking only at the surface of things does not see the inner attitude; the rationale for why we act a certain way is still obscured.

Tim Keller says this regarding idolatry:

The Bible does not consider idolatry to be one sin among many (and a rare sin found only among primitive people). Rather, all our failures to trust God wholly or to live rightly are at root idolatry—something we make more important than God. There is always a reason for a sin. Under our sins are idolatrous desires.

This means that every Boy or Girl Scout needs Christ. Our actions don’t recommend us to God. Here Paul is talking to Titus about people that are leading others astray. Their impure intentions taint the obedience they are trying to solicit. They may help the elderly get through a busy intersection, but yet they do for themselves, not to glorify God.

Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers - review

Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers by John Owen (or you can buy an updated version here) is a classic that was originally written in 1656. I pursued this book because of a review being done by a friend of mine and for a message that I recently gave. It was a helpful, Christ-centered way of seeing how sin is mortified in the life of the believer.

Here are some snippets from a chapter that really intrigued me concerning the consoling peace we often give ourselves concerning sin:

In case God disquiet the heart about the guilt of its distempers, either in respect of its root and indwelling, or in respect of any eruptions of it, take heed thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul.

When men are wounded by sin, disquieted and perplexed, and knowing that there is no remedy for them but only in the mercies of God, through the blood of Christ, do therefore look to him, and to the promises of the covenant in him, and thereupon quiet their hearts that it shall be well with them, and that God will be exalted, that he may be gracious to them, and yet their souls are not wrought to the greatest detestation of the sin or sins upon the account whereof they are disquieted, — this is to heal themselves, and not to be healed of God.

Whoever speaks peace to himself upon any one account, and at the same time hath another evil of no less importance lying upon his spirit, about which he hath had no dealing with God, that man cries “Peace” when there is none.

And some final considerations:

Consider his mercifulness, tenderness, and kindness, as he is our great High Priest at the right hand of God. Assuredly he pities thee in thy distress; saith he, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you,” Isa. lxvi. 13.

Consider His faithfulness who hath promised; which may raise thee up and confirm thee in this waiting in an expectation of relief. He hath promised to relieve in such cases, and he will fulfill his word to the utmost.

The Reformed Pastor - review

The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter is a classic (first published in 1656) that still has great insight for ministry today. I have read this book before, and now I have listened to it as I traveled around. The eight hours plugged into my mp3 player could scarcely have been better spent. This is one of those books that you read every year or two.

Here is some of the wisdom that Baxter brings on Acts 20 and the pastoral duty:

Let us set before us the pattern in our text and learn thence our duty. O what a lesson is here before us! But how ill is it learned by those who still question whether these things be their duty! I confess, some of these words of Paul have been so often presented before my eyes, and impressed upon my conscience, that I have been much convinced by them of my duty and my neglect. And I think this one speech better deserveth a twelve month’s study, than most things that young students spend their time upon. O brethren! write it on your study doors – set it in capital letters as your copy, that it may be ever before your eyes. Could we but well learn two or three lines of it, what preachers should we be!

[a] Our general business – Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears.

[b] Our special work – Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock.

[c] Our doctrine – Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

[d] The place and manner of teaching – I have taught you publicly and from house to house.

[e] His diligence, earnestness, and affection – I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. This is that which must win souls, and preserve them.

[f] His faithfulness – I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, and have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

[g] His disinterestedness and self-denial for the sake of the gospel – I have coveted no man’s silver or gold or apparel: yea these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

[h] His patience and perseverance – None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus.

[i] His prayerfulness – I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

[j] His purity of conscience – Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men.

Five Views on Law and Gospel - review

Five Views on Law and Gospel edited by Stanley Gundry (series editor) places five different views of how the biblical Christian looks at the relationship between the Law and the Gospel. The authors in this volume are: Willem A VanGemeren (non-theonomic Reformed), Greg Bahnsen (theonomic Reformed), Walter Kaiser (called 'evangelical' because there isn't another good label to put on his view), Wayne Strickland (Dispensational), and Douglas Moo (a modified Lutheran position).

Well, it took me a while to get through this book. In fact, I wouldn't have done it except a friend of mine told me to just read the last argument (Moo) and I would be fine. So I finished it off.

This is thick reading at times. They really do go after some of the finer points of the OT Law and how it applies to the Christian. Each author formulates their argument differently. Sometimes the responses rabbit trail. But it was helpful, even if it was a bit of work for me to finish off.

Ministering to the Mourning - review

Ministering to the Mourning by Warren and David Wiersbe, is a practical guide for the Christian minister in dealing with death.

Wiersbe and Wiersbe give a rather broad assessment of dying. They start with a biblical assessment then turning to look at death from the perspective of physicians, funeral directors, and other caregivers, while discussing how Americans see death as a culture. The authors then give solid, practical wisdom on what the pastor should consider and do when someone dies.

This is an excellent book; highly recommended for anyone who deals with death on a somewhat regular basis. The annotated bibliography is very helpful as are the ideas for actually performing the various types of funerals one may run across. This is an extremely valuable addition to any pastoral library.