BUILT TO LAST: THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF HOLINESS
Charles Billingsley
Introduction to Titus:
The name Titus means honorable. He lived up to his name.
Crete – 170 miles long and only 35 miles wide. Very mountainous. Isolated villages. Not an easy place to get around. But also not an easy place to minister. The Cretan culture had a bad reputation. And a lot of that had begun to filter it’s way in to the church.
But over time, things started to take a wrong turn.
Titus 1:10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
This book is all about order. Order in the church – among the believers. Specifically in 3 areas.
Chapter 1 – Order in Leadership
Chapter 2 – Order in Discipleship
Chapter 3 – Order in Stewardship
Titus 1
Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth
which accords with godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching,
which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking,and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
Because in God’s eyes:
Character matters more than charisma
Integrity matters more than popularity
6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
What is that one quality they must all possess?
A consistent and relentless pursuit of holiness.
How we behave should model what we believe.
And what we believe should mandate how we behave.
Set your life in order
How do we do this? With a relentless pursuit of Holiness
This requires work.
To order our lives we must pursue of life of holiness.
Lexus Illustration:
The relentless pursuit of perfection is an inspiring slogan for building a great car.
the relentless pursuit of holiness is the life changing formula for building a great life.
The relentless pursuit of holiness requires:
1. Discipline
Discipline in what?
- in our thoughts
- in our actions
2. Discipleship
In sound doctrine – 1:9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
- In accountability
The pursuit of holiness will result in:
1. Purity – vs. 15
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
- in our thoughts
- in our actions
2. Authenticity
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
- in our motives – why we do things
- In out methods – how we do things
“Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.” – Augustine
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