Titus | Ch. 1
From Daniel's Desk on 1/8/20
My Title: Elder Qualifications!
My Verse: 10 - 11
"10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.""
My Response:
We NEED elders. Men that toe the line and require others to also. The gospel has plenty of enemies, clearest of all my own flesh, so appointing men to a position and authority to "rebuke sharply" those that would lie for shameful gain is entirely appropriate and necessary. Those that preach a false gospel must e silenced!
You will KNOW them by their works. - What are YOUR WORKS saying about you? Are they correctly defining and defending the true gospel? - Is YOUR LIFESTYLE compatible with the behavior that is commensurate with that qualified to be an elder? Are YOUR CHILDREN being raised to follow the Lord?
Ultimately the fruit in your life will be produced by the spirit inside you. Press into the Lord, ABIDE in Him and HE will work IN and THROUGH you to produce SUPERNATURAL FRUIT through you. You will experience God and you will become more like Christ. The more you press into the Lord, like a cookie cutter, the more all the other garbage will be removed like excess dough as you become more and more like the image of Christ. As you go about this process, disciple OTHERS to do the same and if you are appointed as an elder... BE READY TO CONFRONT THOSE THAT PREACH A FALSE GOSPEL. YOU DO NOT EARN GOD'S LOVE, HE OFFERS IT TO ALL.
My Notes:
Vs 1 - What is YOUR posture before God? Do you KNOW that you are a SERVANT... ARE you a servant? - Paul knew that He was.
Vs. 2 - Do you KNOW your HOPE? Eternal life. ETERNAL. LIFE. [Stop and think about that for a minute] God, WHO NEVER LIES, PROMISED THIS for those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior. (Which means you have to submit to Him as LORD to ACKNOWLEDGE Him as Savior and ACCEPT His FREE GIFT of GRACE.)
Vs. 3 - God's COMMANDED us to PREACH this gospel to the WORLD when we believe. (2 Cor. 5:17-18 If we understand reconciliation with God then we've been given the ministry of helping others to understand it too)
Vs. 4 - Paul understood Jesus to be God's Son and also part of the Godhead trinity. - Vs. 3 "By the COMMAND of God our Savior..." vs 4 " Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior." Jesus is God's Son, the born Messiah, but also God the Creator and Savior. Cool. Mind melting.
Qualifications for Elder:
Husband of ONE wife.
Children who are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
Must not be arrogant or quick tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
THERE ARE MANY who are insubordinate, EMPTY TALKERS and deceivers.
They PROFESS to KNOW God, but they DENY Him by their WORKS!