Titus 3:14 (ESV)
And let our people learn to devote themselves
to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
No matter how
controversial the early Christians were, no matter how many enemies they made
because of their abstinence from temple worship, they still had a job to do,
and it was urgent. The early Christian communities lived their just life
outwardly. They gave generously to the shared purse, and used their resources
to feed the poor. Acts says there were no poor among them. The radical
generosity of the early communities was unheard of at the time. They grew
quickly as many of the poor and marginalized came to them for aide. This was
their testimony of the coming Kingdom. They preached a Saviour and Lord other
than Caesar (who called himself by both titles), and showed the people that
they could be provided for outside of the "Pax Romana".
The warning and
command in this passage is to avoid controversies and arguments within the
community. They had a purpose, to actively demonstrate the generous and just
Kingdom. Arguments over minor points of doctrine would only serve to distract
the community from its very important task, for which many were urgently
needing them.
The radical
generosity of the early church was to be distributed as universally as the
gospel itself. Paul reminds Titus that they themselves were completely unworthy
of the grace given by Jesus. God has been generous to them, though they were
entirely corrupt. Therefore, our actions and generosity toward people are not
bases on their worthiness or righteousness. We are agents of his divine
unconditional love. We cannot judge. Freely we have received. Freely we give.
Titus 3:4-8 (ESV)
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness
of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus
Christ our Saviour, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become
heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I
want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may
be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and
profitable for people.
This generosity
extends to the previous verses at the beginning of this chapter and the end of
Titus 2. The Romans were persecuting the early Christians, often to the death.
Many of them were enslaved by Rome. Paul himself was a political prisoner. They
subverted the practices of Rome by refusing to worship the Caesar or sacrifice
in the local temples. If anyone should deserve the hatred and rebellion of the
early Christians, it was the government of Rome and the systems it represented.
But Paul says that the generosity offered to us in forgiveness and redemption
is to be offered by us freely to all.
Titus 3:1-2 (ESV)
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and
authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid
quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy towards all people.
Instead of open
rebellion in the face of a contrary empire, they were to look for opportunities
to do good works. They were to generously bless the authorities that sought to
kill them. This instruction echoes Jesus words in Luke about loving our
enemies.
Luke 6:27-31 (ESV)
“But I say to you who hear, Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28
bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who
strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away
your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from
you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as
you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Many of the early
Christians went to their grave at the hands of the agents of the empire they
had refused to hate. This demonstrates the truly radical inclusion of the
gospel. We who were enemies of God have been accepted. Therefore we will now
live justly in an unjust world. We will live in unity in a world defined by self-interest.
We will give generously to all without condition or reservation. We will love
our enemies even to the death.
At the centre of it
all is the gospel of Jesus, who sets us free and enables us to live the new
world from the inside out.
Read Titus 3
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