Week twelve: Titus 3.13-15 THE WORKS
By Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.
COPYRIGHT 2004
13 Bring Zenas the
lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto
them.
I won't tell any stories about lawyers, because I'm sure
they have a multitude of theologian jokes that they would love to send my way,
but suffice it to say, that Paul saw benefit to lawyers. I guess the surprise
is that Zenas must have been an itinerant lawyer of some sore to be able to
just pick up and go at the apostle’s request.
Not sure, given the growing antichristian climate in the
world that this might not be a possible ministry for our own present age; someone
that could go place to place giving assistance to people that are in need.
Zenas means Jupiter, while Apollos means "given by
Apollo." Zenas was a lawyer, which may be a lawyer or one that knows the
law, but it can also denote a man that works with and teaches the Old Testament
law. (The Net Bible note feels that he was a civil lawyer.) Tradition suggests
that he was "one of the seventy disciples of Christ, and afterwards bishop
of Diospolis."
We know a little more about Apollos. He is introduced in
Acts 18.24ff as a Jew from Alexandrea (
He was an itinerant preacher and recommended by the
brethren. He is mentioned as one of the leaders in
To have been thus viewed, he must have been an exceptional
communicator as was Paul. Both must have been striking men to know and sit
under while they preached.
In I Cor. 16.12 Apollos is shown to be in compliance with
Paul's wishes for his travels. A good preacher, eloquent, a good minister of
the Word and a good cooperating servant with Paul.
One brief side note about Apollos might be that he was
teaching wrong doctrine as a disciple of the Baptist, yet we have no indication
that he was condemned by anyone. We are told that others took him under their
wing to properly teach him.
As we go through life, if you run into someone that is
teaching false doctrine, speak to them and attempt to teach them correctly. If
they will not admit to their error, then there might be basis for discipline,
as we have seen, but if they are accepting of correction and proper teaching,
then do so and be sure it is not in a condemning manner.
It is suggested that Titus is to bring these men with
him. Either they were with Titus on
Some suggest, on the other hand, that these two were
traveling from the north and heading via
Gill says that the Syriac Bible has a postscript to
Colossians that mentions it was being sent by Zenas and Apollos thus indicating
they were with Paul and it might be possible that they also were carrying this
letter to Titus on their way to a final destination.
Keathley holds to the thought that the two were carrying
the letter to Titus as part of their journey on past
"Diligent" not only has the idea of "be
sure you do it" but also the idea of quickness about the task as well as
earnestness in the task.
There is one element that is quite clear in this passage.
Diligence. When you are involved in the Lord's work, be diligent. Don't allow
all things to come before your service to God, but allow all things to become
subservient to your service to God.
Servanthood is an option to the believer, in that God
does not force servanthood. Servanthood is the command, and it is up to us as
individuals to place ourselves in that position. Christ bought us and we are
His property, whether we act like it or not.
One that is not "serving" God should consider
the ramifications of deciding not to do what they are told in the Word. If
SERVING is commanded, and you do not, then you are walking in sin. If walking
in sin, you cannot have the full blessing of God. If walking in sin, you cannot
have an adequate and proper relationship to the Spirit. If you do not relate
properly to the Spirit, you cannot have proper leading and guidance from Him.
Just how proper can your life be? I trust you will amend your decision quickly
so that you can be right with God. There are a lot of other ramifications if
you want to consider them.
There is a priority in life that must be maintained. God
first, family second, employer or occupation third. There are many marriages -
Christian marriages, where one partner places occupation above the other two
and splits the couple. This is wrong and should be corrected.
God must come first in everyone’s life in the family, and
then the family and occupation will come into proper perspective.
Be diligent in your visitation; don't allow a minor
headache to keep you home to watch TV.
Be diligent in your teaching; don't allow a busy schedule
to rob your students of proper preparation.
Be diligent in your cleaning of the church; don't decide
that someone else will clean it up.
BE DILIGENT!
Gill goes to some lengths with the thought of good works.
He runs with the fact that this can be translated "honest trades" and
comments to the thought of a father's need to teach a son a trade, as was the
custom of the day. He does then go on to give emphasis to the idea of
"good works" as they are normally understood.
14 And let ours
also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not
unfruitful.
Again, those good works! The good works are linked with
unfruitfulness. We need to understand that we are believers on this earth to be
fruitful. Now, some relegate this fruitfulness to soul winning, and that if you
aren't a soul winner, then you are unfruitful. No, soul winning is not the only
fruit that you can bear. Here good works are tied to fruitfulness.
Paul elsewhere mentions that he wants to have fruit among
a group and it has the idea of teaching or preaching. Philip. 4.17 shows giving
to be a fruit. "Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may
abound to your account." Rom. 1.13 is written to believers and Paul
desires to have fruit among them clearly showing that fruit is not
"only" soulwinning. "Now I would not have you ignorant,
brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,)
that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other
Gentiles."
Fruit is the requirement. The type of fruit is up to the
individual, their gifts and God's leading. If God leads you to witness to
someone, and you refuse, then you have been unfruitful.
Bear fruit for your Lord!
"Let ours also learn" is of interest. It would
seem that linked with verse thirteen, that Paul is encouraging Titus to see to
it that Zenas, Apollos, and others, keep up their good works. Not only this,
but since Paul used the term "learn" it would seem that some had not
learned to maintain good works.
This might have application to multiple staff churches
where they encourage one another into good works. Not to miss, the fact that
all believers should be encouraging each other to good works.
15 All that are
with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace [be] with you
all. Amen.
"All" would indicate a real union of character,
of thought, of purpose. The type of thing that a local assembly should have.
"Salute thee" pictures it is not wrong to bring
attention to the work that individuals are doing. Bringing pride and glory is
wrong; however giving attention to the work of another Christian is not wrong.
It may even detract from your own work for a time, but it is something that you
should do.
I have seen many pastors that are very unwilling to open
their pulpit and congregations to missionaries. They feel that the pulpit is
THEIR'S to use! Feeble is the flock that does not have diversity of messengers.
Christians need to be challenged with the work of the world.
The church is the place that we need to be hearing what
is going on around the world, it is a place where we should be finding
challenge, and it is a place where we should be trained for the work. One man
can do it in the pulpit, but a multitude of men can make for a much better
vision for the people.
I once heard a radio program and the preacher was
relating that people pay big money to go to football games. He related that
they paid that money to see the action, to see the excitement, to see the
victory, not to see the huddle.
The huddle is needed, but the huddle is not the
spectacle. If you huddle quickly or neatly or circumspectly it is not of
interest to the paid viewer. The action is the spectacle!
The preacher then related this to the church. We are
huddles all over the world. The huddle of the church where we pump each other
up with things we've heard many times before - it is not where the action is,
the action is during the week. The victory of the church is not in the huddle,
but in the world where we fight the opposing team - the forces of the devil.
You could take this analogy further. The huddle is where
strategy is planned, where action is planned, and planned well. What strategy
or planning do we have in the churches today? What planning do we have to get
the players out on the field Monday morning?
Most pastors are more interested in feeding the flock,
fleecing the flock, and funing the flock. WE
The final words of the letter are indication of the
general recipients of the churches at Crete, not to just Titus alone. "Greet
them that love us in the faith. Grace [be] with you all."
APPLICATION:
1. Paul uses the term "salute" in relation to
greetings between believers. Salute can mean embrace, though that isn't the
thought here. I would like to consider greetings between believers for a while.
I have been known to ask a class if they believe in
literal interpretation of the Scripture. Of course all agreed. I would then ask
if they REEEALLLLYYY believed in the literal interpretation of the Word. Again,
all agreed. Then I would read one of the following verses.
Rom. 16.16 "Salute one another with an holy kiss.
The churches of Christ salute you."
I Cor. 16.20 "All the brethren greet you. Greet ye
one another with an holy kiss."
II Cor. 13.12 "Greet one another with an holy
kiss."
I Thess. 5.26 "Greet all the brethren with an holy
kiss."
Paul reiterated this four times in his writings. There
must have been something in it that he wanted believers to get. Do you suppose
that he wanted them to greet one another with a holy kiss? Yes, in our society
it might not be a wise greeting, though I am not so sure that we should allow
an amoral, homosexual accepting society to dictate our greetings.
At the least, we ought to greet one another with as much
love, concern and honesty as with an holy kiss. This would be something a
little different from the usual, "How's it goin?" or the "How ya
doin?" that we usually get out when we see another believer.
I have used the illustration before that I used to walk
the halls of our church - one Sunday I would greet everyone that I met, and all
would respond with a greeting. The next Sunday I would greet no one and no one
would greet me. Having done this many times I know that it wasn't just a fluke,
but a natural and normal problem. Now, that isn't saluting another believer,
and it is certainly not showing the love and concern that a holy kiss would
communicate.
Years ago we were picking our son up at a Bible camp
where he had been ministering. The camp was being used by a very conservative
group that greeted one another with a "holy kiss" on the cheek. I
could see on their faces the joy of seeing one another when they came up to
greet one another.
What a different face we might put on the church if we
were to somehow grow to like, enjoy and look forward to spending time with
other believers, and then communicate this by our greetings. By greetings, I
think you know I am not talking about how we greet one another during the
"GREETING TIME" either. (Don't suppose those two are related do you
:-)
How might we foster this closeness of believers?
a. By fostering times of togetherness. Having pot lucks
is good. Having smaller get together groups should help. Have a "surprise
guest" time each week. (Everyone signs up, and someone else pairs up the
couples.)
Work days can foster "togetherness" as well.
b. Having special day get togethers. Valentine’s Day, Labor
Day etc. Make these inexpensive or free so all can participate.
c. Start hobby type fellowships. Electric train people,
airplane people, exercisers, bikers etc. Be sure to mix them up now and then.
d. Do you suppose preaching from the word on how to
relate to one another might work? A series on "One Another People"
might get things rolling. Maybe a study or two or three on great friendships in
the Bible. Maybe a series on the "holy kiss" would be a good start.
e. Foster unity of purpose in the church so that all are
going the same direction.
f. The leadership should "Lead" maybe - this
would be a tremendous asset - for the people to see some genuine concern from
the leaders.
g. Encouraging believers to gather around people that are
in trouble or that has lost a loved one. Death and trouble tend to open a
person to feelings they usually lock up. When they are open to feelings and
they see someone responding it can be a powerful message. It also will open up
feelings in the other person as well.
Actually, just being "One Another People" will
do the trick. Just do a search for the references containing "one
another" and take a slow read through the contexts and see how we are
supposed to be treating one another.
We have not been taught these things in most churches.
2. The idea of Christians being hospitable has been
covered in some of my studies, so if you have heard it before, skip to the next
point of application.
Hospitality is one of the great lackings of the church
today. It is also one of the great privileges a believer has, and it is also
one of the great sources of blessing to the believer.
I will dwell again on the lack of hospitality shown to
missionaries that are on the road in this country. I will specify that I have
knowledge of only the western part of our country, but I suspect it is true
country wide. Missionaries are often on their own for housing and meals between
meetings.
It is rather normal to give them a meal before or after
the meeting, but other than that, duty is fulfilled. I was on the road for
nearly five years and most of the time I was on my own for meals and housing
between meetings.
Indeed, I had very few that offered either food or
housing. I seldom knew from one meeting to the next whether I would have a meal
before moving on and only once was I expected to stay overnight. In that case
there had been no mention of staying, so I had planned a visit some distance
away for early the next morning.
There are some churches however that take the truth of
this verse to heart. I arrived at a missions conference in
Hospitality relates to how we treat people visiting our
churches, it relates to how we treat people that come into our homes, and it
relates to how we treat people in general. We need to be very careful to be as
hospitable as we can to all people.
We live in a multi-racial neighborhood and when we first
moved in, there were some that started borrowing tools, asking for help with
bike repairs, etc. I can't say that my attitude was always as gracious as it
should have been, but I always helped as I could.
The results of this interaction were quite evident one
day. Our garage had been decorated with graffiti and I had been out cleaning it
off which was a time-consuming job. One of the prime borrowers and his brothers
knocked on our door and apologized for the tagging. They said "It was some
of our friends and when they said they tagged your garage we told them they
shouldn't have done that cuz you are a good guy!"
Our hospitality can make a difference in how we are
perceived. I have lost a couple of hand tools to the borrowing, but it was a
good investment.
Hospitality is not only a good work, but it is a work
that the church dearly needs to involve itself with, for the believer’s sake as
well as the sake of the lost.
3. Keathley sees two characteristics of Paul in these
closing comments. He sees the fact that Paul was a team player. Even though he
was an apostle, even though he had direct revelation from the Lord and even
though he had the ultimate authority on earth at the time, he chose to surround
himself with able men to assist him in his ministry. He did not go it alone as
so many preachers of today. He chose good men and used their gifts to the
utmost, rather than to stifle those around him.
Further he sees that Paul used every day occurrences to
stimulate believers to doing what they should spiritually. Here he uses two
travelers as a reminder to hospitality and caring for other believers.
4. These final letters of Paul's should be a large
challenge to church leaders. He thought the things contained within them to be
important enough to commit a lot of time to their creation rather than take
time for other things.
Leaders, I trust that you will take a lot of time to
understand the implications of these pastoral letters for your life as well as
the life of your church.
Imagine if you will, just following these Pastoral
Epistles in pursuit of Godliness. What a shift in the church we would see if
church leaders started applying these principles to their churches. What a
shift in the congregations we would see if lay people started to live by these
same principles.
5. Just an observation - here we have a lawyer and a
preacher traveling together. No, I am not going to find a joke in that
situation. These two are probably at least comfortable with one another as
believers. How do professionals today view preachers? Do preachers have the
respect that they deserve? Do preachers respect the professional as they ought?
Is there a mutual goal between the preachers and professionals?
The spiritual leader in a congregation must be the
spiritual leader of all in the congregation, not just the non-professionals.
This is not a condemnation of preachers or professionals, just asking questions
- are these relationships correct in your church? On the other hand, are
professionals involved enough in the church for the preacher to build a
relationship with? Are there wrong feelings between the two groups?
It isn't impossible that the preacher could wonder at the
high salary/living of the professional. It is not impossible that the
professional might look down on the "poor" preacher.
In fact these final verses tend to point out the good
relationship, the closeness and the respect between an apostle, the man with
the most authority in the church at the time, and the lowest of Christians. We
will see in the next lesson the apostle even had a good, close and helpful
relationship with a servant.
A church leader should never be standoffish to the people
he serves. The pastor should always be on common ground with the lowest and the
highest of his congregation and all those between. We are all common people
before God. We all were lost sinners before He graciously touched our lives for
Himself.
So often I have seen a pastor and his board make
decisions that the congregation would never have desired and implement the
ramifications of those decisions without any input, concern or respect for the
congregation.
6. In verse fourteen Paul adds a little phrase that
deserves some thought. "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for
necessary uses"
First of all we are to learn to maintain works. It is a
learned process, not something that is natural. How will people learn if they
are not taught - pastors/teachers think on those things awhile - many are the
pastor that is disgusted with a non-working congregation - have they been
taught?
Secondly, they are to maintain - continue on in good
works. It isn't a, "this month is good works month" thought that
would be better than nothing, but it is continuing from this point forward to
do good works.
Thirdly, we are to do the good works.
And fourthly, this is the phrase I wanted to think about
- "for necessary uses." What in the world did Paul add that for? What
was in the back of his mind when he added those words? What situation of life
was prompting him to clarify the "let ours also learn to maintain good
works" - was it a specific situation in
The preposition "for" may give us a clue. It is
rather like the phrase the lexicon uses to illustrate this usage. On a poster
it says, "Jesse James wanted for robbery." This can be taken two
ways. Either James is wanted so that he can commit a robbery for us, or the
better usage, James is wanted because he has robbed.
In the phrase "for necessary uses" there are two
ways to view it. Maintain good works for, or to get, salvation is one way, but
this is against all of Scripture and especially this context, so the other
meaning, maintain good works for necessary uses, is the preferred and correct.
Paul may have been making this distinction to be sure no
one thought he wanted to see works tied to salvation. He may also have had
another thought in mind.
Are there good works that are not necessary? I suspect
so. I personally feel many things today classified as "Christian"
works are unnecessary. Today I received an email ad for a "Christian"
debt counseling service. Now, this business seems to be questionable at best,
to me, but some might think it a valid "Christian" work. The thing
that caught my eye was the subject line, "Jesus saves and so can
you."
Personal opinion here - that is sacrilegious, improper,
and obnoxious to me. How can one relate the free salvation that Christ died on
the cross for to saving money, which in itself may be unbiblical in view of a number
of New Testament passages concerning laying up stores etc.?
That would class as a good work that is not necessary in
my book. We might mention "Christian" dating services, though I can
see the desire of a believer to find other believers to date, but can't this be
accomplished for free by going to church?
We are becoming the world folks. We want it all - every
smidgen of the world, we want to "Christianize" so we can have it to.
No matter it is right, wrong, or logical, we want what the world has and we are
going to do it by just tacking on the term "Christian."
I suspect there are many good works that are done that
really aren't necessary - and probably by this definition not "good
works" so we ought to consider how we do things and what works we involve
ourselves in.
Some principles to consider:
a. Is this work going to make me feel good, or bring
about good for someone else?
b. Is this work going to benefit God in any way?
c. Is this work necessary or is it something that I want to
do?
d. Is this work for God's glory or my own?
e. Is this work going to be beneficial to the other
person?
f. Is this work a necessity that really needs to be done?
g. Is this work to fulfill a guilt need?
I think the point has been made.
7. The next phrase in that verse is "that they be
not unfruitful." Note must be made that this phrase breaks Christianity
into two categories of believer. Fruitful and unfruitful. To be fruitful you
must do good works, if you do no good works you are unfruitful.
I made the point that soul winning is not the criteria by
which fruit is measured, but I did not make the point that good works are fruit
and lack of good works is being unfruitful.
Can Paul make it any more plain and clear than that? Christian,
if you sit in the pew week after week not doing anything in the church, if you
sit in front of the television set all week and do nothing, you are an
unfruitful servant.
Now, at this point - BE AFRAID - the Scriptures are
rather clear on this. In John we have a teaching that is seldom given to
congregations. I am going to quote a lot more than the needed text just because
it is a fantastic passage ending in one of the neatest thoughts of Scripture
aside from salvation itself.
John 15.1-14 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the
husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye
[are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast
[them] into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in
my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I
have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have
I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might
be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved
you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
I trust that you get the picture. We abide in Christ if
we are believers. If we abide not in Christ, we aren't his and will be cast out
and burned according to verses five and six. Now, back up to verse two we see
that if a branch bears no fruit it is taken away. If it bears fruit it is
pruned so that it will bear more fruit. Now, think. What is the result of a branch
being taken away - this is a Christian that bears no fruit - taken away. Not
burned, not thrown away just "taken away."
Now, to me the only logical expression of this passage is
that there are three classes of people in view. There are unfruitful Christians,
there are fruitful Christians and there are non-Christians. The non-Christians
are taken away and burned, the fruitful Christians are purged/pruned, and the
unfruitful Christians are taken away. Seems clear to me that physical death is
the result for a believer that is not involved in good works. I have considered
this passage for years and there seems no clearer teaching to me to come out of
this passage.
If you are not involved in good works, you are
unfruitful, and you may well be taken home lest you be an embarrassment to your
Savior.
I think good works are good. And while we are doing them,
we should be sure they are necessary. Humm, I wonder if we have found a third
possible explanation of Paul's added phrase "good works for necessary uses."