This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Be careful! That was two words I heard a lot growing up. It wasn’t that I was accident prone, or clumsy. It just seemed as if my parents, and especially my grandmother loved to tell me to be careful, no matter what I was getting ready to do. I could get into the car to drive three hundred yards to the store, and my grandmother would always find herself to tell me, “be careful.” Even today, when I visit my parents, often before I leave their house, my grandmother still tells me to be careful.
Has someone said those words to you before? Of course they have. And, to be honest about it, there were definitely times that you needed to hear it. The bad thing about hearing someone say to be careful is when you hear it, but then ignore it.
Why do you suppose that anyone would ever find it important to say those words to you? Why is it that someone would ever take the time to utter those two words to you? Sometimes it could be that you were doing something where there was a level of danger involved, and so someone told you to be careful so that you could avoid injury. Maybe it was because there could be a reward for being careful, kind of like the teacher telling the student to be careful and check their work before turning it in so they could get a better grade. That is one case where I never heeded the warning. The truth is, people tell you to be careful because they care about you.
Listen, that very act of being careful is geared toward a purpose. When you see another person who is approaching something with care, what kind of thought do you have about them? Is that person demonstrating maturity, or immaturity? Think about it this way. If you saw an older person, and then you saw a younger person, and you were given the words careful and careless, which word would you ascribe to Sherri, and which one would you ascribe to Noah? Carefulness is something that you attribute to maturity. The reason that you are admonished to carefulness is because it brings about maturity.
How about this question? What would cause you to not be careful? It could be a lack of belief. You just refuse to believe there is any benefit to being careful. Rebellion could be another thing that would cause you to ignore someone telling you to be careful. There are some people that when you warn them of dangers, and advise them to be careful, they seemingly ignore the warnings. It just aggravates them to no end for another person to give them advice, and so there is jus no way they are going to take it. In all, refusing to be careful when someone admonishes you to do so is a response of immaturity.
With that in mind, are you a careful Christian? If it came down to it, what word would describe your Christian life? Would it be careful or careless? Just how careful are you as a Christian?
When Paul wrote his letter to Titus, he was addressing several problems that existed in the churches in Crete. You might say that this was a church that was careless and immature. They had a lack of organization. There were several in the church that opposed true doctrine. God’s word could be preached, but they refused to heed it. They held on to ungodly principles rather than God’s Word. There were some men who were causing divisions over certain things for the purpose of personal gain. The very act of sin stems from a desire to please self over that of pleasing God. All of these actions demonstrate an attitude of carelessness. It shows the immaturity of a church to have these problems running rampant through the church body. So, Paul admonished the people of Crete to be careful.
Listen, God desires for the church, and for us as individual believers to be careful. I would like to give you four things, plus some application principles, as we look at the message, “Be Careful; Giving proper thought to what is important to God.”
Before we get into the message, we need to define what being careful means. In the Greek language, the word translated here as “be careful” means to exercise thought. This Greek word in this case is in what is called the subjunctive mood, the present tense, and in an active voice. To put that very simply, being careful means to make the exercise of thoughtfulness a permanent condition of active thinking. Literally, it means to think about something all of the time. Make this a habit of your mind.
O.K. preacher, what do we need to be thinking about? Notice with me these four things.
First, we need to be careful, or thoughtful, concerning the command to do good works. Notice with me in verse 8, “be careful to maintain good works.” That is not difficult to understand. In fact, a large portion of God’s word is not difficult to understand. The majority of our problems do not come from not understanding God’s word. I like what Mark Twain said about this. He said that it was not what he didn’t understand in the Bible that troubled him, but it was the things he understood. The very thing that gives us the most problems is simply being disobedient to God’s word.
Look at the command. “Maintain good works.” There is a word that is key in this command. Notice the word “maintain.” When we think about the word maintain, we normally think about holding or keeping something in a particular state. That is not what the word means in the original language.
The word maintain in the Greek literally means to take the lead or stand before. It is in the infinitive mood, which is like the Energizer Bunny; it keeps going and going and going. It is also in the middle voice. By middle voice, it means the importance or the attention of the person standing is being placed on another person. That means that maintaining does not serve to benefit self through works, but that they should benefit the other person. What Paul is saying is to take the lead to benefit another person. Take the initiative to benefit another person. Always keep standing for the benefit of another person. It is the idea of being an unselfish servant.
Well preacher, that’s great to hear, but how does that really apply to me? Do you remember the words, “be careful?” Do you remember how that they mean to make the exercise of thoughtfulness a permanent condition? When you have that mindset toward doing good works, then it becomes the difference maker. The application is simple. You should always be thinking about how you can use your resources and your position to help others, not self.
By taking the lead, going first, and standing before does not mean an attitude of forcefulness. Remember that the idea is that of being a servant. The big idea is don’t make it a habit of needing someone to tell you what needs to be done. Thoughtfully be looking around, see the need, and then fill it.
The logical question that should be going through your mind is, just what classifies as a good work? If you follow the principles of the entire letter to Titus, you are doing a good work. If you hold leaders to high standards as seen in chapter 1, it is a good work. When older Christians instruct younger Christians as seen in chapter 2, it is a good work. When believers live a life of holiness as seen in chapter 2, it is a good work. When husbands and wives function together as they should in love as seen in chapter 2, it is a good work. When we submit to the proper authorities as seen in chapter 3, it is a good work.
But what else qualifies as a good work? Every command or Christian principle taught in Scripture is classified as a good work. Preaching and teaching the word of God as seen in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 is a good work. Why, because of the idea found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. God’s word serves to furnish you with knowledge to do good works. Rebuking and restoring an errant Christian as seen in James 5: 19-20 is a good work. Why? It is because it serves to bring the person who is in error back into a right relationship with God. Living a life of holiness as seen in Colossians 1:9-10 is a good work. Why? It is because it enables you to maintain proper fellowship with God, and also allows you to have an influence on the sinner. Faithfully giving to the ministry so that the man of God may be properly supported as seen in Galatians 6:6-10 is a good work. Why? It is because it promotes growth in the church, and brings about a plentiful harvest. Quickly turn there for a moment, as this is one Scripture that is often wrenched from its context, and misapplied to another problem.
Notice with me what verse 6 says. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate (share with in benevolence towards) unto him that teacheth in all good things.” There can be no doubt as to what this verse means. But, then look at what he says. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life ever lasting.”
If you hold back that which ought to be given to God to support the ministry of the church and care for a pastor, and use that for your personal things, God’s word says that you will reap corruptible, worthless benefits. But if you use that for the purpose of supporting the ministry, and taking care of God’s man, then you will reap great spiritual rewards. You will experience growth. You will see people saved. You will see the offerings get bigger. Why preacher? It is because if the man of God must devote his time to the secular world to support a family, then it detracts from the time that he would be able to spend working in the field for the church. It takes away from the time he can minister to those who are hurting. It takes away from the time he could be sharing the Gospel with the lost. It takes away from the time that he could be visiting prospects for church membership. It places him in the position of not being able to “be careful” in the good work that God has placed him into. Listen! In supporting the ministry, and taking care of God’s man there is a pay-off. Notice verse 9. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Are you saying that the church ought to financially support the pastor so that he has no need for a secular job? No, that is not what I am saying. That is what God said. In fact, turn to 1 Timothy chapter 5. Notice what verses 17 and 18 say. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And the laborer is worthy of his reward.” The word honor is the Greek word tee-may. It means “a value of money paid.” What does the scripture say? He is worthy of “double honor.” Notice the reference to the law in verse 18. It was illegal to muzzle the ox as it was treading the fields. Why? It was because God said that the ox should receive its provisions from the very field in which it worked. The same principle is applied to the man of God. If he labors in the word, and preaches the word, then the church should take care of him. That’s not my word; it’s God’s word.
You know, there is a big misunderstanding. There are those who think that being a pastor and preaching is easy work. The ones who think that have never done it. There is more to being a pastor than preaching a few sermons. There is more to preaching than just flinging it open and shouting. Many hours of study goes into each sermon. Many hours of prayer goes into each service. Many hours of care goes into tending after the people. Not providing the man of God with the worth of the labor is unscriptural, and will limit the way God can bless the church. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.”
Not only do we need to be careful, or thoughtful, to the command of good works, but notice this secondly. You need to be careful, or thoughtful, concerning your qualification to do good works. Notice in verse 8, “that they which have believed in God…”
Right believing always precedes right doing. Listen! You must know Christ as your Lord and Savior before you can do anything that pleases Him. Why? God’s word is clear when it says that the righteous works of the sinner is nothing but filthy rags in His sight.
I want you to notice what I am not saying. I am not saying that the unsaved person cannot do good works. They most certainly can do them. What I am saying is that the unsaved person cannot do anything that pleases God. Why is that? It is because without faith it is impossible to please Him. The best way to put it is this: Good works does not bring about salvation, but salvation does bring about good works.
You might be here, and you are thinking, “Well, I am saved, so the good things I do are pleasing to God.” Friend, let me ask you a question. What about those things that you do not do? How about those areas of disobedience in your life? Do you honestly believe that God will pour out His blessings upon your life while you continue to walk in disobedience to the commands and principles of Scripture?
Oh, but preacher, I do this and I do that and… Listen! If you are holding on to areas of disobedience, God cannot bless you fully as He would like to do. Friend, that area of disobedience is an area of your life that you have not yielded to Him. Do you remember what we said just a moment ago? You must know him as Lord and Savior. There are several who have the savior part right, but the Lord part has never entered into the equation. I like how Dr. James Kennedy put it. “There are two words you can never put together, No and Lord.” Why is that preacher? It is because if you are truly submitted to His authority as the Lord of your life, then how could you tell Him no? How could you see the commands and principles of Scripture, and turn away from them in disobedience if He is truly the Lord of your life? If you hear the word of God, and then refuse to obey it, you are in effect saying, “Jesus, you are my savior, but you will not be my Lord.”
Right believing always precedes good works, but also, right believing empowers good works. The reason that most people have trouble with their commitment to serving Him, or obedience to His word is because of a lack of faith. Somehow, people just seem to have a problem with trusting God. Because of that lack of trust, you cannot have the empowerment to do a work for Christ. Do you remember what Jesus told the disciples? If you had faith the size of a mustard see, you could move mountains. Because of a lack of faith, molehills stifle you in your service for Him. You start with the intention of doing a good work for God, but when opposition hits, when difficulties come, you are ready to just quit. Why? It is because you were lacking in the faith you needed to get you through the difficult times.
Be careful in the command to do good works. Be careful because of the qualification to do good works. Thirdly, be careful, or thoughtful, because of the importance of doing good works. Notice verse 8. “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly.”
Notice that he said, “This is a faithful saying.” This is the same language used by Paul in first and second Timothy. It is a reference to the word of God, and to what Christ has done for us. In every instance where Paul used this same phrase he equates what he says as absolute truth. He is reaffirming the point that these words are God’s words.
Why is it important that we do good works? We should engage in good works because God’s word says to do so. By not engaging in the good works prescribed in scripture, you are saying that His word is not important.
But, you know, God isn’t like we are as parents. Have you ever told your child to do something, and when they ask why, you answer them with, “Because I said to do it?” Although the command to do good works ought to be done based solely on the very fact that God said to do them, He was kind enough to give us the reason as to why His word says to do them.
Notice in verse three through seven. “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Do you see it? God demonstrated mercy and grace and kindness to us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He has taken us, and saved us, and made us heirs with Jesus, and given us eternal life. He did all of these things, even though verse three clearly shows that we didn’t deserve it. That’s why it is important for us to obey God’s word and engage in good works. God was merciful enough to save us, even though we did not deserve it.
When you consider that very fact, and all of the evidence throughout Scripture that indicates that works are the result of salvation, friend, if you can walk in disobedience to His word, refusing to do the things commanded in it, then you really ought to consider checking on your relationship with Him, because something is not right with it.
Then notice in verse 8, “and these things I will that thou affirm constantly.” The word constantly comes from a compound Greek word that literally means through stability. When you look at it in the context of the epistle, considering the numerous problems that they had, the importance of being careful to maintain good works becomes clear. It was to bring stability. It served to change things that were wrong, and make them stable in obedience to God’s word.
Did you know that there is not a church in existence without problems? As long as someone attempts to do a good work for God, they will face opposition. Paul said to affirm the importance of good works through stability. Do the works of God. Do those things commanded in Scripture. Focus you ministry efforts on Scriptural principles. Why? It is because that is the very thing that brings stability to an unstable church.
If you want to see a church crumble, and be filled with divisions, and find itself in a decline, then refuse to engage in good works. Refuse to be obedient to His word. However, if you want to impact a church for the glory of God, and see it turn around and become a fruitful place, then be obedient to the commands of Scripture. Be careful to engage in good works.
It is important to engage in good works because it is the only way to effectively serve in a difficult place.
Be careful because of the command to do good works. Be careful because of the qualification to do good works. Be careful because of the importance of doing good works. Then fourthly, be careful, or thoughtful, because of the results of doing good works.” Notice at the end of verse 8, “These things are good and profitable unto men.”
Preacher, just who profits from doing good works? Is it the one who receives them? Is it the one who does them? Is it the church? The answer is simple; all of the above. You profit from thoughtfully engaging in good works because it brings about spiritual maturity. It aids you in spiritual growth in your relationship with Christ. The person who receives the good works profits because it serves as a help to him. It sets an example by which he can see how to serve, and it assists him with whatever the good work was directed towards. The church benefits from good works because it brings about changes in the church. It brings organization. It helps others see the truth of God’s word, and be readily open to obedience to it. It combats divisions as it serves to bring people together. It insures that the ministry will be a success.
There is a truth that you need to understand here. Good works cannot profit the one who refuses to receive them. Good works cannot profit the church unless the church is driven by them. Good works cannot profit anyone unless someone does them.
Not everyone will be content to engage in good works. Not everyone will have a desire to receive good works. What kind of person is this? The one who refuses to engage in the commands and principles of Scripture is the person who is driven by selfish desires and ungodly principles. The one who refuses to engage in good works is the one who has the mindset of satisfying self.
