WHAT ARE YOU HANGING ON TO?
Titus 1:9
People approach the Bible from different perspectives:
–Just another book—even fiction book—little evidence to support its conclusions.
–Collection of stories--teaches spiritual truth, but not factual, historical, scientific truth.
–Book that may contain errors of fact, but spiritual truth is valid guide to godly living anyway.
–either God-breathed, and totally trustworthy--we can believe everything, or it can’t be trusted at all.
“God-breathed,” totally truthful, without error of any kind.
EFCA: central theme: “Where stands it written?”
Fundamental issue that should concern God’s people:
What does God say?
First point of doctrinal statement: We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed.
We claim the Bible is our final authority! Is it really?
Few go as far as person told me: “I don’t care what the Bible says, I know what I’ve experienced!!!”
I often hear people say: “You can’t live that way!”
Too often our experience, or what society says, is more significant than what God has said!
Problem at Crete:
Lots of religion but little connection between religion and life.
That attitude infected church.
Pagan society was impacting the church.
Everyone claimed to know God, but lives conveyed different message.
--not concerned about God, nor what He said.
--wanted salvation, but not transformed character.
--wanted to enjoy old lifestyle with gospel privileges.
Paul’s solution:
Solution: exemplary leaders who "march to beat of a different drummer"
Paul left Titus to straighten out what was still crooked. 1:5
To appoint blameless leaders --leaders we can model our life after.
Such leaders model what God’s people ought to look like!
Numerous surveys: church follows pattern of secular society.
Gallup: “Never have more people been interested in religion.
Never has it made so little difference!”
One difference between church and the world: the church is 5 years behind.
It isn’t that the church follows absolute standard, and rejects the world’s standards.
We’re retarded! We eventually follow same standards; --just 5 years late!
When are we going to learn that it’s O.K. to be on time?
If God says something is wrong, it’s just as wrong 5 years from now?!!
In the midst of that kind of society, Paul calls the church to appoint blameless leaders --leaders we can model our life after.
* Blameless with respect to their home and family life 1:6
* Blameless with respect to their personal character 1:7-8
* Blameless with respect to their use of God's Word 1:9
Not perfect but blameless--with no basis for accusation 1:9
GODLY PEOPLE SHOULD BE BLAMELESS
IN THEIR USE OF GOD’S WORD
The issue is: What has GOD said?!! NOT, do I like what God says!!
[ God is looking for . . . . ]
PEOPLE WHO TAKE HOLD OF HIS WORD & WON’T LET GO!
Not just in doctrine, but also in daily living--in our lifestyle
Paul issues 3 exhortations about how godly leaders (and us) ought to use God’s Word:
1. KEEP A STRONG GRIP ON GOD’S WORD 1:9
NLT: “He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the trustworthy message he was taught;
then he will be able to encourage others with right teaching
and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.”
(1) Grab hold of the Word and refuse to let go of it–Cling to it!
(2) Recognize that it is faithful; it is worthy of our confidence.
Our leaders should place their confidence in God's Word
–They should be willing to stake their life on it! (and their lifestyle!)
People don't come here to learn my point of view! —(however impressive that may be!)
People come here to hear GOD'S voice.
If what we think doesn't agree with God's Word, then we scrap OUR view!
Don't try to make God agree with YOU!
Don’t try to make YOUR preferences equal to God’s Word!
Don’t try to make GOD preach YOUR sermons for you!
“Faithful word” describes message of gospel they had received.
N.T. hadn't been written yet. How did they receive this message?
Heb. 2:3-4 indicates:
Christ taught it first (Heb. 1:2; 2:3)
Then disciples gave testimony to what they had seen (2:3; 1 John. 1:1-3)
God confirmed message by miraculous evidences (2:4; John. 20:30-31)
There was sufficient evidence to consider the message "trustworthy"
If they could trust message they had, how much more can we, now God has “breathed out” His Word, recording it without error, so we can know what GOD HAS SAID!
HOLD FAST TO GOD’S WORD– Keep a firm grip on it! “Cling to it!” “Hang on to it!”
Rom. 1:18--Evil people were “holding it down.” They wanted to stop God's purposes.
Jesus uses word in Matt. 6:24: “We can’t serve two masters. You will hate one and love the other. You will “stick to” or hold on to one and look down on other, or take him lightly.
Opposite of clinging to God’s Word. Danger: we take it lightly. We need to stick to it!
God's Word should control our life.
This goes beyond just believing it’s true.
Bible must become the center of our life, and of our ministry.
Jim Dobson: “The Lord has chosen to place this ministry in the path of a cultural revolution that has shaken the very foundations of the family.... Not only are we called to support the institution of marriage and parenthood, we are also asked to confront the evils of our day, including the campaigns to abort millions of babies, promote teen sexual promiscuity, legalize homosexual “marriages,” interfere with parental rights, kill the sick and the elderly, outlaw religious expression in public life, and others.”
If we’re going to speak to what GOD says about such issues, we WILL come into conflict with culture. So, what’s our final authority? What controls what we’re going to say?
Modern society?
Popular evangelical opinion?
Or, God’s Word?
When we totally trust God’s Word, we submit ourselves totally to it!
We don't let ourselves move away from it, no matter what winds blow!
God’s people put total confidence in God’s Word and cling tightly to it!
We should take a firm hold on God’s word;
God’s word should get a firm hold on us!
2. USE GOD’S WORD TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS with solid teaching
We come alongside others to give the right kind of help at the right time.
*defense attorney *teacher *encourager for the discouraged*comforter to those who are suffering pain*coach— gives swift kick when you need it!
Holy Spirit Christ Barnabas
We ought to do this with those to whom we minister.
To do that effectively WE must take hold of God's Word firmly!
With God's Word in hand, we encourage others, with healthy teaching Heb. 10:24: “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”
Healthy teaching encourages us to become all God wants us to be!
3. USE GOD’S WORD TO REFUTE THOSE WHO DISAGREE with solid teaching
(LB: “show those who disagree where they’re wrong”) => "Cause them to see the light clearly"
“Refute” –2 Tim. 3:16
Help others to see the light.
We can’t change others’ minds—but we can help them see what's at stake.
We clearly present what God's Word says. Rest is up to Him.
Our job: We present evidence clearly, on basis of God's Word.
We model truth by our teaching and by our example so those who want to argue won't have excuse to deny the truth.
We help people recognize nature of decision they’re making.
Once we present truth, we allow people to make their own decision.
That’s between them and God. We can't make people change!
Only those who know God’s Word, who cling to it themselves,
can use it to correct those clinging to other teachings!
NOT my opinion--God’s Word causes people to “see the light.”
Healthy teaching helps those who oppose truth to understand the issues!
God’s Word IS worthy of our trust!
But, what are we doing with it? Is it OUR final authority?
When we give advice, what's the basis of our counsel?
Have WE put OUR opinions in second place, in order to take hold firmly of God's Word?
Basis of godly counsel isn’t my opinion—it’s God’s Word.
He has spoken! We help people discover what He has said.
3 BIBLICAL requirements for godly people:
We should all take a firm hold on God's Word, and let it hold us!
We should all encourage one another with healthy teaching.
We should all help each other understand the truth.
How about us?
Are WE clinging to God’s Word as our final authority?
Are WE encouraging others to love and good deeds, on the basis of HIS WORD?
Are WE using the Word as our foundation when we deal with people who disagree with us?
What’s our FINAL authority?
Who has THE LAST WORD in our life?
Our society? Our friends? Other Christians?
Or, is real authority in our life: GOD HAS SPOKEN! I will do whatever HE says!
What does God want you to work on to give His Word it's proper place in your life?
How well do we know God’s Word?
How often do we read it? How much time do we spend in God’s Word each day?
We can’t use it if we don’t know it!
We can’t know it if we don’t spend time in it!
Can you use the Bible to show others the Gospel?
Can you use it to show others why you believe what you believe about God, about eternal life, about godly living?
The Message: “. . . and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth
to either spur people on in knowledge
or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.
GOD HAS SPOKEN!
His Word is what makes His people different.
His Word is truth! It’s trustworthy! It’s our FINAL authority!
Let’s grab hold of His Word; cling to it; no matter what others think!
Don’t put any human opinion on the same plane—even mine!
GOD HAS SPOKEN!
Let’s cling to HIS WORD alone!