Lessons #59 and 60
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual exposition not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GWT = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Be considerate of ruling authorities and unbelievers (Titus 3:1-2).
1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
Apostle Paul having advised Titus to be authoritative in his function as a pastor continues focusing on his third major task of instructing believers. There is a sense that the things Titus was to teach believers in Crete so far have been concerned with their conduct among themselves and in the case of slaves with their masters. But believers’ interactions are not limited to their fellow believers and in case of slaves not only with their masters. Therefore, the Holy Spirit through the apostle focused believers’ attention to their interactions with ruling authorities and unbelievers in general. Their interactions with ruling authorities and unbelievers in the world are still to be governed by instructions the Holy Spirit delivered to them through the apostle, first to Titus and then from Titus to them. In other words, the Holy Spirit through the apostle delivered the contents of the instructions to be given to believers in their interaction with ruling authorities and unbelievers of this world. The instructions and the reasons for them are described in the first seven verses of the third chapter of Titus. We will consider first the instructions given in Titus 3:1-2 and then the reasons for them as described in Titus 3:4-7.
The instructions given in the first two verses of Titus 3 are our first concern, as we indicated. Therefore, the message you need to remember with respect to the first two verses is that you should be considerate of ruling authorities and unbelievers. This message will be broken down into two responsibilities we have that should enable us to remember it. But before we get to these, we should be aware of the importance of pastors regarding these responsibilities that we will get to shortly.
Pastors are charged with the responsibility of making believers aware of their responsibilities towards ruling authorities and unbelievers. Consequently, pastors are like sign posts on the road that caution a driver to maintain certain speed limit. When we see these sign posts, they remind us that we should drive within a specified speed limit although for the most part people will ignore them but that is not because they have no reminders; instead, it is because they rebel against the signs on the highway that are intended to control driving speed. Pastors are like sign posts because they are the ones that should constantly remind believers of their responsibilities towards ruling authorities and unbelievers. When pastors are negligent then believers may also forget their responsibilities that we are about to consider.
It is because pastors are an important link between exposition of God’s instructions and believers’ responsibilities that before the apostle mentioned the responsibilities of believers, he first mentioned that of pastors of whom Titus is a representative. This responsibility of pastors is given in the first expression of Titus 3:1 Remind the people. The word “remind” is translated from a Greek word (hypomimnēskō) that is concerned with recollecting of information. If the recollecting of information is directed towards self then the Greek word means “to remember” as it is used of Peter when he recollected for himself the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when he denied Him, as stated in Luke 22:61:
The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
When our Greek word is used for recollecting information for another then the word may mean “to remind, to call to mind, to call to attention, to bring up.” It is in the sense of reminding of someone about a given information that the word is used to describe a function of the Holy Spirit with respect to the disciples in John 14:26:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
It is in the sense of calling to attention or to bring up that our word is used in 3 John 10:
So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
It is in the sense of to remind that the word is used in our passage of Titus 3:1.
We contend that pastors are to serve as reminders of believers’ responsibilities because the command Remind the people is addressed to Titus. We are certain of this function of pastors because a similar instruction is given to Timothy who was the pastor in the church in Ephesus when he received the charge of Apostle Paul recorded in 2 Timothy 2:14:
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
Apostle Peter who was charged by the Lord to be a shepherd of His flock and who called himself an elder recognized this function of reminding believers of their responsibilities that he vowed to do so as long as he was alive, as stated in 2 Peter 1:12:
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.
The word always in this passage in 2 Peter is used to convey the necessity of continual reminder of believers’ responsibilities by pastors. This same truth is conveyed in Apostle Paul’s instruction to Titus when he wrote Remind the people. The Greek indicates that the charge given to Titus is one that he should do repeatedly, that is, that he should remind believers again and again. This interpretation is because we have a present imperative in the Greek which in Titus 3:1 has the sense of habit or something that is done repeatedly. The implication is that pastors should never shy away from repetition. Some believers may say to themselves that a pastor repeats himself but that is what he is supposed to do. Repetition is important in learning of things. When a pastor repeats information in his local congregation, it serves two purposes. It helps believers who are regular attendees to recall what they heard in the past. At the same time, the information repeated may be new to someone who is not a regular attendee to the local congregation. Thus, the pastor or any teacher of the word should never be apologetic for repeating truth he has taught not only because of the reasons we have given but because the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul’s use of the present imperative in his command to Titus, implies that regular repetition is important in communicating truth to believers.
Repeated reminder of believers’ responsibilities by a pastor or any teacher of the word of God requires he should be regular in communicating truth to members of his congregation. When the apostle issued the command to Titus Remind the people, there is an implied assumption on the part of Apostle Paul. He implied he has taught the truth that Titus was to remind these believers. As we will note later, the responsibilities Titus were to remind believers were ones the apostle had written in his other epistles, especially in his epistle to the Romans. Furthermore, we know that the apostle upon evangelizing an area, he would teach the converts truths that concern their lifestyle as a reflection of their conversion, as per his declaration in Acts 26:20:
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Consequently, it will be inconceivable that the apostle would not have instructed those in Crete regarding the responsibilities that he wants Titus to remind these believers since it does not make sense to command someone to remind another of something that the individual has not yet heard of or learned. We are arguing that the apostle wanted Titus to remind believers of their responsibilities towards the ruling authorities and unbelievers they come into contact because he had already taught these responsibilities to the believers in Crete as indicated in the command Remind the people or literally remind them where the word “people” or the pronoun “them” refers to believers in Crete. This being the case, we proceed to consider the responsibilities the apostle intends for Titus to recall to the minds of believers in Crete.
A first responsibility you have with respect to the passage before us is that you should show that you are considerate of ruling authorities. The natural question on hearing this responsibility is, how should one go about fulfilling it? The answer is that it is through obeying the ruling authorities in the sense of complying with their instructions or commands. This responsibility is stated in the verbal phrase to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient of Titus 3:1. The apostle in this verbal phrase piled upon nouns and verbs that have the same meanings as we may note by examining the Greek words used in the verbal phrase we are considering.
We consider first the two nouns used. The word “rulers” is translated from a Greek noun (archē) that may mean “beginning” as it is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:13:
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
The word may mean an authority figure who initiates an activity or process, hence a “ruler, authority” as it is used for human authority in Luke 20:20:
Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
It is with the meaning “ruler” as a reference to angelic or transcendent powers that the word is used in Colossians 1:16:
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
The word may mean “sphere of influence” or “domain” as it is used to describe fallen angels in Jude 6:
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
The phrase their positions of authority is literally their own domain. It is, of course, in the sense of “ruler” that it is used in our passage of Titus 3:1.
The second noun “authorities” is translated from a Greek noun (exousia) that may mean “right” as it is used in 1 Corinthians 9:12:
If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
It may mean “power” to do something with or without an added implication of authority, as the word is used in Acts 8:19:
and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
The phrase this ability is literally this power which here refers to capacity to do something miraculous. It can, of course, refer to the power of Satan, as in Acts 26:18:
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
It may refer to “bearer of ruling authority” and so means “authorities, officials, government”, as in Romans 13:1:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
The Greek word may mean “authority”, as tApostle Paul used the word in 2 Corinthians 10:8:
For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
It may mean “domain” as the sphere in which power is exercised, as in Colossians 1:13:
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
It is in the sense of “bearer of authority” that the word is used in our passage of Titus 3:1.
There is no clear difference between “ruler” and “bearer of authority.” Therefore, when the apostle used the two Greek nouns translated “rulers” and “authorities,” it seems that he intended to emphasize the concept of human ruling authorities or that there are different functions of ruling authorities or that the second word is used to explain the first. For the apostle used the two Greek words together eight times in his epistles. In seven of this usage, there is no reference to matter of obedience and all the seven usages refer to supernatural beings. Consider, for example, the use of the two nouns in 1 Corinthians 15:24:
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
The phrase all dominion, authority and power of the NIV in our 1 Corinthians 15:24 passage is literally all rule and all authority and power. The phrase refers to created supernatural beings. The same combination is used in Ephesians 6:12:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
The phrase against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms is three different ways of describing hostile, created spiritual beings in terms of their function, their character, and their location or the sphere of their residence. Hence, as we have previously stated, when the apostle used the two Greek nouns translated “rulers” and “authorities” in Titus 3:1, he was either emphasizing ruling authorities or the different grades of functions among ruling authorities or simply that the second word “authorities” explains the first “rulers.”
Next, we consider two verbs used in the verbal phrase of Titus 3:1 to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient. The expression “to be subject” is translated from a Greek word (hypotassō) that literally means “to order oneself under a leader” and so means “to submit” but such a meaning may not always be communicative in many contexts of the Scripture in that it may be difficult to understand what it means to be submissive to a given authority. Therefore, we need to make the meaning clearer by considering the usage of the Greek word that is translated “to be subject.” The Greek word has a range of meanings that fit a given context. It may mean “to subject, subordinate” as it is used in Romans 8:20:
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope.
As we indicated previously in our study of this epistle and will repeat here, the word may mean “to obey” when there is the concept of authority involved. In other words, the meaning “to obey” can be used in all passages where our Greek word appears that involve authority figure. Let me give you examples to substantiate this statement. The word is used in describing the relationship of Jesus Christ to His parents in Luke 2:51:
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
The verbal phrase was obedient to them is more literally was submitting to them. The translators of the NIV captured correctly the meaning of our Greek word as meaning “to obey” since that is the way to understand a child being submissive to the parents. The Greek word is used to describe the responsibility of believers to secular or governmental authorities in a passage we cited previously, that is, Romans 13:1:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Here, to submit to governing authorities certainly means to obey them. The Greek word is used to describe the relationship that should exist between the Corinthians and Stephanas, the first convert in Achaia, who is presumed to be a spiritual leader in 1 Corinthians 16:16:
to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.
The apostle meant that believers in Corinth should obey him and other spiritual leaders as they are those described in the clause such as these and to everyone who joins in the work. We find our Greek word used to enjoin believers to submit to God the Father in Hebrews 12:9:
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
The requirement of submitting to the Father of our spirits is one that demands obedience to God the Father. This means that in this passage “to submit” is the same as “to obey.” The Greek word is also used in describing the relationship between slaves and their masters in 1 Peter 2:18:
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
A slave submits to the master in the sense of being obedient to him. Thus, the examples we have cited where our Greek word is used to describe the relationship of a subject to an authority figure reveals that whenever that is the case, the meaning of our Greek word that is translated “to be subject” should be understood to mean “to obey.”
The expression “to be obedient” in Titus 3:1 is translated from a Greek verb (peitharcheō) that means “to obey” as that is the word used to describe the response of the apostles when the Jewish ruling authorities tried to prevent them from preaching the gospel, as we read in Acts 5:29:
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
As we have argued that the first Greek verb translated “to be subject” in our passage is the same as to “obey” then there is no difference in the two verbs used in our passage. Thus, when the apostle used two verbs that have essentially the same meaning in our passage, he intended to emphasize the concept of obeying ruling authorities or the second word that means “to obey” explains what is meant by being submissive to ruling authorities. The implication is that Titus and so all pastors should emphasize to believers the importance of obeying ruling authorities in whatever they command except, of course, when there is conflict between what they command and what the Scripture demands.
Recall that we had stated that the apostle would have taught believers in Crete to be obedient to ruling authorities for him to charge Titus with the duty of reminding believers their responsibility of obeying ruling authorities. We argued this based on the apostle’s general instruction to new converts. However, we are certain he instructed the Cretans of the necessity of obeying ruling authorities because of his teaching of this concept in his epistle to the Romans, as we read in Romans 13:1–2:
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
The point is that the first responsibility you have as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is to submit to ruling authorities, spiritual or secular, through obedience to their instructions. It is through this that you will show that you are considerate towards them. This brings us to your second responsibility.
The focus of the state that Titus and so all pastors should remind believers to be in is given with the adjective ready of the NIV or prepared in our literal translation. We state that the focus of what pastors should remind believers is given in the word “ready” or “prepared” because that is what is to be reminded believers. Since the focus is on the word “ready” or “prepared” then we need to examine the word “ready.” It is translated from a Greek word (hetoimos) that its underlying concept is that of preparation, so the word means “ready, prepared.” To understand that the underlying concept of the Greek word is that of preparedness or readiness, we will examine briefly its use in the NT Scripture. It is the word that is used in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25 but our concern is with Matthew 25:10:
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
In this parable, the virgins that were ready for the banquet were those who came equipped with sufficient oil in their lamps. The word is used to describe the zealots who were determined to kill Apostle Paul when he visited Jerusalem, as we read in Acts 23:21:
Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
The men in view were prepared or ready in the sense that they have the necessary weapons to kill the apostle and had stationed themselves in a location that will allow them to ambush those who would escort the apostle to Caesarea. Apostle Paul used the word it in his instruction to the Corinthians concerning handling of their thoughts in 2 Corinthians 10:6:
And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
The word “and” implies that readiness to punish every act of disobedience is related to something mentioned previously, specifically, in 2 Corinthians 10:5:
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
This verse indicates that the readiness necessary to punish every act of disobedience involves first destroying every argument that is brought up against believer’s knowledge of God or even against the gospel of Jesus Christ and then bringing every thought into consistent submission to Christ, that is, every thought should be subjected to the word of God so that no thought is permitted to remain in the soul of the believer that is contrary to the truth or the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Apostle Peter also used the Greek word translated “ready” in Titus 3:1 in his instruction to believers regarding their ability to defend the truth in 1 Peter 3:15:
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
The various usages of the Greek word in the passage we have cited, indicate that there must be a previous action that determines readiness or preparedness associated with a subsequent action. This fact means that when the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul instructs Titus and so all pastors to remind believers to be prepared for good works that we should understand that although the apostle did not make any further comment about the preparation but that there is certainly preparation involved that believers are to be reminded if they will carry out their responsibility of being in a state of readiness for the action related to good works.
Preparation in principle involves instruction. The first step for any instruction is enrollment to the specific area of instruction. For example, a person who wants to be prepared to function as a soldier must first enlist into the military. A person wishing to become an engineer must first enroll in an engineering school, similarly a person wanting to be a physician must first enroll into a medical school. So, you get the picture that the first step towards any form of readiness is enrollment. Enrollment in and of itself does not mean a person is prepared to become whatever was the person’s desire. There must be series of instructions given to such an individual to begin the process of getting ready. Consequently, the second step in getting ready or being prepared for any particular task is to get instruction regarding that task. Instruction is of no value if it is not followed or complied. Take for example, a medical student could be instructed on how to do operate but until that student begins to practice what is taught, the individual will never become a surgeon. This implies that the third step in getting ready or in preparedness for any activity is putting into practice the instructions one has received. For as one practices the instructions, he gets confidence in his ability to perform. Now, these three steps are essential in getting spiritually prepared for good works. The first step of enrollment has taken place with respect to believers since once a person believes in Christ, the individual is enrolled into the body of Christ that is the church by the Holy Spirit. However, for the purpose of receiving instruction, the person must enroll in a local church where instructions are to be given. Being a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, does not mean automatic instruction. No! There should be desire on the part of a believer to want to be instructed the word of God. This desire is not automatic for if that was the case then we will not have the command that encourages believers to desire spiritual food, as we can gather from 1 Peter 2:2:
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
Once a believer shows interest in learning the word of God then a pastor who has responsibility of reminding believers of the necessity of good works should then proceed to instruct the believer, preferably in the local congregation. The instructions to be given to believers who want to be ready for good works should be done repeatedly. This implies that every believer should repeatedly and so consistently make the decision to be present in a local church where the word of God is taught. Of course, the believer who fulfills this second step of receiving instruction should not stop there but should go on to the next step of preparedness which is application of truth that has been taught. In effect, the believer should repeatedly learn the word as well as repeatedly apply the word that is learned.
We have indicated that being ready for any action requires the process of enrollment, receiving of instruction, and applying the instruction received; therefore, a pastor who must prepare believers to be ready for good works must teach about good works. In other words, the expression to be ready to do whatever is good or literally to be prepared for every good work demands instruction concerning good works. Before we consider the instruction that is to be given about good works, we should briefly understand what good work is. We begin by considering the word “good” in the NIV. It is translated from a Greek adjective (agathos) that has a range of meanings. It may mean “generous”, as it is used in Matthew 20:15:
Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
The sentence I am generous is literally I am good, but the context indicates that the sense of good is being generous. It may mean good in sense of moral quality or that which is of social significance and worth as it is used to describe the law in Romans 7:12:
So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
It may mean “useful, beneficial” as in Ephesians 4:29:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
The phrase helpful for building others up may be translated useful for edification. In our passage of Titus, the word is used primarily in the sense of that which is of social significance and worth which will also include the meaning of useful or beneficial.
The word “work” we used in our literal translation that is not directly used as a noun in the NIV but as a verbal phrase to do, is translated from a Greek word (ergon) that may mean “product, undertaking”, that is, that which is brought into being by work, as the word is used to describe what a believer does that will be subject to divine scrutiny in the future before the Lord, as stated in 1 Corinthians 3:13:
his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
The word may mean “work, occupation, task” as that which one does as a regular activity as the word is used to describe the teaching and administrative activities of spiritual leaders who are to be respected, as stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:13:
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
The Greek word may mean “deed” of humans that exhibit a consistent moral character as the word is used to describe what believing ladies should prefer than to adorn themselves with expensive, fashionable attires or expensive jewelry, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:10:
but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
It is in this sense of “deed” that exhibits consistent moral character that the word is used in our passage.
Based on the meanings of the Greek words translated “good” and “work” in the literal phrase to be prepared for every good that the translators of the NIV rendered to be ready to do whatever is good, we can now define what good work is. It is a reference to any activity or deed that is beneficial to a person and society in general. But for the good work to be approved of God, it must be accomplished under the filling of the Holy Spirit and in keeping with the word of God. That being the case, to help in our understanding of the responsibility that believer has as it pertains to good works, it is necessary to present few facts from the Scripture a believer should know regarding good works. First, humans are the direct beneficiaries of any good work. It is true that there is no direct statement of this truth in the Scripture, but it is implied in all passages that address good work. Consider, for example, what Apostle Paul wrote in stipulating the criteria for adding a widow to the list of those that a local church should support in 1 Timothy 5:10:
and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
Here, the apostle mentioned samples of good works or deeds. The first he mentioned is rearing up children. Who is benefited if children are properly reared? Is it not the society? A society that consists of children that are properly reared that involves instruction for respect of people’s property and a sense of fairness will benefit in that there would be low crime rate, less injustice and the society would be more peaceful and stable. The next good deed the apostle mentioned is helping of those in trouble. Again, who benefits from such help? Is it not individuals that make up the society? So, you see that the beneficiary of good work or deed is the society.
Second, good works lead to God being glorified or praised. It is this result of good work with respect to God that Jesus had in mind in the Sermon on the Mount when He declared in Matthew 5:16:
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
It is this fact about good works that Apostle Paul indicated that the generosity of the Corinthians would lead to offering thanks to God in 2 Corinthians 9:11:
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
If you understand that good deeds would lead to others praising God, then it is incumbent upon you to carry out those good deeds that would benefit individuals in such a way that they will acknowledge that God is good.
Third, good work is of different kinds. However, we often think of good works primarily in terms of helping the poor as was associated with Dorcas in Joppa reported in Acts 9:36:
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
Or we think of good works in terms of generosity, as implied in 2 Corinthians 9:8:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
These notwithstanding, there are other forms of good works. An example that we have mentioned previously is that of rearing children properly. There is also the good work of witnessing to others about Christ or encouraging fellow believers with the word of God. It is not our intention to list all possible kinds of good works, but the definition of good work should help guide you in understanding the kinds of good work you should be involved. In other words, any activity that you carry out under the filling of the Holy Spirit that benefits others either spiritually or physically is good work.
Fourth, God has prepared in advance certain good works for every believer. Listen to what the Holy Spirit says in this connection through the pen of Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:10:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
This passage indicates that God has planned and determined the good works that you as a believer should do in advance. So, your concern should be to ensure that you are carrying out those good works God has prepared in advance for you. How can anyone of us be certain that we are doing the good work that God has prepared in advance for us? It is through being filled of the Spirit after we have received instructions from the Scripture. For, if you are filled of the Spirit you will do what God has planned for you. Anyway, we have considered the subject of good works because we are considering the state pastors should remind believers to be in if they are going to be considerate to unbelievers. This state we indicated as that of preparedness and willingness to do good work. The question is what does it take to get ready or prepared for good works? We are out of time so come back next week for the answer.
09/01/17