THE GOSPEL OR RELIGION

THE GOSPEL OR RELIGION
TITUS 1:1

HOW DO YOU LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH IN AN IMMORAL WORLD? HOW DO YOU RESPOND WHEN CHRISTIANITY IS CONSTANTLY DESPISED AND HATED? WHY DO MOST PEOPLE FIND IT IRRELEVANT OR SILLY?
TITUS HAS WRITTEN TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

THEME: “THE TRUTH THAT LEADS TO GODLINESS”

GODLINESS IS GOD CREATING FOR HIMSELF A GOD-LOVING AND GOD-LIKE PEOPLE – THAT IS THE POINT OF THE GOSPEL!

THE GOSPEL AND GODLINESS, 1:1; 2:11-15

   THE GRACE OF GOD FOCUSES OUR ATTENTION THREE PLACES:

UPWARD: 2:13

BACKWARD: 2:14

FORWARD: “WE WAIT …” BECAUSE HE WILL PURIFY US


   THE GOSPEL REDIRECTS WORSHIP
ROMANS 1:23

      TO CHANGE SIN AT THE HEART LEVEL, WHICH IS WHERE GOD WANTS TO CHANGE IT, HE HAS TO CHANGE WHAT WE WORSHIP.


   THE GOSPEL RESTORES THANKFULNESS
ROMANS 1:21

   THE GOSPEL RAISES EXPECTATIONS
I JOHN 3:2-3

RELIGION CANNOT PRODUCE GODLINESS,
TITUS 1:10-16

   RELIGION EMPHASIZES ADHERENCE TO RULES RATHER THAN INTERNAL TRANSFORMATION, VS.10

   RELIGION USES GOD, VS.11

   RELIGION PRODUCES PRIDE/DESPAIR

   RELIGION CALLS FOR PARTIAL COMMITMENT NOT FULL SURRENDER,

“AFTER BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE GOSPEL, THE SIN ITSELF BECOMES MORE LOATHSOME TO YOU THAN PUNISHMENT!” - RICHARD SIBBE

   RELIGION KEEPS YOU BUSY,

“RUN JOHN RUN, THE LAW COMMANDS, BUT GIVES US NEITHER FEET NOR HANDS, FAR BETTER NEWS THE GOSPEL BRINGS; IT BIDS US FLY AND GIVES US WINGS.” - JOHN BUNYAN

   THE GOSPEL CHANGES US, 1:16
“WHEN I THOUGHT GOD WAS HARD, I FOUND IT EASY TO SIN; BUT WHEN I FOUND GOD SO KIND, SO GOOD, SO OVERFLOWING WITH COMPASSION, I SMOTE UPON MY BREAST TO THINK THAT I COULD EVER HAVE REBELLED AGAINST ONE WHO LOVED ME SO, AND SOUGHT MY GOOD.” - SPURGEON

“RELIGION SAYS: YOU SHOULD NOT SLEEP WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND … YOU SHOULD READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY … YOU SHOULD NOT GET DRUNK … YOU SHOULD WITNESS TO YOUR FRIENDS … YOU SHOULD NOT LOSE YOUR TEMPER. NONE OF THESE ARE GOOD NEWS TO SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH THOSE ISSUES. TO THEM, IT FEELS LIKE CONDEMNATION. BUT WHAT THE GOSPEL SAYS IS THIS: NOT ‘YOU SHOULD NOT,’ BUT YOU NEED NOT GET DRUNK BECAUSE JESUS OFFERS A BETTER REFUGE THAN ALCOHOL. YOU NEED NOT LOSE YOUR TEMPER BECAUSE GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. YOU NEED NOT GIVE YOURSELF TO MONEY, BECAUSE GOD IS A BETTER TREASURER; YOU NEED NOT MAKE YOURSELF A SLAVE TO ROMANCE, FOR GOD IS YOUR FULFILLMENT AND COMPANION; YOU NEED NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE OPINIONS OF PEOPLE, FOR YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES YOU …
“SIN IS ALWAYS MAKING PROMISES; AND THE GOSPEL EXPOSES THOSE PROMISES AS FALSE PROMISES AND POINTS TO GOD WHO IS BIGGER AND BETTER THAN ANYTHING SIN OFFERS. THAT IS GOOD NEWS.”   - TIM CHESTER

APPLICATION:

EVALUATE THE RELIGIOUS TEACHING YOU RECEIVE …

EVALUATE YOUR SINCERITY AS A BELIEVER …