Titus 3
1.Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
If I tell someone to listen to Jesus Christ is that now and evil thing????
I don't know a better thing to do!!
Indeed it is the thing the Lord asks me to do!!
That should not surprise you, right? Did you not read:
2 Tim 4: 1,4 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Is not the problem that you think "reprove, rebuke, exhort, and with great patience and instruction" is something evil????
Did you not read who Jesus had discussion with the Pharisees and Sadducees which appeared to be a quarreling, but He is not "quarreling" but trying to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction, but they didn't like being reproved, rebuked, and corrected,
Jn 8: 3 - 6 The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
and what about:
Jn 8: 12 -14 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
If you had been there would you not have thought they were "quarreling", and perhaps He was not being "gentle" or not showing "perfect courtesy"
He was not doing that, or do you think Jesus could not keep what was to be asked of others? He was not doing what you think, but He was trying to get people to listen with their spiritual ears!!!
Jn 8:43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
You might think He did that to be accusing or rude, but it was said to get them to actually seek Him and what He says via the Holy Spirit!! Jesus Christ was preaching the Word of God (Him) and that they need to listen to Him, even via the Holy Spirit!!
Indeed, if you really do take sometime and talk to Him you will understand this!! But if you just lean on your own understanding you will miss what is going on!!!
You will think it evil, like they have suggested, and you will think it is quarrelsome, and fail to even recognized that you didn't talk to them because you didn't talk to Him, and you will think it is not gentle, because you think any reproof is not good and fail to realize that He reproves those He loves!
Rev 3:19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
Do you even think the reproof on the peace on earth thing you wrote was meant to be quarrelsome, so that you missed the instruction to listen to Him for understanding?
Why do you think I gave you this verse, if not that you should seek Him first?
Rev 3:20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
So I have the same advice to you as to so many others in this thread and that is to actually seek Him and listen to Him and do not lean on your own understanding of God (your theology). Seek Him in all your ways!! That is where your peace with God will come from!!
And as for being obedient to rulers and authorities, is not Jesus Christ the King of Kings and authority over all things, and He told me to post this thread, and He told me to preach the Word of God, and who then is telling me not too? Never-the-less, if there is an authority on this site who wants me to stop then let them say so and I will. For then I can tell Him, the King of Kings, that I was stopped by someone in authority on this Forum.
That is ok by me. I have a business in which I can make money from instead of doing this work for Him. So I benefit by not taking time to preach the Word like He says, but I also believe I benefit by preach the Word like He says also. So all things will work out fine for me, if I do what He tells me to do. Either someone will listen to Him, or I will be stopped and I will make more money. It is just like it is written, all things work for good for those who love the Lord.
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
So it works out for me when I do what He tells me to do, and if it not possible because some being gets in the way, that will work out for good for me also.
Therefore again I tell you to seek Him and listen to Him, and do not lean on your own understanding, even your own understanding of the Bible. That is your theology and not His!
