TITUS 2 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN 7 THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST …
SOUND DOCTRINE PRODUCES PROPER BEHAVIOR – (TITUS 2:1-10)
2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,[a] 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of [b]you.
9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not [c]pilfering, but showing all good [d]fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
2:1-10: GOOD THEOLOGY helps us all and leads us all to good behaviors … Various classes, distinguished here mostly by age and sex, have characteristic problems and responsibilities …
2:3-5: See and note the opportunity for the older women in the Church to be role models and teachers for young wives and mothers …
PROPER BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS SOUND DOCTRINE – (TITUS 2:11-15)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
2:11-15: WHILE CHRISTIAN ethical teaching often appears similar to other systems- Paul is using both Roman and Jewish ethical terms- the basis of Christian ethics is unique … Christians are good not merely out of obedience to law or harmony with nature, or in order to gain immoral bliss for the soul … Rather, they are righteous in anticipation of the age to come, the “eschaton”, the age of the fullness of creation in the Incarnate Son of God … GRACE – (v. 11) is the uncreated energy of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit, through which He gives His gifts to a man in tender mercy and good will … It is a formative power, the rule of life of the “eschaton”, requiring our determined participation … To belong to God is to become like God … To be ransomed, or “owned”, by God – (v. 14) is not simply legal and static, but means to live in solidarity with Him; a blessed, a victorious struggle …
2:13: The Church Fathers regard OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST as a landmark statement of the divinity of Christ – (see – Romans 9:5; & 2Peter 1:1) … In Paul’s thought, “God refers usually to the Person of the Father, not to the divine nature … As Paul grew older, it seems his sense of the difference between this age and the age to come deepened … In his earlier letters, he emphasizes the present realization of God’s power; now he speaks more of our future transfiguration …
PSALM 57 (58) STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
PSALM 57 (58) – Concerns Christ – (THE END) … It underscores the reality that Christ’s holy body did not corrupt in the grave – (v. 1) … For with His incorrupt body, he destroyed death, the devil, and sin – (vv. 2-11) … realizing these things, the Church is glad and bears fruit of God – (vv. 11, 12) …
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
HERE IS THE ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND IT’S CLEAR … OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WILL TRULY RETURN … HIS SECOND ADVENT IS NOT A MYTH NOR AN EMPTY PROMISE, AND IT’S NOT A METAPHOR OR EVEN METAPHORICAL AS WRITTEN …
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS also believe the New Testament revelation of the Second Coming of Christ, and we use this for our preparation for His Glorious Return; we aren’t to go into speculation of His glorious Return rather than just endure and wait … The Nicene Creed and its simplicity and is the universal confession of faith, that “He … will come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead, whose Kingdom will have no end …”
TITUS 2:12-14: 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
-There are signs of Christ’s Coming, and to be sure Jesus prophesied many events that would take place in the world prior to His return – (Matthew 24; Luke 21:7-36) … signs found also in the Didache …
-His Apostles issue serve warnings, implicit and explicit, against second-guessing the time of His Glorious Return … (Matthew 24:3-8, 36, 43, 44, 50; and Luke 21:7-9, 34; and Acts 1:7; and 1Thessalonians 5:1-3; and 2Peter 3:8-10) …
-Modern Christianity has succumbed to divisive speculations regarding our Lord’s glorious return … The Modern Churches have divided into different factions – Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation adherents … Many new denominations are springing up with their own heresy and interpretations of many events that have not or never seem to come to pass!!!
-Throughout its founding history the Orthodox Church sits steadfastly on the reality of the Second Coming of Christ as a settled belief … The Orthodox Church has always granted liberty on the question of when it will occur … In, Revelation 22: 7, 12, & 20), says, “I am coming quickly” which is 3 different times … His coming will occur on a day and at an hour when it will not be expected …
JOHN’S WARNING IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION
REVELATION 22:18-19
18 [a]For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, [b]God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God[c] shall take away his part from the [d]Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
CLOSING …
JAMES 1:5-6
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
-WISDOM, the practical and spiritual knowledge required for skilled living, and comes to those who ASK OF GOD, who pray to Him; James believed faith was not found in rules, but instead faith was found only in a relationship with God … We need strong faith without the doubting we need to also be completely loyal to our Lord having that confidence that He will see us through no matter how hard it gets … Doubts leads us away from God opens us up to accepting temptations from those crafty demons, and if we become too unstable it will eventually shut us off to the truth …