Titus 3:3
Let me have a disclaimer before I begin, I have been
influenced by the Baptists, so when I refer to the church in this writing it is
the SBC, for you who are of another denomination the SBC stands for Southern
Baptist, not Northern, not Fundamental, not Missionary, not Primitive, and for
sure not Foot Washing Baptist. I
have no understanding of their religious behavior. But we of the SBC seem to like to change what we call things,
but the end game is it just a name change. For fifty years of my life I went to Sunday school, then one
day I show up at my local church, and was informed that Adults do not go to
Sunday school; they have ABS, now let me help you, that is defined as Adult
Bible Study. If you expected
something to change other than the name, you were in for a big surprise, and I
have no doubt that out of those actions were formed at least two more
denominations with Baptist at the end of their name.
Baptists are known for having fights, splitting up, and the
new church is called something like “Harmony”. Even Baptists make jokes about the reason people split
churches, and it is for the most foolish things. Many are ignorant of what God has said in the Bible,
or they are so into self that they do not give a flip what God or anyone else
thinks, but their actions bring shame on His name, and they bring harm to the
kingdom of God.
It is fun to watch others and we see them doing some foolish
things, things we would never do.
The new thing going around are the pictures of the Wal-Mart people, and
they are somewhat over the top.
Since I spend more time in that ABS class than at Wal-Mart, I’ve observed
in those Adult Bible studies that you have at least three groups of people,
those who act as if they have never sinned, those who tell you that they are
“dirty rotten sinners” and those who understand that by the grace of God they
once were engaged in and controlled by sin, but now they choose to sin, and
when doing so it brings sadness to their hearts.
Shall we look first at those who act as if they have never
sinned; Paul is making it very clear to Titus that we all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.
Beginning in Titus 3:3, “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.” If you cut to
the chase, that means we were all sinners without hope of being made in right
standing with God, till we accepted the atonement of Christ. So that takes care of those who seem to
have never been sinners. What
about the ones that still see themselves as “dirty rotten sinners” is that what
God calls His children? It is not
even in the ballpark, for God has put your sin as far as the east is from the
west, He tells us He no longer remembers them. In fact, God sees us as holy, righteous, and God calls you
saints, He is not referring to your performance. The word "saints"
may be translated "dedicated, set apart, sacred or holy." The third group that understands they
are no longer under the control of sin but often choose to sin, those are the
ones that also understand that they are saints and sometimes they allow the
world system and the enemy to deceive them, and they sin, but it should break
their hearts, because they are free from sin’s control.
I’m not sure where your thought life goes after watching the
Wal-Mart pictures, but my heart goes to they are either ignorant of how to
dress, and need someone to tell them that they really do not look cool, are
they are dressing that way hoping to make the next addition of the Wal-Mart
people. Now when it comes to
fellow believers sitting in your ABS class, be slow to speak, quick to listen,
and remember that you also have at some point fallen into each of these three
groups. Speak the truth in love,
and be very careful not to discourage a younger believer, but to ask the Holy
Spirit to guide them into truth.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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