A soldier who refuses to take orders or to fight is of no use to his country. A Christian who is ashamed of his Saviour is of no use to his Lord. Perhaps you wonder how you may have the courage of a Christian soldier. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells you how. By studying God’s Word and hiding it within our heart, we have an answer to give to those who make fun of us and to those who truly want to know what we believe. Knowing His Word will help us to be good soldiers, those who are not ashamed to say and to do the things that they know will truly honor their Lord. Sept. 20, 1953 Counsel for Christians This lesson affords abundant opportun ity for the teacher to emphasize the kind of a life those who have been bom again should live. The Apostle Paul sets forth the obligation resting upon each believer to show by speech and activity that he possesses a changed life in Christ. His thought is akin to the thought of the writer of the Epistle of James who said “faith without works is dead” (2:20). A dynamic faith is bound to show itself by transformed living. The Christian a Pattern Tit. 2:7, 8 A pattern is a form or model after which other things of like shape are made. It has also come to mean that which is worthy of imitation. It suggests something exemplary that deserves to be looked upon as an ideal. The Apostle Paul is here exhorting Titus to be of exemplary char acter. The things he teaches others ought to he manifest in his own life. It is use less for a minister of the gospel to exhort others to live holy lives if he h'mself is unworthy in his conduct. In eaching there needs to be purity, seriousness, sin cerity (v. 7). All his utterances should be consistent with the profession he has made to the end that the enemies of the gospel may be forced to see the dynamic of the gospel. First Peter 2:15 is expres sive of the idea found here, “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of fool ish men.” The Christian an Instructor Tit. 3:1, 2 Paul here exhorts servants (2:9) who are believers to be subject to the civil powers (cf. Rom. 13:1). Government is ordained of God and believers are obli gated to live in harmony with what God has ordained for the well-being of men in general. They ought to be examples to others in this respect. This includes obed ience to the laws of the highways as well as all others laws! It seems that many Christians have no conscience when it comes to breaking the speed laws. More over, believers are not to speak evil of men, especially not of “dignitaries” and magistrates. They are not to be “brawlers,” that is, not quarrelsome. They ought to be easy to get along with. They ought to be “gentle” towards all men, forbearing and kindly. This sort of attitude and con duct should be the normal outflow of the life in whom the grace of God has oper ated in regeneration. Titus 2:7, 8 ; 3:1-11 Pointers on the Lesson
The Christian a Saved Man Tit. 3:3-7 The believers’ own past sins and fail ures should lead them to be lenient in dealing with others who have not come into a saving relationship with God. The Apostle proceeds then to tell about his experience and that of his associates in becoming the recipients of salvation. Note in this section what the Apostle has to say about the matter of salvation. First, he presents the objects of salvation, (v. 3). Second, he presents the author of salva tion, (w . 4-7). Third, he sets forth the method of salvation, (w . 5, 6). It is not by works but according to divine mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the results of salvation 'are presented, (v. 7). They are justification, heirship, hope, and eternal life. The Christian an Orthodox Man Tit. 3:8-11 The word orthodox is composed of two Greek words which together mean the right way or opinion. The true Christian is a man of the right way or of the right opinion. He should “maintain good works” (v. 8). He should avoid profitless quib bling and not tolerate heresy to remain in his presence (w. 9-11). Helps for the Children Sept. 20, 1953 Friends Who Work Together 2 Cor. 7:6, 7; 8:23a; Titus 1:1, 4; 3:1-9, 14 Memory Verse: "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to bs ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men" (Titus 3:1, 2). If you knew a boy who was a prince or a girl who was a princess there woulo he certain things that you would expect to be true of their lives. Do you know that those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour have cer tain things that they expect to find in the life of a Christian boy or girl? Paul wrote to the young preacher Titus and told him some things that should be in his life. As we list these things, prayer fully ask yourself if others see them in your life. Titus was to tell the Christians in his church to obey their rulers, to be ready for any honest work, not to speak unkindly about anyone, not to quarrel, to be gentle, and to be courteous to all. How many Christians there are who can not say that even this short list of Paul’s is true in their own lives! So many boys and girls speak unkindly about others, constantly are “picking a quarrel,” and refuse to be polite. Some of them are very polite to friends or strangers, but in their home they are unkind and impolite to members of their own family. Paul said, “They which have believed in God (should) be careful to maintain (keep) good works.” Some Christians say, “It doesn’t matter what other people think of me.” How wrong they are! Unless others are pleased with the words and deeds that are seen in the lives of Christians, they will never desire to become new creatures in Christ. Other Christians were blessed by the coming of Titus. Are others blessed when they are with you because they
SUNDAY SCHOOL continued to the pastoral gift which Timothy pos sessed. He had been set aside publicly for this ministry by the laying on of hands. (See also 1 Tim. 4:14.) An ordi nation service does not transmit any mys tical power to the recipient. It is simply a public setting apart of a man to the ministry whom the Lord has already called. The remembrance of this cere mony should act as a constant stimulus to keep the minister from becoming lax in his service. Every servant of the Lord needs to “stir up the gift of God” in him. Fires need to be stirred occasionally if they are to bum well. So a little stirring is needed among the servants of God to keep them earnest and diligent. Verse 7 indicates what kind of a ministry God intends for his servants. An Exhortation to be Unashamed w . 8-13 The expression “not ashamed” occurs twice in this section and forms the heart of its message. It also occurs in verse 16. The idea was evidently often in the mind of Paul. In Romans 1:16 he says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” In verse 8 Paul is anxious that Timothy shall not be ashamed of the cause of Christ no matter what the cost might be. In the verses 9 to 11 Paul indicates some of the reasons why the servant of the Lord has no reason to be ashamed. Everything worthwhile is bound up with the gospel. In verse 12 Paul tells why he is not ashamed of the gospel. It is because he knew intimately the author of the gospel. “I know whom ”—not what but Him. Paul knew the Lord Jesus Christ and was con fident of His keeping power. In view of Paul’s experience with Christ he boldly exhorts Timothy to remain stedfast (w. 13, 14). Note the words hold fast and keep. Helps for the Children Memory Verse: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly divid ing the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). The young man Timothy had become the pastor of the largest church in his time, the church at Ephesus. Paul had led many people in Ephesus to the Lord Jesus Christ. Timothy was fearful that he could not take Paul’s place as the leader of these new Christians. To en courage Timothy and to help him with his work in the church Paul wrote two letters which we find in our Bibles, First and Second Timothy. In these letters we find many helps for young Christians.* Paul reminded Timothy of his Christian grandmother and his Christian mother who had brought him up to know God’s Word. Timothy was told to not be afraid or ashamed to preach the Gospel. Paul told Timothy to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Often we sing the song “Onward Christian Sol diers,” but when we go to school or when we are with our friends who are not Christians we are ashamed to talk to them about our Saviour. Sometimes we even say and do things that are evil be cause we are afraid that others will make fun of us if they know we are Christians. Courage to do Our Best 2 Tim. 1:3-7; 2:1-10, 15
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