Titus 1:2

Titus chapter 1, verses 1 to 3, our focus is on verse 2 tonight. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledgement of the truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began. But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me, according to the commandment of God, our Savior. May the Lord bless to us His sacred and holy word this evening. During the reign of Napoleon in Egypt, in France, he came across a man, an artist who was painting a picture, and it was quite good, and Napoleon asked, whom are you painting that for? The artist drawing himself up with pride, replied, I am painting it for immortality, sir. I want my name to live forever. Napoleon asked him, well, how long will the canvas last, that you’re painting this painting on. And the artist said, sir, it has been very skillfully prepared. It will last at least a thousand years. Napoleon shrugged his shoulders and said, now we have an artist conception of immortality. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians about us mortals putting on immortality. eternal life is spoken of here in verse, verse 2 of our text. It’s something that we mortals struggle to comprehend. In scripture, eternal life is not merely unending existence. For the smoke of the fires of hell ascends up forever and ever. And yet we know those who are there have unending existence, but we wouldn’t call that and the Bible never does. eternal life. In scripture, eternal life refers to an unending existence in fellowship with God. It takes in all the joys and the glorious state of being in fellowship with God throughout all eternity, a life of perfect bliss and happiness in Christ for all eternity. And Paul says, This is the hope of the believer as he passes through this life. Now, let me begin tonight by saying this. As a believer, you have the hope of eternal life. You should realize the hopeless despair of the postmodern world in which we live. You live in a world. which proclaims there’s no reality for all at all for the individual except for what they classify a subjective reality. The only thing of any importance is what makes you feel good. And there are no absolute truths. Truths were told. Nothing about what we read in verse 1 when we read about the truth and that this postmodern outlook on life is an outlook really that’s filled with despair. Most people have lost their vision. There’s nothing beyond this fleeting life. You vanish like a puff of smoke when it’s all over. The hopes people had that the modern world of reason and science and free expression would produce a better world have vanished. They have been a pipe dream. The harsh reality as we look at our own disintegrating Western society stares people in the face. Civilization has lost its way. It is no direction to guide it. We have banished God’s law from our society and we have no hope, no guidance, no direction. Selfishness, living by feelings seems to be the only thing. path which makes sense to people. You live for today. You enjoy yourself because tomorrow your life may end and that is it. But there’s another way. Paul speaks of the truth here which leads to godliness in verse 1. He preaches a faith which provides the hope of eternal life as we see here in verse 2. This is the cure for the despair. This is the answer of a world to a world that’s stumbling around in the dark. So you should realize the hopeless despair of the postmodern world. Now you need here a proper understanding of biblical hope. It talks about hope here in verse 2. This word hope has to do with future references, future things. However, when most people think of the future, they often or uncertain about events. They say this. I hope I get this job. I hope that I can get into law school. I hope that we have good weather for the family picnic. I hope the plane is on time. Things of this nature are the common statements about hope. We use the word hope referring to future things of which we’re not sure. I wish it would be. Like this is what we’re actually saying. But that’s not the way the Bible uses the word hope. When the Bible uses the word hope, it is something that is certain. It is based upon the promises of God. It’s more like, I am assured this will be. Not I wish it will be. I am assured this will be. And that’s how the Bible uses this terminology. This hope is connected with the faith God’s elect. A faith which arises by the work of the Holy Spirit. So faith is something that is in the believer. It produces this hope. And this hope is also a fruit of the Spirit of God. It is a lively hope, according to 1.3. It stimulates your thinking, your behavior. It’s real. It’s living. It’s certain. When the great scientist, Sir Michael Faraday, was dying, some journalists were questioning him about his speculations about life after death. And he has said to have replied speculations. I know nothing about speculations. I’m resting uncertainties. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and because he lives, I shall live also. That’s the way our hope is. This is not speculation. This is a certainty that we have eternal life. So you need a biblical concept here of the word hope so that we don’t read into this, I wish it were so. Or I hope this is so, in that sense. But our hope is we’re assured that this is so. Now, you should realize the rarity of biblical hope. A lot of people, if you would take a poll, USA Today took a poll once. Many Americans are, at least they say, they are interested in heaven and eternal life. 72% of the religious people they talk to said their chances of getting to heaven are good to excellent. However, the Bible indicates this grace of hope is a rare thing among men. It’s not so common as most people believe it may be. Hope is a grace which is exclusively given to God’s elect, as verses 1 and 2 compared together would indicate to us. Hope is a companion of faith, and we know that not all men have faith. Hope is focused on eternal life, whereas most people are focused on this life alone. Hope is based on upon the truth of the Word of God, and yet most people are living in a very subjective manner and not basing their life on the principles of the Word of God. He who has this hope, according to 1. John 3.2, purifies himself, pursues godliness, which is mentioned here in verse 1. And yet, very few seem to be pursuing godliness in this life. The simple reason that people people have the foolish notion they’re every, you know, they think they’re religious or if they have any interest in the things of scripture, they’re going to go to heaven as they don’t really understand what the Bible says about eternal life and how it is found. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, you remember there was a thief that was crucified on either side of our Savior. At the beginning of this whole ordeal of terrible suffering, you’ll recall that both of the thieves mocked Christ along with a vow crowd that he stood around the cross. However, the thief on Christ right eventually was brought by God’s grace to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. He believed on Christ. When one criminal said, if thou be the Christ, save thyself and asked the repentant thief replied, does thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation, and we justly, for we have received the due reward of our deeds, but this man have done nothing amiss. And then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, and remember what Jesus said to him. He made a promise. Verily I say unto you, today shall thou be with me in paradise. There was a certainty about that, wasn’t there? There was an assurance that this would be his future. Friends, there is no hope of eternal life without a clear understanding of your spiritual state before God, without God saving power, bringing you to faith in Christ. Having died for sinners, Christ has opened the door to heaven for all who believe in Him. And having been raised again from the dead, Jesus Christ is able to usher us into his eternal kingdom. And yet few find the way that leads to eternal life where Jesus is the way, and yet few are trusting in Him. And therefore, few have the hope of eternal life that is spoken of here in our text. Should realize the rarity of biblical hope. Now, hope lays the groundwork for your godliness. We talked about the truth which is after godliness in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. I read about an insurance man who once stated that he schooled himself to think constantly about selling insurance. No matter where he was, no matter who he met, he was thinking, how can I sell insurance to this person? So, when he went to a social function, when he went to a church service, when he went to a wedding, when he went to a funeral, when he went to the health club, it didn’t matter. Wherever he was, he’s thinking, how can I sell insurance? Needless to say, he sold a lot of insurance, because that was all he was focused upon. Whether it be the attendant at the gas station, whether it be the clerk at the grocery store, whether it be the tailor who made his suits, it didn’t matter. He was going to get to them and talk to them about insurance. Now, you notice how. how Paul immediately after speaking about godliness proceeds here to speak of the hope of eternal life because they are connected together. Like the insurance salesman, when your mind, what your mind is focused upon affects how you live. If your heart is never drawn to eternity in heaven, then you’re only going to be thinking about the things of this earth. You’re only going to be thinking about the things of this earth. You’re only going to thinking about the things of temporal and earthly concern. You live for this world alone. It is the hope of eternal life which lays the groundwork to pursue godliness in this life. Every man that has this hope in him purifies itself, scripture says. 1 John 3. 2. When the expectation of desire of eternal life is alive within your heart, It enables you to deny yourself and follow Christ because you’re looking for what is ahead. We have a good example of this in the life of Moses. Look with me at Hebrews, just a few pages over, chapter 11 and verse 24 to 26. We read here in Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, verses 24 to 26. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect under the recompense of the reward. Now, we see Moses rejecting the word. world’s honor and position here to follow Christ. For 40 years, Moses was a prince in Egypt. This is one of the most cultured, highly educated, prestigious, advanced societies of that particular day. He was a man of wisdom and high ranking, possibly in line for the throne of Egypt. We don’t know. treated in God-like fashion as royalty in Egypt. Would he simply forget about the promises of God? The ones given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and enjoy his position of honor? Would he just simply enjoy all the amenities of being royalty? He refuses these great arms. He refuses the position that was laid before him. He cast it all its own. he renounces it. Moses could have pursued the easy, pleasurable, comfortable life of royalty. He could have disobeyed God’s calling to deliver the people of God and enjoyed wine, women, and songs, so to speak. Obviously, the authority, the power of his position would have permitted to him to enjoy any sinful whim he wished. Yet Moses denies himself, we read here. living in Pharaoh’s palace, Moses at everything material he could want. He could have a new chariot every year with stately steeds, the poet. He had all the benefits of this position. But he carefully weighed the matter. He judged here. He esteemed the matter. He weighed it out. And he considered what Egypt had to offer, and he compared it with the blessing of God. And he chose the reproach of Christ over the treasures of Egypt, and he did so. Why? Because, according to Scripture here, he had respect under the recompense of the reward. He was looking to the future. Following the ways of God, had an eternal dividend connected with it. The reward here would be a great and final reward of eternal glory, the gracious compensation granted to the people of God for all their sacrifices and serving God in this life. Now, this is a reward. You notice it’s a gift. It’s not earned. But it’s held forth to the people of God to promote obedience and encourage. in this life. If you take your eyes off the recompense of the reward, certainly you could be carried away with the things of this life. And this is the great problem of many people today. Where is your focus? Are we looking at eternal life? Do we have the hope of eternal life? Because if we do, then it should affect how we live. As a believer, you have a hope of eternal life. But notice secondly, as a believer, your hope of eternal life rests upon God’s certain promise. Now, you’re told here the eternal life is by divine promise. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised. Now, Paul is very careful. He doesn’t say that eternal life is based upon our godliness, does he? He doesn’t say, be godly, godly, and you get eternal life, as if good works would provide that. There are many who teach that good works merit you eternal life, but that’s not what the scripture teaches. The wages of sin of death, but the gift of God is eternal life. It’s a gift that comes from God. The promise of eternal life is based upon the person and work of Christ. His perfect righteousness being granted to us, and his substitutionary death in the place of sinners bearing our sins away. So God’s way of eternal life is a gift. It involves casting aside your own perceived righteousness and acknowledging your own sinfulness and trusting in Christ’s gifts of righteousness and the remission of sins as the soul means of salvation. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In the New Testament, you recall King Herod had a wife whose name was Erodeus. She had previously been the wife of his brother Philip. And remember, John the Baptist told the king it’s not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. And Erodeus did not like John the Baptist because of that. She would want him to be put to death. But the king, Herod feared John. So he protected John. One day, however, the daughter of Erodeus danced before the king in his large court. She pleased the king, and he promised anything she desired up to half the kingdom. Being a young girl, she didn’t know what to ask for. She asked her mother, Herodias, what should I ask for? Of course, she had the answer. John the Baptist had on a platter. That’s what you should ask for. Well, King Herod, you recall, reluctantly fulfilled the request because he had promised. Errodius didn’t earn John’s head by her dancing. She didn’t even dance. But she obtained the promise this, she obtained it by promise alone. The king didn’t want to go back on his work. In a similar manner, or eternal life is not personally earned. earned it. What could you possibly do to earn it? It comes from divine promises. What somebody else has done, what Christ has done. You’re told the eternal life is certain because the God of truth has promised it. Now, we live in a very subjective world whereas telling a little white lie is sometimes looked at as a virtue, as a positive thing. You don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. If your only basis for ethics is what you think is best for yourself. Why not? The Cretians, you recalled, were condemned for their lying. They were known for it, according to verse 12 of chapter 1. But by contrast, the promise of eternal life comes from God who cannot lie. Who doesn’t lie? God is not a man that he should lie. Numbers 2319. Now, when you think about it, actually, God can’t lie because whatever he says is automatically the truth. Truthfulness is part of his holiness. God is utterly just and righteous, and to lie would be unholy and unjust. It would certainly go against his character. So it’s not possible for him to violate his character. some have argued if God cannot lie, how can he possibly do all things and remain omnipotent? well, our answer is God can do anything he pleases. it would not give God pleasure to lie. It’s contrary to his nature. Therefore, he does not lie, but he does do all his pleasure. And no one can thwart him in doing all his pleasure. The fact that God doesn’t lie has been proven over and over again throughout the scriptures. Repeatedly, we see this. God promises Noah that a worldwide flood is coming and tells him to build an ark, and as soon as the ark is built, which took a while, When the ark is finally built, what happens? The flood comes. God promised childless Abraham’s son. And yet, it took quite a while, but eventually Isaac is born in his old age, according to the promise of God. God promised Moses that he would rescue Israel from Egyptian bondage and eventually he does. God promised the descendants of Abraham, the land of Canaan. And they got it. God promised young David, the throne of Israel. Well, he had to run around and hide from Saul for quite a while, but eventually he was placed upon the throne there. God promised to send a Savior Jesus Christ, and many thousands of years went by from that Genesis 315 promise of the seed of the woman, and yet eventually when the time was right, according to the calendar of God. Jesus Christ comes into the world. Thus, the promise of eternal life is a sure thing. It’s guaranteed. It is certain. God does not renege on his word. He never changes his mind. He’s not like a man in this regard. So you’re told eternal life is certain because the God of truth has promised it. Now, your assurance of the hope of eternal life depends upon the doctrine of election. He brought which was promised were told before the foundation of the world. The promise of eternal life has stood even before the world was created. God decrees from everlasting whatever he does for his elect in time as well as everything else that takes place. but God has promised eternal life to his elect. He has promised his elect eternal life before he even brought the heavens and the earth into existence. The name of each elect individual was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world. And Jesus Christ is said to be the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world because in the decree of God it is a certain as if it happened. and it was purposed in God’s eternal counsel that Christ would die as the Redeemer. The gospel is an everlasting gospel, not just because it will never change. It’s everlasting because it comes from everlasting as well. Remember on the day of judgment, when the sheep stand before Christ, what does he say? Come ye blessed of my Father and Him, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before a foundation of the world. The assurance of your hope of eternal life, therefore, depends on the doctrine of predestination. One day occasion, Dr. Gordon Clark made a remark to this effect to an Armenian, and the Armenian was outraged. He was just completely upset. The Armenian, of course, can’t… logically be assured that he’s going to go to heaven. If his salvation is based upon his free will, it could change tomorrow. Free will means you control your destiny, not God, and your will can change. In fact, if you read the consistent Armenianism in the Council or the Synod of Dort and James Arminius’s writings, they believe you can fall from grace. They believe you can lose your salvation. An assured hope depends upon God’s faithfulness to his predestinating, irresistible, irreversible purpose concerning his elect people. As you study the Word of God, you begin to see how all these doctrines are intertwined. Godliness is connected with the election. It’s connected with the promise of eternal life. Eternal life here and the promise. of this is connected with eternal election. They’re all intertwined with one another. You can’t separate them. You look at the doctrines of grace. They’re all intertwined. You can’t logically be a three-point Calvinist. It just doesn’t work. You have to have the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, all working together and coordinating. You can’t have one not doing the job. You can’t have the father electing, but the son deciding to die for everybody and the Holy Spirit calling whoever he wants. That’s never going to work. All the three persons of the Trinity are working in coordination with one another. And so election and predestination can’t be separated from the eternal security of the believer. And so we see it laid out for us here in this text. The artist at home Napoleon spoke of immority. I thought a mere thousand years, I guess, was immortality. Eternal life is a life that never ends. There’s a phrase, an amazing grace that always sticks in my mind. When we’ve been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun. Ten thousand years, and yet that’s nothing. That’s nothing. As a believer, you have the hope of eternal life. A hope based upon the ever-truthful promises of God made before the foundation of the world. I hope instilled within you and a hope that should produce within you a desire to live for Christ now and further his kingdom on this earth. This is what the text. would indicate to us. This is how scripture lays out for us the pursuit of godliness. It’s based on the recompense of the reward that is coming, motivating the people of God and stimulating us to effort in this life. Even if it means suffering, because the sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. as the scripture teaches us. Well, let us close with a word of God.