Titus 3:1-3

What a wonderful passage, reminding us about what it means to be good citizens.  At the time of this writing we are in the closing month of a Presidential election in the United States (aren’t we always).  Many people are bothered by the poor choices offered by the major parties.  With that, and many other similar times, as background, consider the effect of godliness on citizenship.

·        With respect to their government, godly citizens are to be submissive (nothing unusual about this, Rom. 13:1-6), obedient and ready for every good work.  In our country, for many years now, the call to resist government has been strong.  Consider these principles of Scripture on this subject.

o   Government has a particular area of authority.  The Apostles resisted their rulers (Ac. 5:29) because the rulers stepped outside their area of authority. 

o   In Scripture resistance to governmental authority was related to the great commission, our call to preach the gospel.  Contrary to what many think in our country, human rights is not the fundamental issue of life.  The fundamental issue is reconciliation with our Creator through Christ. 

o   Generally Biblical saints exemplified submission to governmental authority.  Consider Ezra, Daniel, Paul and even Christ in this.

o   Our nation allows for great opportunity to change government while maintaining a submission and obedience to it.  Our responsibility is not only to be respectful; we are also to go out of our way to be helpful, to do good works.

·        With respect to our fellow-citizens called to a lifestyle of godliness. 

o   Paul wants Titus to remind the believers (v2) not to speak evil of others, not to be a brawler, but to put on humility, being peaceable with those around us.  This is not an unusual approach from Paul who also called believers elsewhere to lead a quiet life of good works (2 Thess. 3:6-13; 1 Tim. 2:1-3). 

o   Paul’s reasoning is important to note.  We should have this respectful attitude toward the people of the world around us because we used to be just like them.  We may at times forget this and make consider ourselves to be superior to the people of the world.  That arrogance eliminates the opportunity to carry out the great commission; we will not be heard if we do not do as our Savior and humble ourselves (Phil. 2:5-8).

Let us not be conformed to this world.  Politicians can at times be crooked or mean-spirited or unforgiving.  But we are not being transformed into the likeness of Donald nor Hillary.  We are being transformed, from glory to glory, into the likeness of Christ.  Remember, He gave Himself as a gift to redeem us from guilt and to purify us for Himself as His own special people.  Let us live out in the world in light of that truth!