The hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested (Titus 1:2)

The hope of eternal life was promised to the Jews a long time ago. It was only revealed from the time of Paul's generation.

What about the myriads of people and nations that had no knowledge of the true God and the salvation that came by the Jewish Messianic hope? The same could be said for the peoples throughout the world today that still have no knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ. Are they automatically saved? Are they saved by virtue of the information they have? No and no.

But wouldn't God be unfair to condemn the ignorant masses, who have never once heard the name of Jesus and had no clear presentation of the Gospel message. What about so many mentally disabled? What about children? Would God condemn these senseless people to an eternity in hell? 

It has been repeatedly asserted that God is not unfair but that every person that goes to hell deserves to be there. While the latter is supported by Scripture, the former not so much. There is no passage in Scripture that declares that God is fair, at least as we might understand fairness.

Fairness suggests equal opportunity. But does a person living in Indonesia have the same opportunity to hear about Jesus as someone living in America? How many times does a still-born child hear the Gospel versus a ninety-year-old atheist? 

How many people do you think would reject the Gospel if they were being dangled over the eternal flames of the Lake of Fire? Is it not because they cannot see that they cannot believe? Is their rejection just about their rebellion against God? More than simple unwillingness, isn't there also an inability? It is not only that they won't believe. They can't believe. And isn't the case that many won't believe because they have been misinformed or because they lack information?

Someone told me that if someone even in the deepest and darkest recesses of the African continent responded to the light that they had, namely, looking at the creation around them, then God would send the Gospel to them. As problematic as this scenario is in many ways, let's assume for a moment that it was true. On what basis could such a person conclude that the Judeo-Christian God is the true God, who created the things around them, particularly when generations after generations of their ancestors before them told them a different story? The few stories I hear of Bibles being dropped from the sky to a remote village are just that, rare stories. 

Friends, I do not argue the biblical teaching on human depravity, that from conception, every person is deserving of eternal separation from God, even by virtue of our common sinful humanity. But I do not feel it is necessary for Christians and Christian leaders to invent alternative stories to defend God's honor. To speak of God being an equal-opportunity kind of God in dealing with people is to do just that. 

We may not like it, but God is not unjust to forever condemn any of His creation, whether the lost souls of those that never heard the Gospel, or the mentally handicapped, or even still-born babies. Somehow we think it is more fair that God forever condemn the atheists, ruthless murderers, rapists, and child molestors. Really? Short of insanity, do you really think that any of these wicked people would truly reject heaven and choose the Lake of Fire just for the sake of their autonomy and freedom to determine their own fates? And is it not true that the very babies that were still-born could very well have grown up to be serial killers. Many rapists and molestors may very well be mentally handicapped. Who is to say one is more deserving of eternal punishment than any other? It is not on the basis of the offender of the particular offense that such judgment is determined but on the basis of the One offended, namely, a holy and eternal God. 

But I believe the Bible. All of these, whether of the former group or the latter group, are condemned because they have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. All of these are deserving of condemnation whether by virtue of a common sinful humanity or because of actual sins they committed in life, for they have offended a holy and eternal God. Fairness does not come into this scenario, but human depravity does and God's sovereignty does. 

I realize that I could have belonged to either group. I could have been born into a life, where the name of Jesus was never mentioned once from birth to death. I could have inherited a North Korean dictatorship from my father and found myself practicing the same ruthless and murderous practices to live and stay in power. At the same time, I could have been a great philanthropist or worked with lepers and orphans my whole life.

In all these scenarios my fate would have been the same if I did not trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I would have been forever condemned to the Lake of Fire.

I can understand a person like Rob Bell. His perspective is logically consistent with his view of the fairness of God. But he is wrong because this is not what the Bible teaches. God is not fair, as most people understand fairness. He is just and He is sovereign. I do not believe this because it settles well with my sensibilities but because it is true.

Friends, we are Christians because the Bible tells us so. We only know the way to eternal life because the Bible tells us so. We know what is right and wrong by virtue of biblical truth. Therefore, our every knowledge, experience and hope depends upon this holy Book. Read it, meditate upon it, memorize it, become the expert in it, for there is nothing greater than His Word for you.

so that, having been justified by his grace,we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).

Sometimes so much is made of Luther's doctrine of "justification by faith," the teaching of "justification by grace" has been somewhat neglected. Yet, in the very book where the former is most emphasized, the latter is also taught (cf. Romans 3:24).

Why is the "by grace" aspect of justification important? It is because it corrects the notion that "faith" arises out of a person's own free will. Faith arises out of God's grace, that is God's undeserved favor. Grace is a sovereign activity of God that is independent of human effort. Therefore, it would be correct to understand that believers are justificed (i.e. declared righteous) by faith, which is by grace. In other words, the faith, by which we are justified, is itself a gift from God. 

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Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love (Philemon 8-9).

Paul's method in commending a former unscrupulous slave (Onesimus), who has become a Christian, to the Christian master (Philemon) he betrayed, is a study in diplomacy. Rather than ordering Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother, he appeals to him on the basis of love; that is, loving a fellow brother in the faith, not only Onesimus but also Paul, who is making the appeal on his behalf.

Paul does not avoid confrontation, but he tempers it by stoking Philemon's reputation for love and faith in the Lord. He tempers it by making an appeal rather than issuing an order. He tempers it through logic and a play on words, explaining how a once useless slave has become even more useful (Onesimus' name means "useful") as a brother. He tempers it by appealing to Philemon's respect and spiritual indebtedness to Paul. He tempers it by Paul's willingness to carry any indebtedeness Philemon may hold over Onesimus. He tempers it by complimenting Philemon with his expectation that Philemon would both grant Paul's request and do even more than this. Finally, he tempers it with the suggestion that Paul would personally come visiting soon.

Friends, it would be good for us to learn from Paul's methods here, especially in those occasions when we have to speak hard words to a fellow brother or sister in Christ. As important as it is for us to  correct, rebuke, instruct and admonish each other, we are also commanded to speak the truth in gentleness and love. For not only is what we say important but also how we say it.

The conflict between the Gentiles and the Jews fill the letters of Paul and Acts. This conflict was not only with unbelieving Jews but also with "believing" Jews, who insisted on requiring believers to obey the Old Covenant Mosaic Law. During the early church, this was a major issue. And it is a primary subject in Paul's letter to Titus. Understanding this conflict will give context to Paul's warning against arguments with respect to geneaologies, Jewish fables, and the law. He was not trying to shut down all doctrinal discussions and debate, but only those arguments that centered around the Mosaic Law, which was now obsolete and had no bearing on Christian life. 

So Paul writes in Titus 1:10-11, 

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

Notice that Paul highlights "those of the circumcision." This is one way Paul refers to Jews (Ephesians 2:11; Colossians 4:11). And these Jews are not outsiders but within the believing community. Therefore, Paul tells Titus that their "mouths must be stopped." Paul even commands Titus:

Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth (Titus 1:13).

The reference to "commandments of men" reminds me of Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees for replacing God's Word with their traditions, which were but the commandments of men (Mark 7:6-13). Notice How Paul describes the mindset of these Jews:

They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work (Titus 1:16).

Doesn't this make perfect sense? They are Jews, so of course they would profess to know God, even in their special relationship as God's chosen people. However, Paul describes them as "being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." In another text, Paul would say that the Jews are zealous for God but truly ignorant of God's ways (Romans 10:2-3).

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

This is the backdrop for Titus, who is battling against a sinister and dangerous (e.g. Titus 1:10) Jewish influence in the church. This is why Paul repeatedly speaks of the necessity of soundness in doctrine, faith, and speech (Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1-2, 8).

After Paul has commanded Titus to rebuke and silence these Judaizers (i.e. Jews that try to reestablish the Law among Christians), he advises him against arguing with them:

But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned (Titus 3:9-11).

Paul is essentially telling Titus not to waste his time trying to persuade these Jews. They will not be persuaded because they are "warped." Since the law, that is the Law of Moses, along with the whole Old Covenant, is now obsolete (Hebrews 8:13; Ephesians 2:15), what profit would there be to discuss its decrees and ordinances with them. To continue to argue with them would only give credibility to their folly and damage Titus in the process. As Jesus also taught in the Sermon on the Mount,

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:6). 

This statement was made in the context of Jesus' warning against hypocrisy, of which the Jewish leaders were most notorious. "Dogs" and "pigs" represent what is unworthy and unclean, and such were people that could not or would not see the error of their ways. It was futile to speak to such people, and it would only harm those who tried . As the Proverbs also teach,

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; 
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; 
rebuke the wise and they will love you (Proverbs 9:7-8). 

One of the worst things that could be said of me, or of anyone for that matter, is that I was "unteachable." For me this would be the height of arrogance and "spiritual" pride. When a person closes their mind to learning, to growing in their knowledge of the truth, I believe they have begun to die. It is worse than those that act like they know more than they actually know. It is worse than those that parade their knowledge.

In one sense, this is similar to what Jesus described as the "unpardanable sin" (Matthew 12:30-32; Mark 3:28). Jesus said the Pharisees committed the unpardonable sin when they interpreted the signs of the Holy Spirit, revealing that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, as the work of the devil (Mark 3:22,30). They had already fully decided that Jesus was not the Messiah, and so they had to reject and reinterpret the very obvious signs done by the Holy Spirit, which were given for them to believe. Since they rejected the very things that were given for them to believe, there was no more hope for them. That it is why Jesus spoke of this sin as being "unpardonable," for it described a hopeless path. 

Those that decide to close their minds, particularly those that have not grasped even the fundamentals of the Christian faith, they too are on a hopeless path. And the person who knows the fundamentals but thereafter decides that there is no more to learn, even if they are saved, would be putting a ceiling on the progress of their faith and limiting the effectiveness of their ministry. 

Therefore, dear friends, keep an open mind. Keep learning in humility. Remain teachable always. Pursue God's truth with faithfulness and diligence, knowing that your labor is not in vain. And keep this also in mind - what we were before God's grace and what we are now because of it:

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-7).

Praise the Lord!!

In reading Titus this time around I could not help but notice the repeated concept of doing "good deeds." Paul encourages Titus to set "an example of good deeds" (Titus 2:7). God saved us so that we might be a people "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Paul writes that believers need to be reminded "to be ready for every good deed" (Titus 3:1). Even though God did not save us "on the basis of deeds" (Titus 3:5), those who believe should "be careful to engage in good deeds" (Titus 3:8). In these verses we find a clear expression of the theology of faith and good deeds. We are saved through faith and for good deeds. And faith and good deeds are the gift and purpose of God's grace. This is why Paul writes in Titus 2:11-14,

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.