Salvation Summaries

I am going through each book in the New Testament (again) and writing bullet point comments about how a person becomes a Christian and how a Christian should live.  The following notes are from the book of Titus.

Summary

This book emphasizes God’s role in a person’s salvation.  Salvation is an act of God’s love, kindness, mercy and grace.  It is given to those who have faith in and trust in God and His Son, Jesus. Contrary to popular thought, no one is saved based upon the good or righteous things/deeds they have done.  Salvation does not appear to be a lifelong process, but rather a one-time event.

Upon becoming a Christian, a person’s sins are washed away, they become justified, and receive God’s Holy Spirit.  A Christian has the hope of eternal life.  Also, a Christian can tell/know whether another person is a Christian (a non-Christian cannot do this).

Titus uses some harsh words to describe non-Christians.  He says that they are deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, and others may claim to know God but deny Him by how they live.

Christians are to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, seek to grow in their knowledge of the truth (via regular Bible study) – for this leads to godliness – and be eager/zealous to do good deeds.

Paul uses the terms “elect” and “chosen” to describe people who are/have been saved, and there are conflicting interpretations between Calvinists and Arminians on how a person becomes “elect” or “chosen.”  I believe it is best to not dogmatically embrace all of the views and opinions espoused by either theologian, for neither one had a perfect understanding of Scripture.

How a person is saved (and other verses relating to salvation)

• Salvation is an act of God’s love, kindness, mercy and grace (Titus 1:11, 3:4-5)
  • God’s grace is found in Jesus (Titus 1:11)
    • Jesus Christ offers salvation to all (Titus 2:11)
• Salvation is for those who have trusted in God (Titus 3:8) and have faith (Titus 1:1). Contrary to popular thought, salvation is not a reward for the righteous or good things a person has done (Titus 3:5).
• Salvation takes place when God washes away a person’s sins, justifies them, and gives them His Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-7)
• In Titus 1:1, Paul refers to the recipients of his letter as “chosen of God” or the “elect.”
  • Calvinists believe the elect are people God has chosen (before the world was created) to be Christians, and at some point they will do this by putting their faith in Jesus. Thus, God chooses who will become saved, then they do.
  • Arminians believe the elect or chosen are those who are “in Christ” after having repented and believed in Him.  According to them, just as a person is justified by faith, a person is chosen by faith.  Thus, after you repent and believe in Christ, you prove that you are elect and chosen by God.
  • I believe it is a mistake to fully embrace either theologian’s “model” of salvation, and then be forced to to interpret Bible verses so that they conform to one of these models (TULIP for Calvinists, FACTS for Arminians).  Both cannot be true, and since neither theologian had a perfect understanding of Scripture, each model will have some inaccuracies in or flaws to it. I believe it is best to let each verse in the Bible “speak for itself” without being forced to interpret it in light of one of the models, and then simply accept the fact that we may not know why certain verses appear to conflict with others.

Characteristics of a Christian

• Faith in the Lord and a knowledge of the truth (gospel) gives a Christian the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2)
• You are an heir (to receiving eternal life) and have the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7)
• You can know whether another person is a Christian.
  • Paul knew that Titus was a Christian (“my true son in our common faith”) (Titus 1:4)
  • One of the requirements for an elder is that they have “children who believe” (Titus 1:6)
• An elder in a church is to be blameless (Titus 1:7-9):
  • not overbearing or quick-tempered, not violent, not given to drunkenness, not pursue dishonest gain
  • hospitable, loves what is good, self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined, hold firmly to the message so he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it

Characteristics of non-Christians

• Here is how Paul describes himself and possibly Titus before they became Christians: foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending one’s life in malice and envy, hateful.
  • Not every non-Christian has necessarily committed all of these sins.
• The Bible harshly criticizes some non-Christians by describing them in this way:
  • “Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their mind and consciences are defiled (to make unclean or impure, corrupt). Such people claim to know God, but they deny Him by the way they live.  They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.” (Titus 1:15).
  • I believe there are many people today who claim to know God, but deny Him by the way they live.

How a Christian should live

• Titus 1:1 indicates that a knowledge of the truth (Scripture) leads to godliness. If this is an accurate interpretation, then regular Bible study should be a part of a Christian’s life if he or she wants to become more godly.
• Those who have trusted in God…should…be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good (Titus 3:8, 14)
• Paul’s advice to Titus on how to live is something all Christians should heed:
  • “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8)
• Be zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:14)
• Be peaceable, and considerate; show true humility toward all (Titus 3:2)
• Deny ungodliness and worldly desires (turn from godless living and sinful pleasures) (Titus 2:12)
• Live self-controlled, upright (righteous) and godly lives (Titus 2:12)
• Look forward to when Jesus appears (Titus 2:13)
• Paul describes himself as a bond-servant, or slave of God (Titus 1:1).
  • This term would appear to apply to all Christians, whether or not they are a missionary like Paul.
  • Strong’s concordance defines bond-slave it as a believer who willingly lives under Christ’s authority.
  • If you view yourself as a Christian, do you willingly live under His authority, or yours?

Who God is and what He is like

• Our Savior (Titus 1:3)
• Kind and loving and merciful (Titus 3:4-5)

Who Jesus is and what He is like

• Our great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
• 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 (Titus 2:14)