Christ's Law

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● Titus 2:6 . . Encourage the young men to be sensible.

Paul urged Titus to "encourage" the young men in his church to be sensible; which
is quite a bit different than hounding them or getting on their backs.

Relentless criticism and ridicule, unreasonable expectations, zero sympathy, and
disapproving everything they think, say, or do are the surest ways I know to ruin a
young man's attitude.
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● Titus 2:7-8 . . In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with
purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order
that those who oppose us may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say.

Young men today desperately need morally sound, grown-up male role models
because you can't just disapprove their life-style and not show them an alternative;
and the best way to do that is by your own example; viz: instead of preaching to
youngsters with words; preach to them with your lifestyle.

NOTE: It's very important for church officers to practice what they preach because
conduct unbecoming reflects on Christ. (cf. 2Sam 12:14)
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● Titus 2:9-10a . . Bond slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything,
to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering;

A bond slave is someone who has sold themselves into slavery for any number of
reasons. But the one aspect I would like to dwell on is pilfering because this is a
serious problem for employers here in the USA.

The Greek word translated "pilfering" basically means to squirrel something aside
for one's self, viz: embezzle; which Webster's defines as: to appropriate (as
property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use.

Embezzling isn't limited to strictly stealing money; no, it's also the misuse of an
employer's property such as company cars, office materials and office equipment,
and/or shop materials and shop equipment; including water and electricity.

My last job before retiring was as a civilian employee with the US Army Corps of
Engineers in the Portland Oregon district. It was a violation of Federal law for us to
even take anything out of a dumpster, or use a battery charger to jump-start our
cars, or even to so much as pump up a low tire on our cars with the air produced
by a government air compressor. We were definitely not supposed to use the
government's computers for surfing the web or composing personal e-mails.

Everything on the facility where I worked was US Government property, including
the trash, and could not be used in an unofficial capacity without first obtaining
special permission. Violators were subject to prosecution for Fraud, Waste, and
Abuse.

Unofficial use of office computers alone is costing employers multiplied thousands
of hours of wages and benefits paid to employees who are online during working
hours for personal reasons. The most outrageous case I heard of at work was a
lady downtown in the district office who was caught conducting her Mary Kay
cosmetics business via a US Government computer; and on official time no less.
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● Titus 2:10b . . but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God
our savior in every respect.

When women buy a pretty new dress, they usually get things to go with it; things
we call accessories; like a purse, shoes, stockings, necklace, earrings, and/or a
watch and a bracelet. In the old days, women usually bought some gloves to go
with their new dress too-- thus they create an "ensemble" which gives them a
complete look rather than an unfinished look as if they just threw the dress on to
work around the house or run down to a nearby convenience store.

Well, a Christian who's merely a card-carrying Christian is like a pretty dress
without accessories. In point of fact, they are quite basic: just a house-dress
Christian. In other words; religion without piety is like leaving the house for work in
the morning half dressed.

NOTE: This touches on the very thing that hampered Cain's association with God.
Cain had religion, that much is evident (Gen 4:3) but he didn't have piety. That
much is evident too (Gen 4:7). In other words: Cain had a faith, but his wasn't an
"all good faith" like Abel's.
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● Titus 2:15 . . These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let
no one disregard you.

I'm pretty sure this doesn't mean that pastors should speak with a bullying,
imperialistic, intimidating tone of voice. Pastors, after all, are supposed to be
shepherds rather than a bull o' the woods bossing a logging crew; so to speak.

The Greek word for "disregard" basically means to depreciate; viz: to marginalize.
i.e. to consider superfluous, expendable, and/or nonessential.

Once a minister has been made to feel that he's weak and ineffective and/or that in
the grand scheme of things he doesn't really matter; then for sure he'll lose heart
in his vocation and likely won't give it his best effort. The ministers with whom I've
been in contact over the years all agree that one of their most difficult personal
obstacles to overcome is discouragement.
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● Titus 3:1 . . Remind your people to submit to the government and its officials.
They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.

A popular form of anarchy here in the USA is something called civil disobedience--
defined as the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws of the
state, and/or demands, orders, and commands of a government, or of an occupying
international power; i.e. non compliance with constituted law and order. In other
words: civil disobedience is criminal.

Henry David Thoreau insisted that individuals should not permit governments to
overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that they have a duty to avoid allowing
such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice.

At first glance, Thoreau's ideas makes good sense. However; it's important to take
into account that Thoreau was a secular humanist indifferent to the dictates of a
supreme being whose commandments, laws, rules, statutes, and edicts trump all
other forms of control. (cf. Rom 13:1-5)

Self-rule in accord with one's conscience got its start in the garden of Eden.

● Gen 3:22 . .Then the Lord God said: Behold, the man has become like one of us,
knowing good and evil.

Unfortunately the conscience that Adam obtained via tasting the forbidden fruit
transformed himself into a tin God guided by his intuition instead taking directions
from his maker.

Self-rule was the primary form of government during the Judges' era of spiritual
decadence in the land of Israel.

● Judg 17:6 . . In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.
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● Titus 3:2 . . malign no one, be non-contentious, gentle, showing every
consideration for all men.

The Greek word translated "malign" means: to vilify, defined by Webster's as: to
lower in estimation or importance, and/or to utter abusive statements against. In
other words; it's is talking about tearing someone down and changing people's
impression of them; mostly for the worse. There's a lot of that goes on in the world
of politics.

It probably goes without saying that the kind of vilification were talking about here
is mean-spirited and unwarranted. For example; is it tearing a Ponzi scheme mogul
like Bernie Madoff down to say that he's a louse of marginal integrity who can't be
trusted with other people's money? No; the man has been proven to be exactly
that.

"non-contentious" refers to peaceable; i.e. not ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

"gentle" actually means mild, i.e. temperate: exercising self restraint; viz:
controlling one's impulses.

"showing every consideration" is simply making an effort to avoid hurting people's
feelings for no good reason. This no doubt includes common courtesy along with
keeping a civil tongue in one's head.
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● Titus 3:8 . .This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want
you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to
engage in good deeds.

To "speak confidently" implies speaking with an assertive, "no buts" attitude; viz:
the things a preacher teaches his congregation should not be open to debate and/or
perpetual questions that never get to the bottom of anything.

The Greek word for "deeds" is very common throughout the New Testament; more
often translated "works" than deeds. We're not talking about Boy Scout kinds of
deeds but just simply the spiritual morality of one's day to day conduct; viz: a life
that pleases God instead of one that irritates Him to no end.

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption." (Eph 4:30)

NOTE: The protection from retribution afforded folks unified with Christ is a done
deal (1Cor 7:19-20 & Gal 3:13) The day of redemption likely refers to redemption's
entails, i.e. taking possession of something packaged but not yet delivered. For
example a new body (Rom 8:23-25) and a share in Jesus' inheritance. (Rom 8:16-18)
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● Titus 3:9 . . Shun foolish controversies, and genealogies, and strife, and disputes
about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless.

The "law" in question is the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God in
the Old Testament. Disputes generally revolve around its interpretation and its
correct application. The Lord stipulated the formation of a panel of lawyers to
interpret the law for those among His people who lacked the wherewithal to do it
for themselves (Deut 17:8-13, cf. Neh 8:7-8).

But since Christians are outside the covenant's jurisdiction, then they can get by
without those lawyers to interpret it for them; and besides; when you consider
there are nine Justices on the US Supreme Court who seldom agree unanimously
on anything, how much chance do you reckon a panel of seventy has of reaching a
consensus?

One of the "foolish controversies and genealogies" I would highly recommend that
believers avoid is Rome's roster of so-called apostolic successors. Don't even go
there. It's unprofitable, futile, and pointless to strive over something like that. Pick
your battles, and make sure your conflicts accomplish something truly useful for
Christ. And besides; the Vatican has much bigger problems within its walls and its
dogmas than that one.
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● Titus 3:10-11 . . A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition
reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of
himself.

There is a significant difference between an apostate and an heretic.

Basically: an apostate is a defector whereas an heretic is an insurrectionist.
Apostates typically renounce their current belief system so they can leave and
affiliate with another, whereas heretics stay where they are and work to undermine
a church's leadership, and to revise its established beliefs, teachings, and doctrines.
Heretics seek to gain allies in your church and thus are a serious danger to
congregational unity.

The Greek word translated "reject" basically means to beg off; viz: decline,
deprecate, and shun. In other words, don't give the heretics in your church the
time of day, rather, keep your distance-- very distance as you would people who
are dead to you.
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● Titus 3:13-14 . . Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with
their trip. See that they are given everything they need. For our people should not
have unproductive lives. They must learn to do good by helping others who have
urgent needs.

Lawyers in the New Testament weren't the legal beagles normally associated with
the term. They were typically experts in the rules, regulations, and instructions
contained in the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Their encounters with Jesus were usually
hostile.

Zenas and Apollos of course passed on long ago, but Paul's instructions are
applicable to missionaries in any era.

"urgent needs" implies necessities; e.g. food, water, shelter, companionship,
assistance, medical attention, etc.

"our people" excludes heretics who, by their very nature, are essentially malignant
rather than benevolent. So even if known heretics volunteer to assist folks like
Zenas and Apollos don't let them because they're supposed to be barred from
congregational business.
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● Heb 2:1-4 . .We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have
heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was
binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how
shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first
announced by The Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also
testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to His will.

NOTE: The pronoun "we" probably refers specifically to Jews because, in essence,
that's to whom, and for whom, the letter was penned. (Heb 1:1-2)

I don't think the words "drift away" imply apostasy; not in this case anyway. No;
it's more like a curious crowd that gathers around a soap box speaker, and little by
little, man by man, boredom sets in-- the audience begins dispersing and people
move on to find something else to do. That would be akin to attending a Billy
Graham crusade for its entertainment, and a month later totally forgetting
everything he talked about.

FYI: The passage above mentions angels. Stephen verified Moses received the
Law at the hands of angels (Acts 7:53) but if you go back and read that story, you
won't find any celestial beings in the picture and that's because the Hebrew word
for angels can also apply to theophanies and apparitions. (cf. Gen 48:16 where
Jacob speaks of his divine benefactor as an angel)
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● Heb 3:1 . .Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider
the apostle and High Priest whom we acknowledge: Christ Jesus

The "holy brethren" are Moses' people as per Deut 14:2 and Ps 135:4; and the
"heavenly calling" very likely refers to the nation that God promised to make of
Abraham as per Gen 12:1-2, Gen 13:14-16, and Gen 22:16-18.

The Greek word for "consider" basically means to observe fully; viz: to study; to
examine.

You know, giving Christ a fleeting glance as if he were a curiosity or a brief
distraction leads nowhere. The scope of his purpose and his mission is just too
complex and too extensive for that sort of once-over approach.
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● Heb 3:7-11 . . So, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear His voice, do not
harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the
desert, where your fathers tested and tried Me and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said: Their hearts are always
going astray, and they have not known My ways. So I declared on oath in My
anger; they shall never enter My rest.

The Jews that Moses led out of Egypt were permanently rescued from slavery. He
never made them go back because it was The Lord's determination that they remain
free. However, His benevolence in their daily lives was directly related to their
compliance with His instructions.

Point being: According to John 5:24, Christ's believing followers will never again be
in danger of retribution and/or perdition, however; they risk the loss of His
patronage in their daily lives should they choose to follow the ways of the world
instead of making an effort to follow his ways. (1Cor 10:5-12)
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● Heb 3:12-13 . . Take heed, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving
heart that turns away from the living God. But implore one another daily, as long as
it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

That's a call to theocratic unity; Jewish theocratic unity. But good luck getting the
Jews to rally around The Lord. Oh well, the author was duty-bound to try; as all the
prophets before him in the past were duty-bound to try; usually to no avail.

Belief is not only consent to a statement's truthfulness. No, Bible belief contains the
elements of trust and reliance; the absence of which led to the Jews' downfall in the
Sinai. God told them to attack Palestine, but they didn't believe they were strong
enough to do it. Well, that part was true; they weren't. However, The Lord
promised to be on their side. That part was true too, and had they been as
convinced of that second part as strongly as they were the first, they would have
been okay.

But alas, they failed to rely upon The Lord as a man of His word; and subsequently,
they missed out on their one and only opportunity to enter an era of peace,
prosperity, and providence.

"Who were they who heard and rebelled? Was it not all those whom Moses led out
of Egypt? And with whom was The Lord angry for forty years? Was it not with those
who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they
would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So then, we see that they
were not able to enter because of their unbelief." (Heb 3:16-19)
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● Heb 4:1-2 . .Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His
rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had
the gospel preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit
them, because it wasn't mixed with faith in those who heard.

When reading the Bible; it's always important to pay strict attention to language,
grammar, and syntax. In this passage we're looking at, the pronouns us, you, we,
they, and those don't refer to Gentiles; no, not at all. They refer to the author's
fellow Jewish countrymen. This is, after all, a letter to Hebrews, not to the world.

The "gospel" spoken of in this instance is a concise version of the message with
which most Christians are familiar, and its focus was mainly upon the kingdom of
God rather than the grace of God. (e.g. Matt 4:23, Mark 1:14-15). The Jews'
homeland would've been the center of the kingdom of God back then just as it will
be in the future. In other words: the kingdom of God has been offered to the Jews
once already and is now being offered to them a second.

"It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the
gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore
God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later He spoke
through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden
your hearts." (Heb 4:6-7)

Jews are now in an era sometimes called the church age; which is an open-season
opportunity for them to at least enroll in the kingdom as its future citizens. (Col 1:13)
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● Heb 4:11 . . Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
through following the same example of disbelief.

The "fall" in that instance refers to the failure of Moses' people to enter the
promised land when they were given the opportunity; which consisted of a
somewhat brief open season whereas today's open season is very generous.
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● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we
do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we
have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

The Greek word translated "confidence" basically means all out-spokenness, i.e.
frank, blunt, and/or candid.

A recited prayer-- especially rote repetition --is neither frank, nor blunt, nor candid.

Take the Old Testament's luminaries for example. Their one-on-one prayers with
God were typically conversational and to the point.

NOTE: Jesus is depicted as a high priest in the above passage. Those are chosen
from among men rather than celestial beings because it's necessary that mediators
between God and Man-- e.g. Aaron -- be someone who can relate to their
constituents.

It's much to everyone's advantage to be represented before God by a fellow man
rather than a celestial being because the gods don't know what it's like to live in
this world as an h.sapiens. Guys like Jesus and Aaron know because they've been
down this road of ours. (Heb 5:1-10)
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● Heb 6:1-3 . . Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to
maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to
death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the
resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

At this point in the letter to Hebrews, the author begins talking to Jews about a
high priest named Melchizedek back in Abraham's day.

Mel is largely ignored on internet forums; which is really a shame due to the fact
that his priesthood, and its constituents, are outside the jurisdiction of the covenant
that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy because the laws of God are not retroactive (Deut 5:2-3 & Gal 3:17)
which is just the thing Jews need because they are in constant danger of
prosecution for even the tiniest of infractions; most especially for willful sins, viz:
acts committed by folks who know very well that what they are doing is forbidden.

● Num 15:30-31 . . But the person, be he citizen or stranger, who acts defiantly
reviles the Lord; that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he
has spurned the word of the Lord and violated His commandment, that person shall
be cut off-- he bears his guilt.

● Deut 27:26 . .Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by
carrying them out.
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● Heb 10:21-22 . . Since we have a high priest over the house of God, let us draw
near to God with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with
pure water.

Sprinkling and washing were employed during Yom Kippur as a means of ritually
sanitizing just about everything and everybody associated with worship that day.
(16th of Leviticus)

In a similar manner; the stage is all set for the people to approach God on a much
better basis, and on a much higher level, than that of Yom Kippur. In that scenario,
the closest they ever got to God was the earthly priesthood and the earthly
tabernacle. In this scenario they are encouraged to be confident they can approach
God via a Heavenly arrangement consisting of a superior high priest, a superior
sprinkling, and a superior washing.

NOTE: Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God. (Gen 1:26-27)

But then came the forbidden fruit incident whereby Mankind lost its God given
conscience and fell prey to a humanistic conscience. (Gen 3:22)

Yom Kippur by the book addresses the people's conduct but does not address their
humanistic conscience, whereas Christ's atonement does.

● Heb 9:13-14 . . .The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled
on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly
clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to
death, so that we may serve the living God.

● Heb 10:21-22 . . Since we have a high priest over the house of God, let us draw
near to God with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with
pure water.

People's conscience is their guiding light. But the actions of a humanistic conscience
can, and often do, lead people into disagreement with God. In addition; the
humanistic conscience is capable of convincing folks they are innocent when at
times they are not.

● Jer 17:9-10 . .The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every
man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

NOTE: Even if Yom Kippur were to address the people's humanistic conscience, it
would have to be done over and over again on an annual basis due to the limited
value of the ritual's atonement, whereas Christ's atonement does it but once and
never has to do it again. (Heb 10:1-14)
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