Titus 3:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Titus 3:1

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‘Put them in mind.’ The modern versions will tend to say, ‘Remind them’, but it is a bit stronger than that. These are things that are quickly forgotten, quickly set aside, even questioned, and so the exhortation really amounts to this: ‘Make sure that people constantly are told so that they are deeply concerned about these obligations and duties.’ There was a certain way of behaving before pagan society in those days, and there is a way of behaving before unbelieving atheistic society in our day. Our attitude to the civil power, our attitude to unbelievers around us, in our places of business and study; these things are vital. The apostle says these things are good and profitable unto men (verse 8): that we behave in a certain way and he speaking of spiritual advantage. This pattern of behaviour will promote the gospel. It will commend the message, and inform people that we are the Lord's, that we have a hold on divine resources, that we trust in him. Without the exhortations of chapter 3, you cannot have evangelism and witness; you cannot do it, and that's the force of this third chapter. So, ‘put them in mind.’ Bury it in their minds, repeat often the sentiments and the exhortations of this chapter. ‘Put them in mind to be subject to [or obedient to, or place themselves under] principalities and powers.’ What is indicated here is not angelic forces, good or evil, as elsewhere when this term is used, but the civil authorities. Make sure everyone deeply understands this: that God rules the world through secular government. There is no escaping that, and we read about that in Romans 13. It is appointed by God. As the Reformers were constantly pointing out, civil government is evil and corrupt, yet it is God's instrument. He has appointed secular powers and governments, and we are to be subject to them ‘in all things’, except where their requirements contradict the commands, the laws, of God. The exceptions are plain. But in all civil respects, we are under government. That is how God keeps the nations from anarchy. That is how God keeps this evil world from constantly boiling over into utter confusion and evil; that would be human nature. But a desire for government of some form is planted into the hearts of men. Even if it is corrupt, it represents order. Remember that these words were written while a tyrannical Roman regime was in power, a regime which was pagan and evil, and did terrible things. Nevertheless, the commands are the same, whether directed in the New Testament to the believers in Rome, or to Titus, or to Timothy, or uttered by the apostle Peter; it is always the same. We are subject to the power of civil government. Don't let it slip out of your mind.‘To be ready to every good work.’ That is not the good works of Titus 2:14, which is about all good works: tending to the needs of others in the family, being helpful in business and professional life, all kinds of good works and good deeds and right conduct. But the apostle isn’t repeating himself. Here in chapter 3 verse 1 the ‘every good work’ is now speaking in the context of subjection to authorities. In other words, if there is another pandemic and the state says, everybody must this time take some food to an ailing neighbour, then we will keep that rule; we will do all the good works that can be done. If the state makes a big effort, we of course cooperate with it. It is interesting to see that, while many bad things go on in the United States, where there have been forest fires or floods or other urgent needs, many Christian people from towns far away, dive in with relief and help and donate materials, just out of civic cooperation and goodness, and that is excellent. That is the kind of thing spoken of here, ’Obey magistrates to be ready to every good work.’

Application

A few years ago we had a pandemic and it is amazing that there were Christians, and this exhortation had gone completely out of their minds, and they said, ‘We will not obey the civil power’, and they didn't. They weighed in against this all the time, but it is here in the word of God. Sound people, people who are valued, sound preachers. They fell at this fence, and that is a small warning. However great, however famous, however appreciated, those men who fell at this fence. Be careful. Don't say, they are one hundred percent. They may be seventy percent, but there are things in the Scripture that they either don't understand, or do not want to take any notice of, or want to brush aside one way or another. But for all the centuries of the Christian church no one until the last pandemic ever seriously questioned this: that God rules the world through governments of all kinds; and with the exception of the laws of God we conform to them.

You notice that there was a kind of distinction made. Some of those people who didn't want to obey governments said, ‘Oh well, governments are only for law and order; they are to be obeyed only in matters of wrongdoing.’ But no, we are to submit to all authority. ‘Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers’, and then in addition it says, ‘to obey magistrates.’ There is law and order, and so it is in 1 Peter, and so it is, if you exegete it carefully, in Romans 13. We are to obey in everything,, not just in relation to criminal offences. Everything, as long as it isn't against the law of God. We pay our taxes; we follow the rules of an orderly society in every respect that we can.

Questions

What are the exceptions to civil obedience? We may turn to Acts chapter 4:19, and look at the verses which are the great exceptions. ‘And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ Now in this country at any rate in the time of the pandemic we watched, and there were the lockdowns, and we couldn’t go to church. But at the same time people who wished to, couldn't go to a restaurant or to a bar or a pub or to a club either, a nightclub or anything like that. It was right across society evenly. Now supposing they had let those pubs and nightclubs operate, and left only the churches closed: well then it would have been different. That would have been persecution; that would have been an attempt to silence the word of God. Then would be the time not to comply: we obey God rather than man. But while it was right across the board, then we obey. People can argue afterwards whether it was scientifically the wisest thing to do; at the time it was thought so. So every Christian’s duty was to comply. The exception is the law of God. Acts 5:29 makes it very clear: ‘Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.’ Now some friends and some good teachers said, ‘Oh no, this is a matter of who rules the church, Christ or Cesar’, as though the church can do what it likes. It cannot. Christian people have to obey the civil authorities, unless they are required to contradict the word of God and the truth.

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Introduction

Titus 3:1 Commentary and Bible Study