Is Christianity a competition or a cooperation between Christians? Judaizing teachers troubled the early church by painting the Gentiles as second-rate Christians; they made them question their salvation if they were not circumcised and keeping the law of Moses (Acts 15:1) But Paul wrote in Galatians 5:14-15, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” The faith of Jesus Christ is the basis of our salvation, not fleshly accolades. Following the flesh leads to conceit and envy (Gal. 5:25). The flesh produces a carping attitude that pulls others down to prop up self, but following the Spirit leads to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:19-23). If we follow the flesh, then, instead of helping one another go to heaven, we will bite, devour, and consume one another.

My brother has recently undertaken the venture of raising hens. We had no chickens growing up, so peculiarities he tells me about their nature have been revelatory to me whereas they might be commonplace to those accustomed to them. He had to separate one of the hens from the others because it had a sore. Evidently, if the red spot of a sore becomes visible to the other chickens, they will keep pecking at it until the injured fowl dies. Can we not see a parallel in human behavior? How does the church respond to someone whose spiritual sore becomes apparent? Are we critical? Do we tear them down or help them? Do we bite and peck at them behind their back? Or do we love them enough to work toward healing their spiritual injury? Galatians 6:1 goes on to command the spiritual to restore the brother overtaken in sin. The word “restore” in the original is the idea of setting a broken bone; careful action must be taken to set erring brothers and sisters straight, to help bear their burdens, all the while considering our own weaknesses (Gal. 6:1-2).

Paul described the church as a body, a living organism with each part cooperating to maintain the health of the whole being, writing, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). If any part of our physical body is hurting, the other parts of the body rush to the aid. The church is the spiritual body of Christ. By one Spirit we have all been baptized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13). The Spirit teaches us in God’s word to, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Rom. 12:15-16). To reach out and help those hurting in sin is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s will; Jesus came to earth, died, and rose again to save us from the terminal disease of sin (Rom. 6:23). Let Christ’s church be distinct from the world in the realm of loving others as ourselves.

-Mark Day

In the article this week I would like for us to examine Paul’s exhortation to Titus in Titus 2:7-8. Previous to our text, Paul had addressed Titus’ teaching regarding aged men (vs. 2), aged women (vs. 3), young women (vv. 4-5), and young men (vs. 6). Titus was not exempt from Paul’s admonition as Titus is to “⁷In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, ⁸Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” While Titus was a preacher, he was first and foremost a Christian. What was written to him has application to all Christians.

In verse 7 we are taught, in all things (in every aspect of life) one must show themselves (practice what they teach and preach) to be a pattern (example) of good works. These good works would include works of obedience and benevolent works toward others, demonstrating the Christian’s character.

Christians are to show uncorruptness in doctrine (teaching). To be uncorrupt is to be free from taint, pure; it speaks to the soundness of our teaching. This statement requires all who would teach the Gospel to present the Gospel message in its pure state, without any mixing with of human philosophy or false teaching.

Christians in teaching are to show “gravity” (dignity and seriousness). This is referring to the consciousness of having the tremendous responsibility of being a teacher of God’s Word in a world where mankind, lost in sin, are in a desperate predicament. This is to be done in sincerity. This is likely indicating purity of motive.

Verse 8 says we are to use “sound speech that cannot be condemned”. The Christians speech is to be the kind of words that will help spiritually sick people get well. When people hear our words, their spiritual lives are not damaged or hurt.

If we use the pure word of God in our preaching and teaching, no one could properly find fault with our message. In doing so, the result will be that those opponents (those of the contrary part) who resist sound doctrine would be ashamed. Why will they be ashamed? Opponents would be ashamed when it is shown that their charges of wrongdoing against Christians were unfounded, since there is nothing either in the life or the teaching of the Christian which can be fairly criticized.

Christians do not punch a time clock; we are always on duty. Christians must be careful to practice what one preaches. The world is always watching. We must be the same person in the church building and out of it. Christians must strive to be the best example possible. The pure lives of New Testament Christians will put to shame opposition to the Lord.

Christ is an example for us (John 13:15); Timothy was to be an example of the believers (1 Timothy 4:12); Titus was to be a pattern of good works (Titus 2:7). Theory and practice were never to be separated by them. Brother Guy N. Woods has well said, “It is highly significant and worthy of our consideration that the apostle does not recognize the distinction between doctrine and practice often characteristic of us today. He made no attempt to separate theory from practice. We ought to be impressed with the fact that character and conduct are inseparable. Sound doctrine manifests itself in holy conduct.” (Quoted by Robert R. Taylor, Studies in First & Second Timothy, Titus, & Philemon, page 157.)

-Jerry D. Sturgill