Good morning. We are now
in Titus. Paul said that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of
those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to
godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised
long ages ago. Today, sadly, we have people who are apostles of men, not of
Jesus. The church I was attending before was involved with a group of so-called
apostles. Without Paul we would have all kinds of people giving their opinions
as to how to live the Christian life. Paul wrote truth for our faith. Notice
that it says in the hope of eternal life. Remember: if it is seen, then it is
not hope. It also says that God cannot lie. Mankind chooses whether to tell the
truth or a lie. God cannot tell a lie even if He wanted to – which of course He
does not want to do. Eternal life was not a last-minute promise – God made it
ages ago. But people could not see it, even though it was in the Scriptures.
Those that did see it did not understand. They were looking for the redemption
of Israel, while God was looking for the redemption of mankind. In the movie
fiddler on the roof the tailor says "now would be a good time for the
Messiah to come". At the proper time God manifested, even His word, in the
proclamation with which Paul was entrusted according to the commandment of God
our Savior. Salvation came at the proper time. Father thank You that You chose
the reader. He/she knows the truth and walks in godliness.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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