THE BOOK OF TITUS

(“The Purpose of Christ’s Death”)

Titus 2:11-14 (NASU)

“(Christ Jesus) 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)

(A) PRISONERS AND SLAVES

(1) The name Carl Johnson won’t mean anything to you (in fact, that’s not even his real name). I’ve lost track of Carl, so I’m not sure where he is today – although a number of years ago I heard he was headed back to the kind of place he’s become all too familiar with over the course of his sixty-five-plus years – a place where he’s spent nearly half his life – namely, a state prison somewhere in the Midwest.

I used to visit Carl when he was incarcerated at the correctional facility near Dixon, Illinois – although in his case, the term “correctional facility” was more of a euphemism, because I don’t think the time he spent in prison (back in those days, at least) ever helped him make any significant “corrections” in his life – at least none that lasted more than a few months, or perhaps a year or two at best. (But, perhaps that’s changed since I last saw him.)

I don’t know if you’ve ever been inside a prison, but it’s not a pleasant place – nor is it designed to be. Your whole world is confined to one small area encompassing a hand full of acres. Inside that world, your life is not your own. All your movements are monitored. You’re told when to get up, when to eat, when to work, when you can have visitors, and when you have to go to bed. Many of the simple pleasures of life you and I enjoy are non-existent inside a prison. Most of the people you live with don’t care about you – and often those assigned to guard you don’t either. Moreover, in many prisons physical abuse, injuries, and even death are daily possibilities.

(2) If I were to ask you if you’ve ever been a prisoner, most of you would say “no” – but actually that’s not true. In reality, all of us have been prisoners – not in some state correctional facility – but prisoners of sin. Paul talked about being “a prisoner of the law of sin” in Romans chapter seven (c.f. Romans 7:23) – while Jesus once applied a verse found in the Book of Isaiah to Himself, which says (in part) (in the Gospel of Luke): “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me … to bring good news to the afflicted … to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners” (c.f. Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). In this case, the “prisoners” Jesus spoke of are first and foremost of all “spiritual prisoners” – i.e. those who are being held captive by their sins and their sinful nature.

The more familiar expression used in Scripture is that of being a “slave to sin”. Paul spoke of this in Romans chapter six, saying among other things, that ¹⁶“(we) are slaves of the one whom (we) obey” – that prior to our conversion we were ¹⁹“slaves to impurity and lawlessness” – and that as long as we are ²⁰“slaves of sin, (we are not) free (to practice) righteousness”, because sin is our ¹⁴“master” rather than Christ (c.f. Romans 6:14-20).

(3) Every so often, after he had served his time, Carl Johnson would walk out of prison a free man. But because his heart (as I knew it some twenty years ago) had never been set free from its slavery to sin, he soon found himself back in the “correctional” system.

In the spiritual realm, you and I can never serve enough time to be set free from being a prisoner to the sin that lurks in the depths of own hearts (c.f. Jeremiah 17:9). If that happens, its only by God’s grace – and then, only because of Jesus Christ, whom our text (in verse fourteen) says, “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed …” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

Furthermore, after we’ve been saved, His grace continues working in us, teaching us (in verse twelve, for example) to say “no” to “ungodliness and worldly desires” – and “yes” to living “sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (c.f. Titus 2:12). Hence, our text (in verse fourteen) goes on to say that Jesus Christ has “redeemed us from every lawless deed, (in order that He might) purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

(4) Living as becomes someone who professes to be a follower of Christ is one of the main themes of Titus chapter two.

(a) Look at verses one through ten, for a moment. In contrast to false teachers and their followers (spoken of in chapter one), who often “profess to know God, but … deny Him (by their deeds)” (c.f. Titus 1:16), you and I are to live (verse five) “so that the word of God will not be dishonored” (c.f. Titus 2:5).

Likewise, the speech and conduct of pastors like Titus (and myself) is to be (according to verse eight) “beyond reproach, so that (those who oppose the Gospel will have) nothing bad to say about us” (c.f. Titus 2:8) – and more importantly, nothing bad to say about Christ on account of us (c.f. II Samuel 12:14)!

Even Christian “bondslaves” (or employees) (in verse nine) are exhorted to be exemplary workers, so that (according to verse ten) “the doctrine of God our Savior (will be adorned) in every respect” (c.f. Titus 2:9-10).

(b) In this morning’s Scripture lesson, then, (verses eleven through fourteen) (c.f. Titus 2:11-14) we find that God’s grace not only saves us (according to verse eleven), its only by His enabling grace that we learn how to say “no” to sin and “yes” to righteousness (according to verse twelve). Furthermore, the exhortation to be looking for “the blessed hope” of our Savior’s return (in verse thirteen) is meant to be an added incentive to pursue Christ-like living.

And then, in our text (verse fourteen), we find that one of the reasons Jesus died to redeem us from our slavery to sin is so that we might become “zealous (doers of) good deeds” (v. 14).

(B) SALVATION FROM SLAVERY TO SIN

(1) Jesus Christ is clearly the focus of verses eleven through fourteen (c.f. Titus 2:11-14).

For example, when Paul said (in verse eleven) that: “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (c.f. Titus 2:11) – he was talking about Jesus. As Scripture says elsewhere, “there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (c.f. Acts 4:12) – i.e. “no other name”, than the name of “Jesus”.

When Paul talked about the grace of God (in verse twelve) “instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (c.f. Titus 2:12) – he was talking about Jesus, whose entire Sermon on the Mount (for example) was filled with practical ways to “Let (our) light shine before men in such a way that they may see (our) good works, and glorify (our) Father who is in heaven” (c.f. Matthew 5:16).

When Paul said (in verse thirteen) that we Christians should be “looking for the blessed hope and … appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior” (c.f. Titus 2:13) – he was talking about Jesus, whom angels once said “will come in just the same way as you (i.e. His disciples) watched Him (ascend) into heaven” (c.f. Acts 1:11).

And now in this morning’s text (verse fourteen), when Paul draws our attention to the One “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed …” (c.f. Titus 2:14) – he’s still talking about Jesus! And when he refers to the One who is “purify(ing) … a people for His own possession, (who will be) zealous for good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14) – it’s Jesus Christ whom he’s talking about!

(2) With that in mind, then, let’s examine our text in more detail – beginning with the phrase in verse fourteen that says Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us …” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

(a) This is first and foremost of all a reference to our Savior’s sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus once said: “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, AND to give His life a ransom for many” (c.f. Matthew 20:28). In giving His life for us on the cross, our Lord was fulfilling God the Father’s prophetic purpose, found in the Book of Isaiah, where He said, “the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” – and again, that: “the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (c.f. Isaiah 53:6, 11).

That’s what Jesus did when He “gave Himself for us” (c.f. Titus 2:14) – i.e. He bore our iniquities – He suffered an agonizing death on account of the sins of God’s elect, covenant people – which means, if we are Christians, that He went to the cross for your sins, and mine.

(b) Back in 2004, news reporter Diane Sawyer did a television interview with actor Mel Gibson regarding (what was then) his new movie about the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life, leading up to and including His crucifixion and death. Many of her questions were attempting to stir up controversy by focusing on whether or not the movie was anti-Semitic. But, at one point she asked Gibson, “Who killed Jesus?”

My answer would have been, “I did!” “I killed Jesus!” Given the fact Scripture says Christ died for the sins of the elect (variously known in the Bible as “His people” or “His sheep”) (c.f. Matthew 1:21; John 10:26-27; Romans 8:33-34) – given the fact He has graciously enabled me to repent of my sins, and profess faith in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, so that I am trusting in Him alone for my salvation (c.f. Acts 2:37-38; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9) – therefore, I must conclude that Jesus Christ “gave Himself for (me)” (c.f. Titus 2:14) – that He went to the cross for me – that He suffered and died for my sins. Which means I am one of the ones responsible for His death, just as surely as if I had been standing in the crowd shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (c.f. Matthew 27:22-23) – or had driven the nails into His hands with my own!

(c) Gibson’s movie (you may recall) was a very graphic portrayal of what the physical sufferings of our Lord may have been like. And I have no desire to down play the physical sufferings our Savior endured on our behalf – for the prophet Isaiah said, “His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men” (c.f. Isaiah 52:14). Even before He was crucified, Jesus was scourged (which was a terrible form of punishment all its own) (c.f. John 19:1) – He was brutally beaten (c.f. Mark 14:65) – He had a crown of thorns thrust down on His head (c.f. John 19:2) – and finally, He was forced to carry His own cross to Golgotha, which He eventually could not do, because He was so weakened by the physical abuse and punishment He had already undergone (c.f. Luke 23:25; John 19:17).

(d) The physical sufferings our Lord endured in “(giving) Himself for us” (c.f. Titus 2:14) are an important and necessary part of our redemption. At the same time, however, Jesus was not the only man to have ever been scourged – He probably wasn’t the only man to have been beaten by Roman soldiers before being executed – and we know He wasn’t the only man to ever have been crucified. So we would have to say that none of our Savior’s physical sufferings were unique to Him alone.

But there was one thing Jesus suffered that was unique – although it wouldn’t have been particularly noticeable to those who crucified Him – nor would those who watched Him die necessarily have recognized it. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only evidence for it is found in the words our Savior cried out from the cross about three o’clock in the afternoon, shortly before He died – namely, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (c.f. Matthew 27:46).

(e) Martin Luther once went into seclusion for a long period of time, just so he could meditate on those words in hopes of better understanding what they meant – but he came back and confessed that he was as confused as ever.²

I can certainly empathize with Luther, because from first the day I realized what those words signified, I have always felt woefully inadequate to explain them. But I am convinced of this – those words were not wrung from our Lord because of the obvious physical sufferings He was undergoing (as bad as those were) – but because of the unseen spiritual sufferings He endured “for us”¹ (c.f. Titus 2:14), especially during those three hours when a strange (but heavy) darkness lay over the whole land (c.f. Matthew 27:45).

The night before, when Jesus was so “grieved and distressed (that) His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” – the night before, when Jesus prayed (in part): “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (c.f. Matthew 26:37, 39; Luke 22:44) – the stress He was obviously under was not solely from anticipating the physical tortures He would have to endure, leading up to and including the cross. Rather, it was from anticipating the spiritual separation that would take place between Himself and the Father on account of your sins, and mine – a separation that was far more terrible than all the physical sufferings Jesus would endure on behalf of the people He came to save!

(f) The prophet Habakkuk wrote of God: “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor” (c.f. Habakkuk 1:13). Scripture also says of Jesus that “(He) who knew no sin (became) sin on our behalf” (c.f. II Corinthians 5:21).

Hence, as Jesus hung on the cross, He wasn’t just covered with blood – He was covered with our sins – He became “a curse for us”, as Scripture says in the Book of Galatians (c.f. Galatians 3:13). Because of this, God the Father turned His back on Him² (as it were) – and in so doing, in some way no one could see, nor can we fully fathom to this day, God the Father poured out the fury of His righteous anger on Christ – an anger you and I deserved, but which Jesus took upon Himself instead. It was because He was enduring the full weight of the Father’s wrath on account of your sins, and my sins – it was because He was “(giving) Himself for us” (as our text says) (c.f. Titus 2:14), that Jesus cried out: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (c.f. Matthew 27:46).

(3) Jesus suffered the curse of God’s wrath on the cross. Whatever the agonies of hell are (and they are beyond our imagination), Jesus went through them “for us” (c.f. Titus 2:14) The question is, why? Why did He do it?

(a) According to our text (verse fourteen) He did it “to redeem us from every lawless deed …” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

[1] The Greek word translated “redeem” (“lutroo”) (c.f. Titus 2:14) means “to release by paying a ransom”³ – and carries the idea of making a payment to set someone free who is being held as a captive, or as a prisoner, or even as a slave⁴ – i.e. someone who could never come up with the ransom price on their own to set themselves free.

It’s the same word Jesus used in the Gospel of Mark, when He said: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom (i.e. a payment) for many (i.e. many who were being held captive by their sin)” (c.f. Mark 10:45).

It’s also the same word Peter used in that passage I often quote during communion services, where he said that we were “not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from (our) futile way of life inherited from (our) fore-fathers, but (we were redeemed) with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (c.f. I Peter 1:18-19).

[2] As we noted earlier, before our conversion to Christ we were all enslaved to sin (c.f. Romans 6:20) – we were all being held prisoner by our sins, and there was nothing we could do about it – absolutely nothing we could do to free ourselves, or redeem ourselves from our predicament.

When Jesus came, however, He rescued us – literally, He redeemed us, by paying the only ransom that could possibly satisfy God’s justice.⁵ He “gave Himself” as the payment for our sin and guilt! Hence, it’s His life – His blood – His sacrifice – His sufferings – His death that paid our ransom, thereby redeeming us “from every lawless deed” we’ve ever done (c.f. Titus 2:14)!

[3] Few of us take our sin as seriously as we should. Most of us think of our offenses as being minor – and of ourselves as “good sinners”, as if there could even be such a thing. So, the next time you catch yourself thinking like that – the next time you start to think that your “lawless deed(s)” haven’t really been so bad (c.f. Titus 2:14) – stop and reflect on who it was who had to pay the ransom for your sins (i.e. the sinless Son of God!) – and stop and think about what He had to go through to do it, not just physically, but also in the spiritual realm – remember the words He cried out from the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (c.f. Matthew 27:46), and realize that your sin (and mine!) caused all of this!

(b) Returning to our question, why did Jesus “(give) Himself for us” on the cross? – why did He go through the agonies of hell “for us”? – our text says (verse fourteen) that He did it “to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

[1] It seems to me that this purification has at least two applications. First, it applies to all our past sins. When God the Holy Spirit graciously enabled us to repent of our sin and profess faith in Jesus Christ, ALL our sins were forgiven! Not some of them – not part of them – not all but one or two – but ALL of them! Not 50% – not 75% – not 99.9% – ALL 100% of your sins (and mine) were forgiven!

So, what’s the worst thing you ever did? What’s the one thing from your past that haunts you in the middle of the night? What’s the thing you would never want anyone in the church to know about? Did you commit adultery? – Perhaps multiple times? If you did, the moment you became a Christian you were cleansed and forgiven! Did you commit murder? Did you have an abortion? Were you ever the cause of someone else’s death? If so, the moment you became a Christian you were completely forgiven and purified!

David committed adultery and murder. And yet, he later testified that when he “acknowledged (his) sin … (and) confess(ed) (his) transgressions to the Lord, (the Lord) forgave the guilt of (all his) sin” (c.f. Psalm 32:5). Likewise, when you became a Christian, God forgave ALL your sins – thanks to Christ’s work on the cross, He purified you from the guilt and stain of EVERY sin you ever committed, no matter how great it may have been (or how many of them there were)!

[2] Second, this purification applies to all the sins we will commit in the future.

Throughout Titus chapter two we Christians are being exhorted to “stay out of the mud” (as it were) – to live as becomes followers of Christ – to not dishonor our Savior or His word by our speech or behavior – to flee from every lawless deed. But the fact is, we do sin – even though, as Christians, the Scripture says we are no longer slaves to sin (c.f. Romans 6:18, 22). Sometimes our old nature reasserts itself, and we revisit old sinful habits. Sometimes we’re just sloppy (or lazy) about using the means of grace God has provided for us, and find ourselves slipping back into some of our old immoral ways.

When that happens, we need to confess our sin and repent – remembering that familiar promise which says, “if we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness” (c.f. I John 1:9). We also need to remember that the reason He can do that, the reason He is willing to do that, is because Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us … to purify us” from our sin (c.f. Titus 2:14).

[3] Notice, too, that Christ has purified us so we can become “a people for His own possession” (c.f. Titus 2:14). The Apostle Peter spoke of this, saying: “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (c.f. I Peter 2:9).

The prophet Isaiah indicates we Christians are Jesus’ reward for having carried out the Father’s plan of salvation. Specifically he said: “If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring” (that’s us!) – and again: “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it (i.e. His reward, His offspring) and be satisfied” (c.f. Isaiah 53:10-11). BUT, in order to be His reward, we must be purified – and only Christ can do that for us.

Along these same lines, Christ has purified us (and continues to purify us) so we can be His Bride. Paul said: “Christ … loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (c.f. Ephesians 5:25-27).

We see the fulfillment of this in the Book of Revelation, where we’re told: “Let us rejoice and be glad … for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. (And) It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (c.f. Revelation 19:7-8).

We see, then, that Christ “gave Himself for us” in order “to purify” us and make us His – His spotless Bride – His sanctified people – His blameless sheep – His holy offspring – His own “special possession” (c.f. I Peter 2:9)!

[4] Finally (and quickly), having been purified, we are to live a purified life – i.e. a life that’s different from how we lived prior to being redeemed, when we pursued “every lawless deed” – a life that’s increasingly characterized by a “zealous(ness) for good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14).

The word “zealous” has to do with being enthusiastic or passionate about something. Another way to look at it is to say that (in this context) the person who is “zealous” is the one who is ready, and willing, and eager to do the kind of “good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14) God requires and expects from His people – not just from a sense of duty, but even more from heart of love and gratitude for what Christ has done for us!

In Scripture, all “good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14) share at least two qualities – first, they are actions or works God has commanded in His word (as opposed to things we’ve decided to do because we think they are good) (c.f. Micah 6:8) – and second, the primary motive for doing them is to please Christ, or glorify Him (as opposed to pleasing ourselves, or bringing attention to ourselves) (c.f. Matthew 6:1-2; I Corinthians 10:31).

Christ “gave Himself for us” on the cross “to redeem us from (all our) lawless deed(s)” (c.f. Titus 2:14). Knowing that, then by God’s enabling grace, how can we deliberately go back to lawless living?

Christ suffered the agonies of hell “to purify” us, and make us “His own possession” (c.f. Titus 2:14). If we really understand that, then by God’s enabling grace, how can we knowingly go back to living in sin and impurity?

Christ’s purpose in dying for us is that we become increasing “zealous for good deeds” (c.f. Titus 2:14). If we really believe that, then by God’s enabling grace, how can we ever strive for anything less?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

¹Ryle: Expository Thoughts on Matthew; p. 394.

²MacArthur: Matthew 24-28; p. 270.

³BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #3084.

⁴MacArthur: Titus; p. 121.

⁵Hughes: To Guard the Deposit; p. 348.