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Titus
A
1:1 -4.
Hope of eternal life.
God our Saviour.
Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
B
1:5 -16.
Unto every Good Work reprobate.
C
2:1. Speak ... things ... become sound doctrine.
B
2:2 -8.
A pattern of Good Works.
A
2:9 -14.
Hope, that blessed hope.
God our Saviour.
Jesus Christ our great God and Saviour.
B
2:14. Zealous of Good Works.
C
2:15 to 3:1. Speak ... be subject ... obey.
B
3:1,2. Ready to every Good Work.
A
3:3 -7. Hope of eternal life.
God our Saviour.
Jesus Christ our Saviour.
B
3:8 -15.
Maintain Good Works.
Today we are faced on the one hand with scepticism and indifference,
and on the other hand with much that savours of the old Gnostic heresy that
both Paul in his pastoral epistles and John in his first epistle had in mind,
and while it would be unwise of us to fill our pages with a detailed account
of the errors of Gnosticism it may be useful, even if somewhat laborious, to
lift out from the two epistles, 1 Timothy and Titus, the apostle's references
to the prevailing evil of the time.
`As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into
Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other
doctrine,
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister
questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a
good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they
say, nor whereof they affirm.
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the
lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy
and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for
manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for
menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other
thing that is contrary to sound doctrine' (1 Tim. 1:3 -10).
`Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away
concerning faith have made shipwreck:
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan,
that they may learn not to blaspheme' (1 Tim. 1:19,20).
`Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron;