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Saving Grace Appearing to All Men

Paul writes to Titus in a letter, an epistle, a Gentile man converted through evangelism in the Gentile region of Crete, a pagan island in the Mediterranean Sea, in Titus 2:11:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

What was this grace of God that appeared to all men? What appears to all men? Does the message of Jesus Christ appear to all men?

We know from scripture what appears to all men. It is general revelation. How does general revelation though bring salvation? Only the gospel, a message of special revelation, will save someone. General revelation falls short of being a gospel message.

Paul in Romans

Chapter 2

God intends to do more than condemn through general revelation. It is a vehicle toward special revelation by which God will save men. The Apostle Paul in Romans 2 in dealing with pagan Gentiles, who never heard of God’s law, which was a schoolmaster toward faith, says in verses 14-15:

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

The law of God in their hearts in accompaniment with their consciences bear witness to Gentiles. These uncircumcised pagans can and do become circumcised inwardly by faith. It is a circumcision (verse 29) of “the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” God receives praise for this work of grace in the hearts of Gentiles, even as no human explanation for this working exists.

Chapters 3 and 4

Pagan Gentiles without the special revelation of God are proven under sin before God (3:9) by means of the law in their hearts and their consciences. This law in their hearts stops their mouths that they might be guilty before God (3:19). He is not the God merely of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles and He justifies not just the circumcision but also the uncircumcision by faith. God operates in the hearts of those not through physical tables of the law but through inward tables in their hearts, also working toward justification by faith.

Like with the pagan Gentiles, God imputed righteousness to Abraham by faith in his uncircumcision (4:10). Abraham became the Father of them who believe, who are not of the circumcision (4:12). This is how Abraham is a Father of many nations (4:18).

Paul as Missionary in Crete and in Athens

The work toward Gentile salvation came without the written law and yet with the law in their hearts. That was the grace of God appearing to all men, that brings salvation. Salvation does require conviction of sin through God’s gracious means. This occurs with everybody. When God saves Gentiles in remote regions where a missionary brings the gospel for the first time, God already started working in those persons’ hearts. Paul under the inspiration of God reveals that in the first three chapters of Romans. This is what Paul wrote to Titus for such a people as those on the isle of Crete.

When God condemns a Gentile, he rightly condemns one for rejecting Jesus Christ, even if he never heard of Jesus. Every person possesses the possibility of receiving Christ, which is why Paul says he is without excuse. When the Apostle Paul went to Athens, he preached to them Jesus. Paul said that they ignorantly worshiped Jesus, when they worshiped “the unknown God” (Acts 17:22). It was not true worship, because it lacked sufficient truth, but Paul says that some kind of revelation occurred with them, albeit ignorant. Paul sprang off that foundation, that was already there, to preach to them.

Then Paul revealed the true identity of the unknown God, showing them that man God ordained, whom He raised from the dead, would judge them in righteousness. God had a basis to judge them even though they did not perfectly know Him. They knew Him enough because of the grace of God that appeared to them. That same grace brings salvation. Some of the Athenians mocked Paul, but others said, “We will hear thee again in this matter” (17:32). Certain men clave unto him and believed, and others with them (17:34).

The Story of Receiving the Gift of Faith that Saves

Do the stories of the Cretians on Crete and the Athenians in Athens reveal the work of God toward receiving the gift of faith? Yes. In the way toward saving faith comes someone with enough reception of the unknown God for the Apostle Paul to piggy back off of it to preach Jesus Christ. Missionaries going to godless pagans take this as an optimistic example and a model for how to do the work there.

My major purpose of writing this series is explaining how someone receives saving faith. At least some of the time, if not most of the time, someone will not receive saving faith until he receives a lesser faith based on general revelation. As a stronger position, I believe that everyone that receives special revelation first receives general revelation. This leads to large numbers of heathen conversions. Scripture and then history shows these examples.

Born Again of Special Revelation

The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:21 and 23-25:

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. . . . . 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

When you look at those verses, you see something to what Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 and what James wrote in James 1:18:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Someone must hear the word of God for salvation. This is akin to Paul in Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Is the gospel the word of God? It is, but it is not the word of God in general. It is part of the word of God that deals with true salvation. These verses themselves explain that in the original language.

Word and Word

Peter uses two different Greek words for “word” in 1 Peter 1:23 and 25. The “word of God” in verse 23 is logos, the word of God in general. However, in verse 25 Peter uses the word, rhema, twice. This speaks of a specific passage or passages with the gospel in it. There is special revelation and then there is the special message within the special revelation. Someone must receive that. That is “the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” “Word of God” in Romans 10:17 is also rhema. Logos is in James 1:18.

When God begets, meaning someone is born again unto salvation, through the Word of God (logos), someone preaches a particular word of God (rhema) with the gospel in it. People use scripture to preach a false gospel, so it isn’t the Word of God in general that saves. It is the true message of the Word of God, the rightly divided Word of truth that saves.

More to Come

Paul Stands Against Peter and the Subject of Authority (Part Two)

July 17, 2023 / Leave a comment

Part One

The Point of Peter and Paul’s Authority

According to Galatians 2, the gospel was the point of Peter and Paul’s authority, not authority the point of their authority. Paul used his authority with Peter, when the gospel was at stake. He stood against him “before them all,” when Peter, Barnabas, and others “walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel” (Gal 2:14). Their undermining of the gospel was in action. It was a situation for “rebuke before all, that others may fear” (1 Tim 5:20), words written by Paul later. The Apostle Paul used the authority of his apostleship “that the truth of the gospel might continue” (Gal 2:5).

The corruption of gospel in Peter’s walk needed correcting before them all. It was not, let me show everyone who is boss. Peter didn’t lose anything from what Paul did with him. The truth and work of the gospel gained from it. Authority was a means to an end, not the end. After Paul wrote the narrative of this confrontation in chapter two, it kept on giving to the Galatian churches and others since then.

Pastoral Authority

You should say Paul and Peter possessed unique authority as apostles. On the other hand, God still ordained Titus with pastoral authority. Paul commanded Titus in Titus 2:15:

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

He is telling Titus, pastors should use all authority to execute this doctrine and practice in their churches. “Authority” translates epitage, which means, “the right or authority to command.” Pastors have the authority to speak, exhort, and rebuke someone when he won’t believe or do these things. Paul doesn’t tell Titus, speak, exhort, and even rebuke church members over the matter of authority.

A lot of scriptural belief and practice clashes with the culture. It would in Crete. Cretans didn’t live like the expectations of Titus 2. Pastors in Crete could tell people what they needed in order to live like God wanted them. Pastors had the authority to do this. The goal of course was these Cretans living like God wanted, not telling everyone that pastors were in charge.

The Goal to Help and Change

Space to Repent

As a pastor, helping people to live right requires patience and understanding. Even the Jezebel of the church at Thyatira Jesus gave space to repent of her wickedness before bringing the hammer down (Rev 2:21). The goal was the change, the sanctification, or even true conversion. The idea here is not, “I’m cutting you off because you won’t do what I say.” Or, “Here’s the box, go clean out your desk and leave the building.”

Meekness

Later in Galatians 6:1-2 Paul writes to those churches he planted in that region:

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Truly saved people, which are spiritual, want restoration. Getting there requires meekness. Meekness isn’t weakness. People used the Greek word in describing the constraining and usefulness of a powerful horse. Paul includes bearing the burden of the person, understanding the pain, hardship, and difficulty. It isn’t an inquisition, where men sit before their victim and harangue and pummel with harsh countenances.

Different Categories of People

Unruly, Feebleminded, and Weak

People in a church will break down into various categories. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15:

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Paul reserves warning for the unruly. Others get comfort and support. Everyone gets patience. Render to no one evil for evil. Offering evil to evil does not solve evil. Pastors are not the prison wardens, who treat church members like criminals. They want to help them. Pastors don’t start with accusations and warnings. They investigate and find what could bring everyone to the best spot.

Older and Younger Men

Using his apostolic authority, Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:1:

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren.

Pastors might feel intimidated by an older man and what he might do. You may notice especially today differences in older men. Many of them don’t talk with an effeminate voice. That voice may seem like it needs rebuke. Paul says, intreat. How does someone intreat? We get rebuke, but what is intreat?

Rebuke provides a contrast. Rebuke reprimands someone, calls him out on the carpet, dresses him down. Smokes him. Paul says never do that with an older man.

Showing Men Respect

Pastors, you will lose your men when you won’t show them respect. You may not think they deserve your respect. You may think that only you deserve respect, because you’re pastor. Men do, because they’re made in the image of God. God gave men a role that requires respect. Paul told the wives of the church at Ephesus to reverence their husbands (Eph 5:33).

“Intreat” in 1 Timothy 5:1 translates parakaleo. BDAG says this exact usage in 1 Timothy 5:1 means:

treat someone in an inviting or congenial manner, someth. like our ‘be open to the other, have an open door’: invite in, conciliate, be friendly to or speak to in a friendly manner

“Intreat” does not mean, sit hard faced with a monotone voice that espouses edicts. It is not the following:

sternly tell them to behave well, to demand good behavior and warn them of dire consequences if they do not stop what they are doing

That falls under the definition of “reading the riot act.” Some pastors are among the biggest professionals at this behavior.

Considering Thyself

Consistency and Inconsistency

In Galatians 6:1, Paul mentions a factor encouraging meekness in restoration: “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” A person might sometimes violate the very belief and practice he confronts in another person. No one is completely consistent in belief and practice. Someone can try, but he’ll fail at perfect consistency.

When the proudest person you know confronts you harshly over pride, it’s tough to take that from him. You should still listen to him. Pride is bad. Proud people expect great humility from the ones they confront. If a proud man won’t save his lecture to someone else over pride, he might think of using meekness, considering his own history of pride.

Pride and Insecurity

Pride relates to self. It manifests itself in dramatically different ways. An insecure person focuses on his self. A pastor might overcompensate for that insecurity by blowing other people away. He doesn’t want others to see weakness. Paul anticipated this possibility from both Timothy and Titus. He commanded Titus, “Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:15). He meant, “Don’t let anyone ignore what you’re telling them to do; you’ve got the authority to expect this from them.”

Someone confident through focus on Christ does not need to compensate for weakness. He exhibits real strength, finding security from God. He knows his job is not about himself, but pleasing His Master.

Right Use of Authority

The Apostle Paul wanted to help Peter and Barnabas, the Antioch and Jerusalem churches, the Galatian churches, and everyone who needed a true gospel then and into the future. His ministry didn’t destroy Peter. He writes his second epistle (2 Peter) over twenty years after this event. His leadership wasn’t stopped by Paul’s confrontation, but when the Romans crucified him upside down. He continued an effective servant of God all the way to his martyrdom.

As a pastor, you don’t want your wrong use of authority to end relationships. You might have your favorites, and you especially determine that by how they treat you. Like a Rehoboam, you like the way they respond to you and your ideas. That means they’re a good church member. They treat you nice; you treat them nice. It should matter to you when you lose someone who wasn’t lockstep with your authority. You are not the pillar and ground for the truth. The church is.

Perhaps every pastor will step over the line in his use of pastoral authority. I like to say, “There are no dress rehearsals.” It’s good to admit when you’ve done this. I’m sure those you’ve violated would appreciate hearing you at least wonder whether you did this to them.