“I’ll tell you the best thing I ever did do. I laid off the old coat and I put on the new!“
Paul’s instruction to Titus is very specific. He is leaving Titus on the island of Crete with the authority to exhort and to correct. Titus, on this wildly treacherous Mediterranean island, will, in fact, honor the one true God, the God that is truth, the God that does not lie. He will honor our God who takes very seriously His relationship with His creation. Titus works diligently to maintain the simplicity of the gospel, and to see that it is not tainted or watered down with falsehoods, fables, or selfish ideas. He will stand strong against the nay-sayers, the hypocrites, and the unbelievers. He will use the experienced, elder christian believers to help train new converts. Both the elder and the younger, will learn how to live in such a way, that the good news will spread. The decisions made here, from this tiny island, will spread the gospel to the far ends of the globe.
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Paul starts where we all start. There is a choice each of us has to make. That decision starts with a reality check of where we really are. Do we believe the gospel of Christ?
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-13).
To deal with the lost, we cannot boast of ourselves (there is nothing there to boast about). Our story is the same as every other sinner’s story. We start off with a sinful, rebellious nature.
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. (Titus 3: 1-2).
It may sound easy, but walking in truth rarely is. Foolish, disobedient, angry, envious, and self willed, those words describe all of us. The God of faithful love requires a change.
Two coats lay before me an old and a new. I could have either so what must I do? The one coat was ugly and terribly torn. The Other a new one, had never been worn. One coat was earthly and not fit to wear. I thought of it often and shed many a tear. Then there was a clean one presented to view. I laid off the old coat - and I put on the new! (verse 1).
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
The nature of God is love and truth. Despite ourselves, God loves us. His mercy is greater than our sin. Don’t pass that statement too quickly. Do you believe that? His Mercy is greater than all our sin? God pursues every person while knowing everything about us. Notice carefully that Paul reminds Titus what we in the church often forget. None of the goodness of God or His plan to bring us back into fellowship has anything to do with our righteousness. We cannot earn it; it is a debt we cannot pay.
The only restoration is by God's washing of regeneration and His giving of the Holy Spirit. As a preacher once said, “If I stand in front of God and start any sentence with I - I did, I said, I went, then I won’t get in.” The only thing that makes us citizens of Heaven, repairs our fellowship with God and man, and changes us from the vile person we are into a new creature, is our decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. That decision changes our lives and our actions. The hero of this story is not us. He alone washes us clean with a new birth. A spiritual birth; a second birth.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
The first man was earthy and made from the ground;We all bore his image the whole world around.
But the next was my Savior from Heaven so fair;He gave me this new coat you now see me where. (Verse 2).
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
He makes us new because we choose him. We ask Him into our lives. We put off the old selfish nature and become new by accepting His gift, His Son, His Holy Spirit. The loving favor of God covers us just as if we had never sinned.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2: 8-9).
The result of this new birth is new works. Our actions change. Our mind is renewed. Our eyes are open to God’s way of thinking. The difference in attitude, actions, and lifestyle will attract those around us. They will seek these changes for themselves. Change is hard, it's a continual warfare, but for the born again, the victor has already been determined.
Now this coat it fits me and keeps me so warm;Its good in the winter; Its good in the storm
My Savior has dressed me in garments so rare; He gave me this new coat, his image I’ll bear. (verse 3).
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Paul reminds Titus that we will not fit into this world. God’s regeneration creates a peculiar people. How we shun the word peculiar! We share our faith and avoid stirring up arguments or looking at those around us in disdain. We live in the world, but this is not our final destination. Those who want to teach any other way or choose not to believe at all condemn themselves. Our greatest obligation is to live our lives following Jesus, reading His word, and learning to love like God. How we act and how we live every day is the light that draws people to Christ. A single Christian believer can change a family. A family of believers can change a community. A community of believers can change the world. After all, twelve blue-collar itinerant preachers “turned it upside down.”
I’ll tell you the best thing I ever did do; I laid off the old coat and I put on the new!
(chorus).
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!
** Old Coat - public domain Gospel song
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