The way we were

Text Titus 3:3 Time 03/11/10 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church

We have begun to look at Titus 3 where Paul begins by reminding Titus to Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. On of his arguments for such action is that these people have been converted and so should be willing and able to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

That leads him to reflect firstly on what they all were at one time before they were converted. He uses some six adjectives or adjectival phrases to describe how it used to be and I thought it would be good if this evening we meditated on each one and meditated on how it is with those who are still unconverted and how it once was with us who have had the kindness and love of God our Saviour appear... so that we are saved - not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy having known the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit an having been justified by God's grace, so becoming heirs with the hope of eternal life.

Perhaps we can think of it chiefly as the way we were.

1. Once we were foolish as many still are

Paul begins At one time we too were foolish. The word means something like unintelligent, thoughtless, mindless, unthinking. Paul has already spoken (in 1:15) about how their minds and consciences are corrupted. To be an unbeliever is to be like a silly sheep. The word is similar to the one used in Luke 24:50 when Jesus says to the disciples How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

As you know, when the Bible talks about being foolish it has in mind not just stupidity but more moral corruption. It is one of the themes of the Book of Proverbs. In the first nine chapters we read appeals like these.

1:22 How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

8:5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.

9:6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.

In the Proverbs proper we have a portrait of the fool in his many guises.

In Romans 1 Paul speaks of the foolish hearts if unbelievers being darkened and that is the sort of thing that is in mind here.

There is a famous debate between the late Greg Bahnsen and an atheist Dr Gordon Stein. Dr Bahnsen who was a philosopher as well as a theologian runs rings around Stein who was not really on his specialist subject. At one point they discuss logic and Stein accepts that there are laws of logic that are universal. He also accepts that they are immaterial. They then come to discuss God and Stein asks Bahnsen if he thinks God is immaterial, which he does, of course. He then asks if he has an example of anything else immaterial. Of course, Bahnsen mentions the laws of logic! The basic argument is that the atheist cannot really account for morality while he refuses to believe in God. Not all unbelievers would claim to be atheists but similar logical flaws can be found in their thinking and morality.

There is something unthinking and foolish about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. They know they will die but will not prepare for death. They know there is God but make no real effort to seek after him. They live for self and for their own pleasure. What foolishness there is everywhere. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

2. Once we were disobedient as many still are

The word disobedient has already come up in 1:16 where Paul describes unbelievers as those who claim to know God, but by their actions ... deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. More literally the word is again negative and means that they are not persuadable, not biddable. To be an unbeliever is to be like a stubborn mule that won't do what its master says. It starts when we are young and we refuse to obey our parents, it often betrays itself in a contempt for other authorities and ultimately it is a refusal to obey God. The unbeliever will not do nor can he do what God wants him to do.

Isn't this what the whole debate on homosexuality is all about? God says, no you can't and men want to disobey God – sometimes simply to disobey – and those who don't want to disobey in this way want to disobey in others.

There is something unwilling and disobedient about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. They know in general what God wants from them but on some things they refuse to do as he commands. They often know that obedience to God – not murdering, not committing adultery, not lying - is the best way forward and yet they refuse to do it nevertheless. They live regardless of God and his will. What disobedience there is everywhere. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

3. Once we were deceived as many still are

By nature we are also deceived. The word used here is not a negative one but is the same word from which we get our word “planet”. Planets were thought of in ancient times as wandering stars. So here Paul is saying that unbelievers are wanderers, those who have gone astray, who are out of the right way, in error. Part of being an unbeliever is to be in error about the truth. It is to be like a lost sheep that has gone astray from God.

I had a cup of coffee today and the person serving me was smiling. I've noticed before that she is always smiling. I said why are you always smiling, because you are a Christian? No, she's Hindu. Because she would cry otherwise? No. Very happy and yet not converted. It happens. It is a delusion.

The Devil deceives sinners and sin deceives them. They are deceived by the lies of men and in the end deceive themselves with their lies and errors.

There is something self-deceiving and wayward about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. They do not realise that they are in gross error. They wander through life, ambling along all the while, drifting further from the truth like a ship or a wave on the sea. They live a life of error. What error there is everywhere. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

4. Once we were enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures

Paul goes on and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. To be an unbeliever is to be a slave. It is state of being trapped by all kinds of passions and pleasures or longings and desires. God has given us certain appetites – for food and drink and friendship and sex and excitement and other such things. These appetites were never mean to rule over us but that is what happens to the unbeliever. He lives for his pleasures. He is by nature a hedonist, one who lives for pleasure. Self -indulgence is a key idea with him. Sloths sleep as much as 23 hour sin 24. Unbelievers can be similarly indulgent.

People can be surprisingly open about this – that they live for pleasure. I met someone in the summer who was about to go to work in Ghana in some help project, She was quite clear, however, that although it would hopefully help the Ghanaians, it was chiefly about her. The advertisers have cottoned on and are always saying “Go on, indulge yourself” “Enjoy life's pleasures”, etc. The richest woman in France is Liliane Bettencourt. She is the major shareholder in L'Oréal, the world's biggest cosmetic manufacturer. Some years ago L'Oréal's slogan was "Because I'm worth it". They softened it to "Because you're worth it" after concerns in France that the original appeared too money-oriented. It typifies the general attitude of the believer.

There is something self-seeking and self-indulgent about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. They live for pleasure. They often think only of indulging this appetite or that. They live, as far as they can. a life of ease and of luxury. It comes out in different ways but what self-indulgence there is everywhere. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

5. Once we lived in malice and envy, as many still do

Paul also says We lived in malice and envy. Again it doesn't always come out in the same way but there is an evil and an ill will that is characteristic of every one who is outside of Christ. There is a nastiness about the unbeliever that sometimes surprises us. Sometimes they can harbour evil schemes and strong envy for years and years. Like ferocious wild animals they can be quite unkind and malicious.

It starts off in childhood. Children can be very cruel to one another. In America they have found that suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4400 deaths per year. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over 14% of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 % have attempted it. Victims of bullying between 2 and 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University. A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying. Girls 10-14 are at highest risk, according to studies. As many as 30 % of American students are either bullies or victims and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of bullying.

There is something malicious and ill-willed about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. Wives kill husbands and husbands wives. Neighbours fight and refuse to speak. How nasty people can be. What unpleasantness there is everywhere. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

6. Once we hated and were hated by others, as many still are

The final phrase being hated and hating one another gives perhaps the wrong impression in that two different words are used. However, the first word does mean being hateful and the second to hate. Again it is not difficult to think of examples of this.

They say elephants never forget but no animal would ever bear a grudge like a man.

This is from the Liverpool Echo

A NIGHTMARE neighbour who made life in a Liverpool tower block a misery was finally evicted.

Billy Niven, dubbed "Mr Nasty", is in prison for terrorising others living close to his Old Swan home and breaching an ASBO he was handed last year.

And today, at Liverpool County Court, he was told he will not be allowed to return home on his release in mid-November and is banned from even entering the block for a year.

In August Judge Graham Platts suspended an application for Liverpool Mutual Homes to take possession of the Baden House flat, in Baden Road, giving Niven one last chance after he promised to change his ways.

But the judge conceded his earlier optimism was "misplaced" after the court heard it took just two weeks for the 48-year-old to return to his old ways.

In just one day he abused a housing association employee, threatened fellow residents and intimidated workmen, telling them "I’m the boss of this site".

Niven was jailed for four months in September for two breaches of his ASBO. During that hearing the court heard he had subjected residents to five years of misery, arming himself with weapons, leaving dog dirt and threatening letters in the lifts and issuing violent threats.

Yesterday, his solicitor Michael Krebs told the court prison had had "a profound effect on him" and in a letter said he wanted to apologise, promising to change his ways.

But Judge Platts said: "I don’t think I have heard any genuine signs of apology or remorse from him and I suspect the letter is written in an attempt to retain his home rather than any genuine admission of remorse on his behalf."

LMH chief executive Steve Coffey said today : "We are delighted the court took these steps to evict and exclude him from the area because he has been ruining tenants’ lives for a long time with his anti social behaviour.

"The courage our tenants have shown in taking a stand against him is commendable and we hope others see this case and have the confidence to report anti-social behaviour to us so we can act."

There is something hateful and hating about the unbeliever. It surfaces at many points. They can be so nasty, so vindictive. It comes out in different ways but what hatred there is everywhere in the rat race. And that's how we were and how we still would be if it were not for his kindness in saving us.

Give thanks for deliverance and pray for others to be saved despite themselves.