How to Live Among Pagans
October 2nd, 2000How to Live Among Pagans
Titus 3:1-2
When a person is converted to Jesus Christ he or she is transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God. His heart has been changed and no longer does he love the world as he once did. Now he loves Christ supremely and hates sin. Yet the Christian is still in the world. The same ungodly people are his neighbors and co-workers. The same government and rulers are in place. He sees them in an entirely different light now. He sees them in relation to Christ. The evil in people and in government is more apparent now than ever.
Since the believer is still in the world, with worldly people and worldly authorities, how should he then live? The Christians on the Island of Crete surely wondered about this. Crete had been subdued by Rome in 67 BC. There were many Jews there who had an inbred hostility to Roman authority. Cretans themselves were on the whole “insubordinate”. They were not the kind of people that were submissive to government. Paul described them as, “always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” These new believers would have had a difficult time submitting to authorities that were opposed to Christianity.
But it is not only on Crete that Christians face such problems. Christians everywhere in every age face the same problems of living among pagans and under secular governments. There is no escape from it. Writing in 1Corinthians, Paul said, “I wrote to you in the letter not to associate intimately with fornicators; yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you must go out of the world.” (1Cor 5:9-10) Jesus said, in John 17:15, “I do not pray for You to take them out of the world, but for You to keep them from the evil.” A believer cannot escape being in the world. But he can escape the corruption that is in the world. He can, by God’s grace, be kept from evil. He can learn, by the instruction of the Word of God, how to live among pagans. The instruction in Titus 3:1-2 is to teach you how to live in the world.
Christian, do you want to know how to live in the unbelieving world? Then hear God’s instructions to you in these two verses. First of all:
I. GOD WANTS YOU TO BE SUBJECT TO AUTHORITY
Paul told Titus to “remind them” of this. We need to be reminded because it is something we love to forget! Submitting to authority is about as tasteful to the flesh as eating gravel. In the fall, Eve refused to submit to the authority of God and of her husband. Instead of submitting to God’s authority, Adam allowed his wife to rule him. Actually, the flesh is not opposed to all authority, just God’s authority. Sinners by nature prefer the cruel tyrannical rule of the devil because they think that they are ruling themselves. Those who submit to sin and Satan must realize that this leads to a dead end road - to death and destruction.
On the other hand, those who submit to God and the authorities He has delegated will find life and peace. The command here says, “be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey.” The word used for “subject” is a Greek military term meaning “to arrange troop divisions in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”. As a Christian, it is your responsibility to gladly cooperate with the authorities. You are to willingly submit yourself to them.
The other word Paul uses here is “obey”. To obey someone assumes that they have issued commands or given laws. God expects you to obey the laws of the land.
Who are these authorities? All who are placed over you by the providence of God. If you are a wife, it means your husband, as Valerie will speak about tonight. If you are a child or young person, it means your parents. If you are a church member, it includes the elders of the church. For all of us, this includes authorities such as presidents, senators, representatives, judges, governors, policemen, etc. Why obey these authorities? Paul does not say in this passage. However, in Romans 13 he says, “Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.”
God has ordained authority to keep law and order in His world. It is a protective agency. Government exists to protect good citizens from evil by punishing lawbreakers. Government is God’s servant for your good, Paul says. I know that under our present administration, some people have gotten quite cynical and critical of government as if government itself was evil. Government itself is ordained by God and is good! Remember that! The thing that is wrong with government usually is found in the lives of its administrators. Yet even bad government is better than no government. In the history of the world, it has been a rare mercy when a nation had a godly ruler. Though we must work for and pray that we would have godly leaders, we must not be too alarmed when we have ungodly ones.
That is not to say that the structure or the type of civil government is unimportant. It is just not the focus of the Bible. Today Christians are far too concerned with politics and the form of government than they are with holy attitudes and steadfast obedience. The emphasis of Scripture for Christians is not political action, but with Christlike behavior! You are to be more concerned about your duty to those in government, than the duty of government officials to you! Unless, of course, you are one that is in a position of civil authority.
Now, does that mean that Christians ought not get out and vote, or shouldn’t get involved in politics? Not at all. But Christians must not fall into the trap of putting their hope in government or politics. For as the author of Hebrews says, “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” This world is passing away. Here there is no permanence - no security - no certainty. Is not this world our “wilderness” in which we must pass through to get to our Promised Land of heaven?
The Puritan Richard Baxter wrote a treatise on Christian Politics. In this work he lists many directions for the duty of Christians to their rulers. Let me share with you a few of these exhortations that will be helpful to you as you seek to be obedient to this commandment in Titus 3.
1) Baxter said: “Begin with an absolute, universal, resolved obedience to God, you Creator and Redeemer, who is your sovereign King, and will be your final, righteous Judge. As he that is no loyal subject to the king, can never well obey his officers; so he that subjects not his soul to the original power of his Creator, can never well obey the derivative power of earthly governors.” If you are having trouble obeying civil authorities, then check your resolve to obey the One who has ultimate authority!
2) Baxter said, “Obey your governors as the officers of God. God must be discerned, obeyed, and intended in all.” Colossians 3:23-24 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ.” Obey those over you “in the Lord.”
3) Here’s one that certainly applies to us today. “Let no vices of the person cause you to forget the dignity of his office. The authority of a sinful ruler is of God. Do not either divulge or aggravate the vices of your governors to their dishonor; for their honor is necessary to the public good.” This of course does not mean that the President or King or any other ruler is above the law. All lawbreakers should be punished, but not every sin or fault of a leader is criminal. Baxter said, “You must speak honorably of your rulers, and endeavor to breed an honorable esteem of them in the people’s minds; and not as some, that think they do well, if they can secretly make their rulers seem odious, by opening and aggravating their faults.” We must certainly never condone the sins of our leaders, nor excuse them. But at the same time, we do not need to drag them through the mud with our railing attacks upon their person. I think this would probably rule out Clinton jokes. Jude vv. 8-9 says, “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke thee.’”
4) Baxter said, “Wish not evil to your governors in your secret thoughts.” Ecclesiastes 10:20 says, “Do not curse a king, no, not in your thought; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.” Instead of wishing them evil, we ought to be praying for their good.
5) “Trust God and live by faith and then you will find no need of rebellious or any sinful means. Do you believe that both the hearts and lives of kings, and all their affairs are in the hands of God? If not, you are atheists.” When you think that the government is doing poorly and wickedness is prospering, remember that God is in control! He is working His purposes out and makes even the wickedness of men to work to fulfill His plan.
6) Last, but certainly not least, Baxter said, “Pray constantly and heartily for the spiritual and corporal welfare of your governors.” 1Timothy 2:1-2 says, “First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” If we prayed half as much as we complained about the government, then we would have only half as much reason to complain! Think about it! Besides, God has forbid us to grumble or complain about anything.
At the end of Titus 3:1 Paul said that we should be “ready for every good work.” Whenever the government asks for individuals to help out in some way for the public good, Christians ought to be the first to volunteer. No, it may not be true Christian missions, but if you do some civic duty in Christ’s name, it will somehow be used to reflect His glory. The government and others may feed the poor or engage in disaster relief for purely humanistic reasons. But you as a Christian can serve in the public arena for Christ’s sake.
As you go about doing good, be careful how you go about it. Which leads me to my second and last point:
II. GOD WANTS YOU TO BE CHRISTLIKE TOWARD ALL PEOPLE
Paul said that as a Christian you are to “Speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Don’t be guilty of casting insults at others. Unbelievers already see Christians as self-righteous and “holier than thou” sort of people. When you insult and criticize others, this only reveals your pride and gives them a reason to criticize Christianity. Of course we must call sin “sin”. We cannot pretend that an unbeliever is an innocent person. But we must not use this as an occasion to spread abroad the sins of others. Proverbs 17:9 says, “He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.”
Today Christians are engaged in what we call “Culture Wars”. We are fighting a battle over what values will prevail in our country and in our local communities. We are fighting against abortion, and yet we must not malign those who are in favor of it. We fight against the homosexual agenda, and yet we must not speak slanderously of individuals who practice this sin. The phrase “speak evil” is the Greek word “blasphemeo”, from which we get the English word “blasphemy”. It means to slander, curse, and treat with contempt. John MacArthur says, “it can never be done from a righteous motive.” All men and women are created in the image of God and therefore we must not slander or curse others, no matter how wicked they are. If you have been loose with your tongue in this area, then you need to repent.
James 3:9-10 says that with the tongue, “we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.” Not only should you respect authority, but you must also show a certain respect toward every human being because the stamp of God is on them! Jesus said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me.” That includes good and evil.
God requires you to be “peaceable”. Literally this means, “not a brawler; not contentious.” Are you a peace loving person? Or are you a quarrelsome person? I know how easy it is to get into an argument with people over some point of doctrine. As Reformed believers, we hold onto our doctrine with our very lives and are willing to die for our convictions! But that still does not give us the right to be contentious. Paul said in Jude to “contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints,” not “be contentious for the faith.”
Are you contending for the faith, or are you contentious? In 2 Tim. 2:24-25 Paul told Timothy that, “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth.” If you are quarrelsome, instead of leading others to repentance, you will repel them and perhaps be the occasion of their hardening. God’s truth is powerful. Truth does not need forceful augmentation in order to be effective. Yet the truth does gain more of a hearing when you are gentle and kind in your approach.
Besides, as Paul says in Titus 3:3, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, and deceived.” Try to remember what it was like to talk to a real Christian before you were converted. Did the snarling bulldog approach work with you or was it the gentle, though forthright approach that helped you listen? If you can remember, then be peaceable. Be gentle toward the unbeliever. Don’t throw stones at him. Let him throw all the stones at you! Become a martyr if you have to, but don’t become a murderer with your words. The apostle Peter said, “If you are reviled for [the] name of Christ, [you are] blessed, because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you. Truly according to them, He is blasphemed, but according to you He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or a meddler in the affairs of others.”
Peter knew from experience about these things. He used to pull out his knife and cut people that opposed him. But he learned a different way. He learned by watching his Lord on that night he denied Him three times. He saw His Lord being reviled, and yet He reviled not. Though He suffered unjustly, He did not retaliate. Be willing to suffer for His name’s sake. But don’t bring on suffering by your unsanctified attitude. Instead, show “humility to all men.” Pride causes Christians to think they are better than others are. Believers who are well taught in the Bible can look down on others who have little knowledge or incorrect views. Reformed Christians can develop a superior attitude towards Christian’s that aren’t reformed. John Calvin said, “For they who are excessively severe and ill-tempered carry with them a fire to kindle strife.”
Brothers and sisters - you live in the world. The people in it and the rulers of it are not all your friends or the friends of Christ. But for the grace of God, there you would be. At one time, you were no better off. Realize that God has established the authority of government - therefore, submit to those in authority. God has placed you in a world full of unbelief and wickedness. Therefore be like Christ in the midst of it all. Don’t speak evil of others, be peaceable, gentle and show humility to all. For this is how your Lord lived when He was on earth. This is the way to please your Father in heaven.
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