Adorn the Gospel
Titus 2:9-3:11
Main idea: The citizens of Jesus’ kingdom are to adorn the gospel by practicing “gospel civility” in all situations
In Titus 2:9-3:11, Paul explains WHAT gospel civility looks like, WHY it matters, and HOW FAR it extends.
First, what does “GOSPEL CIVILITY” look like?
“Gospel civility” speaks to our demeanor as well as our behavior. It gets at the attitude, or spirit, behind our actions that makes them align with the gospel. It is not enough to hold the right positions, but hold them with a wrong posture. What we adhere to doctrinally loses its power and appeal when we fail to practice Jesus’ central command to love our neighbor.
As such, “Gospel civility” compels us to be HUMBLE, to be REFRESHING, and to be WISE as we live out the specific behaviors the gospel calls us into.
It is safe for us to assume that wherever Paul went to establish the gospel, he established the priority of the mindset he spells out in Philippians 2. It is a citizen mindset built on HUMILITY.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:3-8)
“Gospel civility” also calls us to be REFRESHING to those amongst whom God has placed us.
This is exactly the same ethic Peter endorses in his first letter. To people suffering under the cruel hand of Roman persecution, he writes:
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For“Whoever desires to love life and see good days,let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (1 Pet 3:9-13)
“Gospel civility” approaches life’s realities with WISDOM. Throughout Scripture, the WISE person is that one who understands and does the best thing in any given situation. In things governed by clear and accepted rules, they follow the rules. In that larger domain of life where there are no clear and accepted rules, they know how to choose the better options, the options that bless and build up, and they choose them consistently.
Paul may actually be thinking of Jesus' words to His disciple in Matthew 10, when He sent them out to announce the good news of the Kingdom in the Israeli villages.
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matt 10:16)
Gospel civility is that gospel-driven demeanor that inspires gospel-aligned behavior in the presence of the watching world. It aspires to the HUMILITY of Christ, seeking to REFRESH as He did, and adapts to situational realites with WISDOM.
WHY is Paul so urgent to have Titus promote “gospel civility” among the believers in Crete?
The answer rests in one word that appears twice in the passage we read. Since the word is so easily read right over, it is important to highlight it. It's the word “for” which appears as the first word in Titus 2:11 and then again in Titus 3:3.
In both cases, Paul has just outlined the set of behaviors that arise out of “gospel civility”.
In both cases, the rationale upon which Paul builds his case for “gospel civility” is something that happened in the past, not something that might happen in the future.
The reason we are to display “gospel civility” in every situation is not so that we can bring in the kingdom of God by building a better system than the rest, but rather so that we might adorn the gospel that announces that the kingdom has already arrived in Jesus.
The people of Jesus are to display “gospel civility” because the gospel is the truest truth there is. Adorning the gospel with our lives is the best possible thing we can do. It is how we serve as “salt” and “light” in the world. Whether we live or die for doing it is simply irrelevant. Whether we make a difference for the better or whether we vanish into the vast number of saints who lived and died hoping in Jesus, such things are not ours to decide. It is the gospel that must be adorned, not us.
HOW FAR does gospel civility extend in our lives as Christ followers?
There is no situation or circumstance that exempts us from the gospel civility mandate.
There are no durational limits either. There is no point in the distress of our situation at which we are allowed to set aside gospel civility in favor of any other alternatives.
Conclusion
In the first sermon of this series, Ian reminded us that “Christ has commissioned us as his ambassadors, bearing witness to the Kingdom of God in a hyper-politicized world.”
That means as we come into what will no doubt be a white hot national election season and as we stand up for racial reconciliation, the sanctity of human life, social justice, and sexual integrity that we do so in a way that adorns the gospel, with gospel civility. Remember, we exist to see a greater worship of Jesus through declaring and displaying the gospel.
