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Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 4:21A) Why is it important to Paul for Timothy to come before winter? What happens if Timothy delays? Do you think Timothy dropped everything and came to Paul's side? Would you, if you were Timothy? The winter weather made travel very difficult or impossible. The seas were closed to shipping from about mid-November to mid-March (Acts 27:9-12). Even taking the overland route north of Greece, as Paul seems to suggest (2 Tim 4:13); Timothy would still need to sail across the Adriatic, which was also closed. Timothy may have received this letter in summer, leaving himself very little time to organize the trip. If delayed, he would only be able to come in the spring, so, Timothy could not delay and had to depart urgently as Paul might not be alive for long. I feel Timothy is obliged to respond immediately and help his fellow believer. His other companions had left Paul, he is lonely, the great apostle deserves to be obeyed. Timothy surely must have travelled immediately and joined Luke and John Mark, to be with Paul when he was taken outside the city and beheaded at the Ostian Gate. Yes, if I was Timothy, I’m sure I would have done the same. Perhaps, talk is cheap, who knows if I knew all the exact conditions if I would have obeyed Paul?

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 4:9-12) Why is it so difficult when trusted friends desert us? Why is it so difficult when they move away or die? Is it better to trust no one? Who remains with Paul besides Luke? (Hint: see verse 17a). Since our trusted friends will mostly be believers, we will dearly miss them because we have so much in common, so much to look forward to, and so much to discuss. Today it will not be so severe when our friends move away since through technology, we can still be in contact with them. It’s not that they are completely gone, but of course it’s the same as in Paul’s days when they die – we grieve them. I’ve lost many close and dear friends who have gone to be with the Lord and I truly miss them. Good close friends are very precious and not easily replaced. When it comes to trust I feel trust must be earned; we don’t trust everyone. Paul was never left completely alone. We might think that it feels like all have deserted him, but we know that the Lord stood at his side and gave him the needed strength to face anything (Php 4:13; 1 Tim 1:12).

Q2. (2 TIMOTHY 4:8) What does the "crown of righteousness" represent? To whom is it given? On what basis is it awarded? It is a reward, a symbol of victory and honour, stored in heaven for each believer (2:5), who has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Safely stored and carefully guarded with all our other heavenly treasure (Mat 6:20). It is given to all true believers who have shown righteousness in their service and faithfulness to God and His Word. It is a righteous crown which our Saviour Jesus Christ earned for us on the cross; a free gift of eternal life based on His righteousness, not ours. A righteousness obtained through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22); reserved for all who love Jesus Christ. It is also an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, with our name on it, kept in heaven for us (1 Pet 1:4). An inheritance we will receive on the day of the Lord’s return – the day of His appearance.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 4:6-7) What does it mean to have "fought the good fight" or "run the good race"? What does it take to "finish the race(course)" God has designed for you? What does it mean to "keep the faith"? We sees the Christian life as a race. By having fought the good fight means we ran a good race and had tried our best. It had been a fight against Satan, against the law of sin operating within our own heart. To be able to say I finished the race means to have ran on course, and are now insight of the finishing line. A planned, designed race ruled by a personal faith in my Lord and which by God’s grace, I had managed to stay on course till the very end. To keep the faith means to continue to believe and obey all the doctrines of the Christian faith; to have kept it; to have guarded it; and to have passed it on to others.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 4:5) Why does Paul command Timothy to "discharge all the duties of your ministry"? What is the work of an evangelist that Timothy is to do? What does the command in verse 5 mean to you personally? Meaning that Timothy should fulfil his ministry, God’s plan for him, by devoting all of his talents and efforts to finishing the work at hand. Nothing must get in the way or try to stop Timothy from fulfilling his ministry to the full. He was to do the work of preaching the gospel to the best of his abilities, and not be distracted; knowing that God will provide the strength and the means. As an evangelist his work is to focus on preaching the gospel and not to get sidetracked or involved in meaningless myths, lies, false teachings, and arguments. He must spread the good news to as many people as possible for them to hear the truth, which is the same duty I have to the Lord, only not being a preacher, in a more minor way. I am to stand up for our Lord, not to get tired or discouraged, but always to be there for Him.

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 4:1-2) Why do you think Paul has to resort to the command in verses 1-2? Why does he have to talk about being ready when it's inconvenient and when it is convenient? What problem is Paul trying to overcome here? How do these verses speak to you in particular? The whole world needs to hear Jesus Christ’s gospel invitation of salvation and their personal response in repentance and faith. For all have sinned (Rom 3:23); the wages of sin is death … the gift of God is eternal life (Rom 6:23); while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). Amazing Words – God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but just because of His grace and love for us. If these words are not preached how could unbelievers ever come to faith in Jesus? We should be sensitive to any opportunity our Lord may give us, irrespective of whether it is convenient or not. In other words, we should always be ready to serve God in any situation. I think Paul is trying to emphasize the urgency of the situation and overcome complacency. Time is running out and there are many who have not heard the good news and need to be saved. It was because of a good Christian team that came to our church one Sunday in 1982 that both my wife and I truly heard the gospel for the first time. We put our trust and faith in our Lord Jesus as our Saviour. I shudder to think if this had not happened, and we had both carried on in our ignorance. We will be ever grateful for them. Praise the Lord.

Q2. (2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17) In what ways does Scripture equip a Christian for ministry? In what different ways can the Scriptures function, according to verse 16? Scripture thoroughly prepares and equips us, as believers, for any work that God has designed and ordained for us to do. As we grow spiritually, we will find that His Word becomes an integral part of our lives as we are guided step by step to do good works that bring glory to our Lord. We are created to do good works, and Scripture, being God’s inspired Word, will equip us to perform these deeds (Eph 2:10). We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church (Eph 4:12). In our fight against evil, we can learn from Jesus who used Scripture to defeat the tempter (Luke 4:1-13). Because the Bible is the word of God, it functions in many ways in our lives and every portion of it is profitable. As we grow in faith, we realize that there is spiritual nourishment in every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God. The Bible is profitable for teaching about the various doctrines such as the Trinity, angels, man, sin, salvation, sanctification, the church, and future events. It is profitable for rebuking us, making us aware of the things that are displeasing to God. It is profitable for correcting us. Pointing out no only what is wrong but also the way in which it can be made right. Finally, the Bible is profitable for instruction in righteousness. The grace of God teaches us to live godly lives, but the word of God traces out in detail the things which go to make up a godly life.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 3:16) What does inspiration of Scripture mean? What does the term "God-breathed" tell us about the source and authority of Scripture? Why is the doctrine of inspiration of Scripture important? Inspiration is the way God guided and got men to write down His Word. God-breathed means that they wrote the words of God, inspired and infallible. God did not simply give the thoughts to the individual writers and allow them to express these thoughts in their own words - they were His own words. At the same time the individual literary style of each writer was not destroyed. Each writer wrote what God wanted them to write using their minds, talents, language, and style; even though they came from vastly different historical and cultural backgrounds. The doctrine of inspiration is vital. The whole Bible is God’s inspired Word, if this is not so it would be worthless as a reliable guide to divine truth. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we use it as our standard for testing all truths and is our safeguard against false teachings which are so rife today. At the same time, it shows us how we should live as well as being the only source about our salvation. God wants to show us what is true and equip us to live for Him. Knowing that the Bible is the word of God; we know that it is the absolute truth, written without error and is our guide to Christian living – our instruction manual. It equips us to do every good work. But we have to be careful – our knowledge of God’s Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do good.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 3:10-12) How does a failure to accept the inevitability of persecution hinder our witness? Just what does it mean to "take up His cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and to "carry His cross" (Luke 14:27)? Is Jesus talking about persecution - or something else? Persecution is an integral part of a devout Christian life. When we are called upon to go through deep waters, we might be tempted to think that we have failed the Lord or that the Lord is displeased with us for some reason. However, we must remember that persecution is inevitable for all of us who desire to live in a godly manner. Our godly life exposes the wickedness of others, and instead of repenting of their ungodliness and turning to Christ, they seek to destroy the one who has shown them up for what they really are. For this reason, we are often persecuted. A basic condition of taking up His cross daily is to deny self. This involves a completely new way of life; no more living for our own selfish interests, but living a life for the sake of Jesus and the gospel. We recognise His Lordship in every area of our life – we live to serve His purposes. It means to identify with Christ in His rejection, shame, suffering, and death. It’s a sign of suffering, a sign of rejection by the world, and a sign of obedience to God. To “carry His cross” means that in following Jesus Christ we deliberately choose to live the life He lived. We do this by recognising His lordship in every area of our life, and we die spiritually to self and the things of this world. This involves us loving Jesus supremely, perhaps forsaking family, a complete dependence on God and obedience to the Holy Spirit, maybe even becoming unpopular and hated, suffering for righteousness' sake, and living an unselfish life for others. We live to glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It also signifies a willingness to actually die for the name of Christ if need be. We are to seek His kingdom and His righteousness yielding ourselves unreservedly to Him. This involves laying hold of life that is life indeed! It also means finding at last the reason for our existence.

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 3:5) Why is it so easy to become a hypocrite? How can we prevent our faith from degenerating into "a form of religion" without the power? It is so easy to give an outwardly appearance of being a Christian. We go to church, know some Christian doctrine, use a few Christian clichés, and follow Christian traditions. That’s it. But there is no substance. Whereas to live the life of a disciple requires effort; we must come humbly before Him, and hand over control to Him; our benefits are something in the future; and we are constantly aware of our sinful natures and our total dependence on Him. It is not easy being a Christian. We might want to do what is correct but the ‘sinful man’ in us, is always pulling us in the wrong direction. It takes discipline and dedication to our Lord; we have to continually be in prayer and in reading the Word; we must always be aware that our actions speak louder than our words, knowing that the world is watching us. Always very keen to label us as hypocrites. They will judge us by our fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). By our ungodly behaviour we show the world that we are living a lie, and there is no evidence of the power of God in our lives. But as Christians we have no difficulty in identifying the works of the flesh. We read about it in Gal 5:19-21: “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Q2. (2 TIMOTHY 2:24-25) In your own words, explain the various characteristics that enable a Christian teacher to correct opponents. How does the lack of any of these hinder the task? As Christians we are to resemble our Lord and Saviour, who is kind and gentle, humble and meek, lowly, and restful. We, as our Lord's servant, then, must also be kind and gentle, humble, easy to speak to, approachable in our behaviour, patient and polite; not irritable, intolerant, sarcastic, or scornful, not even toward those who are difficult or slow to understand. It is with this attitude that we must try to win opponents over to the truth. We must note however, that this gentleness will not always be reciprocated or even appreciated. At times we will meet with ridicule and abuse, even with insult and injury. When this happens, we must show even more patience and tolerance; remembering to correct the opponents with mildness. Always listen carefully to all questions and try to answer them but respectfully. Avoid any foolish debates which can only result in unnecessary arguments. We are not to succumb to evil.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 2:20-22). When do you put your good plates and silverware on the table? When do you use your everyday tableware? What point is Paul making with this example? In practical terms, how do we "cleanse ourselves" so that we might be useful and ready for the Lord's use? In any large house there are all kinds of utensils, not only gold and silver, which are articles to be kept and displayed, and used on special occasions; but also, wood and clay vessels, which are used on a daily basis and are not so keenly shown. Similarly, a church contains noble, honourable believers (the gold and silver vessels) who are useful to the Lord for the highest purposes. These are the brave soldiers, the disciplined athletes, and the hard-working farmers. At the same time there are the less noble, less honourable believers (the wood and clay vessels) who are useful only for the menial ordinary purposes. These are the cowardly soldiers, the lethargic athletes, and the lazy farmers. All believers should have a desire to serve the Lord – to become noble vessels. I think Paul is saying that if we will effectively cleanse ourselves, we will become a utensil for honour. Now, the way to cleanse ourselves is to become detached from that which is evil and attached to that which is good. By staying close to our Lord, and separating ourselves from the lusts of the flesh - the **** for money, fame, and pleasures. By purifying ourselves so that sin does not interfere with what God wants us to do. God can only use clean vessels in holy service. “Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord (Isa 52:11).

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 2:15) Exactly what is the analogy with a skilled workman that forms the basis for Paul's instruction to Timothy? How does this apply to our teaching of scripture today? The analogy is that of a workman skilled enough to make paths that are straight, smooth, and free from obstacles. Who treats the Word properly, keeping believers on the straight and narrow way; living a righteous life in obedience to our Lord, staying on the path of faith. The word of truth will be rightly handled, and like a skilled workman he does not change it, pervert it, mutilate it, or distort it, neither does he use it with the wrong purpose in mind. A workman who works hard, who has done his work well and is not ashamed to submit it to his superior. Remembering that it is before God whom we all will stand. This is how we should lovingly handle the Word, doing it for the glory of God, the conversion of sinners, and for the edification of believers.

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 2:3-7) Paul calls Timothy to endure hardship for the sake of the goal. What in the experience of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer illustrates this well? Which of these examples speaks most strongly to you? Paul gives three illustrations of Christian service and urges us to consider them as we meditate on them. We will then realize that the Christian ministry resembles warfare, athletics, and farming, that each of these has its own responsibilities, and that each brings its own reward. In all three we must be disciplined and prepared to suffer hardships. The believer as a soldier has been enlisted by the Lord, and our love for Him should find us in the front line; continually in touch with Jesus as we receive our orders from Him. We then have the athlete; here in order to receive the reward, we must train hard and obey the rules of Christian service. These include: we must practice self-discipline – living the life we preach (1 Cor 9:27); in our battle against spiritual powers, we do not use carnal weapons, but spiritual ones, the Word of God and prayer (2 Cor 10:4); we must keep ourselves pure; and we must be patient. Unfortunately, many of us fall out before we reach the finish line, disqualified because we did not maintain an unquestioning obedience to the word of God! Finally, we have the farmer. This involves endurance and hard work the whole year. Only if our work has been done well and unceasingly, will we see the results of our labour. Then we will see that our efforts are being rewarded and we will be the first to enjoy the fruit. This would serve as an encouragement to us, should we ever become discouraged in our labour for the Lord, knowing that such toil will not go unrewarded. Sometimes we get to see some of the results of our service here on earth. But the true enjoyment of all fruits of our service will only be known when we are with the Lord. I can see a bit of all three in myself; but I think I can associate myself more with the hard-working farmer. Someone has said: “A part-time Christian is a contradiction in terms; a man's whole life should be one strenuous endeavour to live out his Christianity in every moment and in every sphere of his life.”

Q2. Why do you think our churches tend not to declare the call to endurance and suffering? Why did Timothy tend to shy away from it? What is the result of a willingness to suffer for the gospel? Some of our churches tend to preach only what they perceive the congregation want to hear. Mostly prosperity teaching and then they focus on success and the good life. They tend to avoid anything about the trials and tribulations that we all must endure to produce a Jesus Christ like character. Timothy was a young and inexperienced leader. Being timid in nature and when he started to see Christians being persecuted for their faith this may have frightened him. From personal experience, I have found that suffering brings me closer to Christ. Otherwise, there is the danger of becoming complacent and smug – everything is going well so there is no need for Jesus. Also, I feel this then is the time to consider if we have been truly saved at all. 1 Peter 4:14 tells us to count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you. Suffering causes believers to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, which gives assurance of salvation. Nothing is achieved in this life without discipline and endurance, perhaps even suffering.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 2:2) Why is it important for pastors and church leaders to execute a strategy of mentoring teachers and elders in a congregation? How much time should be devoted to this teaching of future leaders vs. the time spent in administration and programs? I would think it is vital. The integrity of the Word must be protected and spread throughout the congregation and further. It is about committing the truth of God’s Word to reliable disciples who in their turn also teach others this truth. Reliable means faithful, able, and trustworthy in the way of dealing with what is entrusted to them (1 Cor 4:1-2). This is important since the reason and aim is the building up or edifying of the body of Christ. It takes time to mentor future teachers and elders, so priority must be given to this task, above any other administrative functions.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 1:12) According to verse 12, what is the source of Paul's fearlessness? What does he trust God to guard for him? The source of Paul’s fearlessness was the gospel and his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul trusts God to guard the gospel that had been entrusted to him for the salvation of others; and to guard and care for his body, soul, and spirit - his eternal destiny. Jesus Christ was his Almighty Lord, and with Him there could be no defeat or failure. He is the key to assurance, because we discover that He is totally trustworthy and is fully capable of fulfilling His promises. Here is His promise: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39). It takes faith to deposit our life with Jesus Christ. When we put our trust in Christ to save us, we are admitting that we cannot save ourselves by our own efforts or good works. We trust Jesus, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). We take God at His Word by believing that Christ will do what He promised, namely, to give eternal life to every person who believes in Him.

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 1:8-10) Paul is writing to encourage timid Timothy. How is Paul's focus on Christ and the gospel designed to encourage Timothy? How is this an antidote for shame? Paul encourages Timothy to be zealous, courageous, and bold in faith because of the wonderful way God has dealt with us in grace. He chose us before creation; He saved us from the penalty of sin; He freed us from this evil world; and He blessed us with spiritual blessings. Our calling and salvation are not dependent or given according to what we have done. We did not earn them; or even seek them; most definitely did not deserve them - they were freely given to us without any pre-condition or price. This was all done by God’s grace. Just the knowledge of God’s love in Christ Jesus and the gift of God’s grace, are enough to motivate Timothy to devote himself in acknowledging Christ and defending the gospel. It is when we ponder on these thoughts that we should be full of enthusiasm for the Lord and never to be ashamed to call His name out loud. Besides, the Holy Spirit also gives the courage to testify boldly of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Q2. (2 Timothy 1:7-8, 12) Can you give examples of how cowardice and shame may have kept you from identifying yourself as a Christian on occasion? From testifying clearly about your faith? According to verse 12, what is the antidote for cowardice and shame? How then do we combat the cowardice and shame we might recognize in ourselves? In the beginning of my Christian journey, I did not have the courage or confidence to speak openly about my faith and what my Lord Jesus Christ means to me. This was mainly from the fear of rejection, and because I was scared of being asked a question, I would not have been able to answer. But fortunately, since I’ve given my life to our Lord and Saviour Jesus, and because of the fact that I have spiritually matured a lot more since then, I’m no longer ashamed and will openly speak about Jesus. But I must admit I’m very reserved when it comes to a stranger, I won’t initiate a conversation about our Lord. I realize that God is in control and there is nothing to worry about or to be ashamed of. Jesus Christ is my Almighty Lord, and with Him there can no defeat or failure. So, I am not ashamed! I know the one I have faith in, and I know that He will guard and protect me.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 1:6) What advice would you give to a person who has let use of a spiritual gift or ministry lapse? How can a gift or ministry be rekindled? What might be involved in reclaiming use of such a gift? I would remind the person, in love, that the Holy Spirit imparts a spiritual gift to every believer; it has been given to build up the body of Christ; to honour God, and to bring Him glory. Also given so that we may serve others, faithfully managing God’s grace. However, it must be used if it is to reach and maintain its full potential – we must persevere in serving our Lord Jesus. We must be careful that our real interests are in our commitment to Him; not be looking for praise or approval from people but only from Jesus. Knowing what Christ has done for us should be enough encouragement for us not to let this gift lapse – we must/will want to serve. We don’t need a new gift but only to rekindle the one God has given us. Remember God has given each one of us a unique gift. Yes, this takes courage and discipline. We need to step out boldly in faith, knowing that God will give us the power we need to do the task He has given us. We might have become rusty but with determination and practice the Holy Spirit will help us, and give us the spirit of power, the spirit of love, and the spirit of self-discipline in reclaiming this gift.

Q5. (TITUS 3:5-8) If "regeneration" is necessary, what does that imply about our spiritual state before salvation? What is "new" after salvation? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation? In our sanctification? We are all born sinners, and are spiritually dead, only deserving eternal punishment from God. But God saved us because of His great mercy, lovingkindness, and earned salvation for us by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. He made us spiritually alive by giving us new-birth, regeneration – we are now a new creation, a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). Regeneration was necessary because of our deprived state. After salvation we now have a new heart, a new mind, and a new will - old things have passed away, all things have become new. We are not the same anymore, the Holy Spirit has given us new life, we are now living in union with Christ (Col 2:6-7). We have the Holy Spirit as a deposit who will help us in our Christian journey as we strive to be daily more and more like our Lord Jesus. There will still be battles with sin, but the fruit of the Spirit starts becoming more visible to us and to others in our life. Sanctification is the progressive work in which the Holy Spirit helps us become more and more free from sin and continues throughout our earthly lives. Our sanctification will never be completed in this life. But once we die and go to be with the Lord, we are set free from indwelling sin and are made perfect.

Q4. (TITUS 3:4-5) Why is it important to stress that our salvation has nothing to do with our righteous actions? How can otherwise "good" works be corrupted by self-serving motives? How can pride and self-deceit keep us from salvation? Every person born into the world is enslaved to sin – spiritually dead (Eph 2:1). Dead meaning that in no way can we come to God or save ourselves – dead is dead. Sin has affected our mind, heart, and will; we have no interest in seeking God (Rom 3:11). Our salvation is completely a work of God, our righteous actions play no part at all – it’s all God’s kindness, love, mercy, and grace. Not the result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph 2:9). Before our conversion our actions, deeds were under the influence of Satan and therefore in total disobedience to God. This includes our so called good deeds, which are tainted by self-serving interests and hidden agendas. Our pride and self-deceit gets in the way of our salvation thinking we can do it all. We don’t want to be dictated to by anyone even God. We put our trust in self-righteousness to our own downfall.

Q3. (TITUS 3:1-2) What should be a Christian's response to civil government, even government by those who do not share our values? How does an anti-government stance hurt the cause of Christ? How does gossip or backbiting hurt the cause of Christ? How does it hurt the unity of the church? I live in a country that is ruled by a criminal government that has plundered our country to the position that we are on the verge of being a failed state. Everything they touch has been sucked dry of all finances; combined with incompetence our roads are full of potholes, our water supply is threatened, and some areas are without electricity for days on end. There is no law and order. On top of this they increase our rates and taxes. People are angry and those that can are emigrating. Romans 13:1 tells us that every person should obey the government in power. These instructions are without any exceptions, so no matter what type of government is in power, we are told to “be subject to the governing authorities.” The reason is that the authorities that exist have been established by God. I feel that as Christians our proper response in this pagan society is not to confront the situation by trying to change moral values. People don’t like to be told what to do, or what they are doing wrong. Confrontation won’t change anything but will bring more harm to the cause of Christ. The whole world system is in the hands of the wicked one, and has been condemned by God (1 John 5:19). Jesus Himself said: “My kingdom is not of this world” (Joh 18:36), and as His ambassadors, we should represent this truth to the world. To bring about change it has to happen from the inside out. This we do by bringing people to God. Our chief goal is to lead people to our Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. To do this we have to be living a life that honours our Lord (Tit 2:8). We live by example – displaying God’s saving power. What good advice: "If you can't say something good about someone, don't say it." As Christians we should speak evil of no one. Think of all the grief and trouble that would be avoided. We should be thinking of others and putting others first. Replacing gossip, backbiting, slander, ridicule, insult, verbal abuse with gentleness, kindness, humbleness, graciousness, politeness. As we grow in faith all this fruit of the Spirit should start to become more prominent. If not, we risk the chance of being called a hypocrite. Also, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:18). The righteousness of God is not worked out by hostility and anger.

Q2. (TITUS 2:14) According to verse 14, what are the two purposes of Christ's redemption? Why do we need to purified so that we can do truly "good" works? Firstly, Christ wanted to make us “a people that are His very own.” For this to happen it was necessary for Jesus to redeem us “from all wickedness.” We need to remember what we were like: we were dead in our transgressions and sins; we followed the ways of this world; gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts; we were by nature objects of wrath (Eph 2:1-3); we were without hope and without God in the world (Eph 2:12). Christ saved us not only from the guilt and penalty of sin but also to redeem us from every lawless deed. Secondly, He wanted “to purify a people that will be His very own, eager to do what is good.” This control sin had over our lives also had to be neutralised, and this was also achieved by Jesus giving of Himself. Being made new creatures: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17); the old sinful nature has been replaced, and now we are keen to do good deeds. Our hearts are purified and out of the love for our Saviour we want to do deeds that will bring glory to Him.

Q1. (TITUS 2:12-13) If we were convinced that Christ would soon return, what effect would that have on the way we conduct ourselves? Why is this hope "blessed"? In what way will Christ's return exhibit His glory? If we truly believe Jesus is coming soon, this will have an effect on all that we do. A believer who truly loves Christ, and who is convinced and understands these things will want to live a godly life. Knowing what Jesus has done and why He has done it, we look forward to His return, and will not want to disappoint Him. On the other hand, ungodly living in a believer is a clear sign that they do not fully understand what is going on, or even that they don’t actually believe in Christ’s Second Coming. As sinners, we had no hope beyond the grave, but all who die in Christ will be raised from among the dead. This is our blessed hope, the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the fact that we will be taken home to heaven to be with Christ and to be like Him forever. It is blessed because of the blessings that come with it. One commentator calls the blessed hope “the link between our present and future.” At His coming we shall see Him in all His glory - His perfection. When one thinks of the glory of Christ, we are reminded about His great love and the great work He has accomplished for us, His disciples. His glory is completed as His enemies are made His footstool, and He is surrounded by His chosen ones. He who has been exalted to the right hand of God, will return in glory for the judgment of all mankind.