THE BELIEVER’S RESPONSIBILITY IN HIS COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY

Special Study   
THE BELIEVER’S RESPONSIBILITY IN HIS COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY
Titus 3:1-3

The precious chapter deals with the believer’s life and relationship within the church.
This  chapter  deals  with  our  character  and  conduct  in  our  community,  society  and
country.  What  is  the  proper  attitude  of  the  believer  to  lawful  authority?  How  is  the
believer  to  act  and  behave  as  a  citizen  in  the  kingdom  of  the world  since  he is  also a
citizen of Christ’s kingdom? It was a matter of great concern in the early Church. The
Christians were to have supreme allegiance to Christ as Saviour, Lord and King. They
accepted Him as their Sovereign and Judge. What kind of allegiance could they render
to  earthly  magistrates,  principalities  and  powers  without  making  them  rivals  of
Christ?  Those  earthly  kingdoms  had  been  established  by  conquest,  oppression  and
blood;  the  rulers  were  blood-stained  warriors  whose  lives  were  corrupt  in  the  private
and  oppressive  in  the  public.  Their  laws  were  made  and  enacted  by  pagans.  How  far
could Christians go in acknowledging the laws of those kingdoms and the authority of
such  monarchs?  Many  of  the  Christians  and  their  believing  relatives  had  suffered  or
were still suffering intense persecution in the hands of those heartless rulers. Should
the Christians give any recognition or respect to those  civil institutions? The extent of
the believer’s submission to human governments was an enquiry of deep interest and
Titus was to teach and remind believers of God’s word, will and wisdom on the matter.

1.  SEVERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHRISTIANS IN EACH COUNTRY
Titus 3:1; Romans 13:1-7; Proverbs 24:21,22; Ecclesiastes 8:2-5; Matthew 17:24-27; 22:15-22; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-29; 1 Timothy 4:6.
“Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and  powers,  to  obey
magistrates.”  Christian  ministers  are  to  teach  believers  to  be  law-abiding,  not
lawless; they should yield to the authority of governments over them. As citizens
in  our  country,  we  are  to  obey  in  all  things  that  are  not  contrary  to  the  law  of
God. The institution of human government is appointed and established by God.
We  honour  God  by  honouring  the  arrangement  which  He  has  instituted  for  the
government  of  mankind.  By  God’s  permission  or  appointment;  by  the
arrangement  of  His  providence,  those  in  office  obtain  their  power  (Psalm  75:7;
Daniel  2:21;  4:17,25;  Romans  13:1,2).  Believers  are  not  to  seek  to  overturn  or
overthrow  established  authorities  and  governments.  In  living  our  normal  lives
and seeking to earn a living, we obey the laws of the land and we do not lend any
support  to  law-breakers  or  anyone  provoking  the  society,  wanting  to  make  it
ungovernable or labouring to cause anarchy in the society.

2.  THE SPEECH OF THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE COMMUNITY
Titus  3:2;  Psalm  15:1-3;  101:5-8;  Matthew  12:33-37;  Ephesians  4:29-32;  James
1:19-26; 3:5-18; 1 Peter 3:8-12; Galatians 5:22-26.
“Speak  evil  of  no  man.”  This  is  one  of  the  most  neglected  and  most  disobeyed
commands  in  the  Bible.  Many  people  dig  their  graves  with  their  tongues  and
drive themselves into damnation with their mouth. Evil-speaking is speaking evil
of  an  absent  person,  relating  something  evil,  slandering  a  neighbour  in  his
absence.  Evil-speaking  has various  forms  –  backbiting,  tale-bearing,  whispering,
slander,  defamation,  calumny,  etc.  The  true  believer  lives  by  the  golden  rule,
doing  unto  others  as  he  desires  others  to  do  to  him  and  not  doing  unto  others
what he hates, fears or detests; what he does not want others to do to him. As he
would  not enjoy others  speaking evil of  him,  he himself  should speak  of no  one.
We  are  not  to  say  anything  of  anyone  which  will  cause  him  emotional  pain  or
physical injury. We are never to utter anything which we know to be false about
our  brother,  sister  or  neighbour  or  ever  give  such  a  colouring  to  his  word  or
conduct as to create a wrong impression about him in any way.
It may be necessary, when we are called to state what we know about someone’s
character to say things which are not at all in favour, things which he has done
that were wrong but we should do it with pure motives to uphold righteousnes s,
never  to  take  pleasure  in  hurting  anyone.  We  should  “be  no  brawlers,  but
gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.”  When  others  speak evil  of us or
hurt us in any way, we should bear, portray and serve them the rich, ripe fruit of
the Spirit.

3.  THE SAINT’S RENUNCIATION OF THE OLD CHARACTER
Titus  3:3;  1  Corinthians  6:11;  Ephesians  2:12,13;  5:8-18;  Colossians  3:7-10;  1
Peter  2:10-12,25;  Romans  6:20-22;  7:5,6;  1  Peter  4:1-4;  Ephesians  4:17-28;  2
Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 5:7,8.
“For we ourselves also were…”  The use of the past tense “were” indicates that
we  are  no  more  “foolish,  disobedient,  deceived”.   It  strongly  emphasizes  that
we  no  more  serve  “divers  lusts  and  pleasures”,  we  are  no  longer  “living  in
malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.”  There  has  been  a
transition,  a  translation  and  a  transformation.  The  New  Testament  declares  and
affirms this by repeatedly using the words, “but now.” A few examples will make
this clear beyond any shadow of doubt. “Ye were without Christ, BUT NOW in
Christ are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” “In the which ye
also walked some time, when ye lived in them. BUT NOW ye also put off all
these.” “Which in time past were not a people, BUT are NOW the people of
God: which had not obtained mercy, BUT NOW have obtained mercy.”  “For
when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness…  BUT
NOW being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
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