The first of Paul's final exhortations to Titus is that
he would "AFFIRM CONSTANTLY (STRONGLY)" a "FAITHFUL SAYING" - that believers should be "CAREFUL
TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS" which are "GOOD AND PROFITABLE UNTO ALL MEN" (Titus 3:8)
Paul exhorts believers to "SHINE as LIGHT in the
world" (Philippians 2:15) while "HOLDING FORTH the Word of LIFE" (Philippians 2:16)
by "DOING ALL things WITHOUT MURMURINGS (GRUMBLINGS)" (Philippians 2:14)
There are 4 other occurrences in Paul's letters of the
phrase "FAITHFUL (TRUSTWORTHY) SAYING" - ALL are in the pastoral letters and as such are addressed to
FAITHFUL believers concerning their stand in "the LATTER times" (I Timothy 4:1) and especially in "the LAST days" (II Timothy 3:1)
of "the dispensation of the GRACE of God" (Ephesians 3:2)
CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS" (I Timothy 1:15)
PAUL as the "CHIEF (FIRST) OF SINNERS" is set
forth as GOD"S "PATTERN (MODEL) OF ALL LONGSUFFERING" for those WHO "HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM
(CHRIST) TO LIFE EVERLASTING" (I Timothy 1:15-16)
"TRUE (TRUSTWORTHY)" SAYING" - "IF
A MAN DESIRETH THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP, HE DESIRETH A GOOD WORK" (I Timothy 3:1)
"FAITHFUL SAYING" (I Timothy 4:9) - "FOR BODILY EXERCISE PROFITETH LITTLE, BUT GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE
UNTO ALL THINGS" (I Timothy 4:8)
"IF WE BE DEAD WITH HIM, WE SHALL ALSO LIVE WITH
HIM" (II Timothy 2:11)
"IF WE SUFFER WITH HIM, WE SHALL REIGN WITH HIM:
IF WE DENY HIM, HE ALSO WILL DENY US (THE REIGNING)" (II Timothy 2:12)
"IF WE BELIEVE NOT (BE UNFAITHFUL), YET HE ABIDETH
FAITHFUL: HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF" (II Timothy 2:13), i.e. the believer's IDENTIFICATION is with what Christ did - His DEATH,
BURIAL, and RESURECTION (Romans 6:3-5;Colossians 2:11-13)
While Paul POSITIVELY exhorts believers concerning the
affirmation of a "FAITHFUL SAYING" (Titus 3:8), he NEGATIVELY admonishes them concerning the AVOIDANCE of "FOOLISH
QUESTIONS" (Titus 3:9)
Paul counselled Timothy that "FABLES" and "ENDLESS
GENEALOGIES" only spawn "QUESTIONS" (I Timothy 1:4) and instead "CHARGED" Timothy to "TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE"
(I Timothy 1:3), i.e. "THE WORD OF HIS GRACE" (Acts 20:32), which ALONE will result in the "GODLY EDIFYING" of believers
(I Timothy 1:4)
The FRUIT OF OBEDIENCE to this "COMMANDMENT",
i.e. "CHARGE", is "CHARITY (LOVE) out of a PURE heart", a "GOOD CONSCIENCE", and
a "FAITH UNFEIGNED (TRUE)" (I Timothy 1:5)
Paul admonished the Ephesian elders to protect their flock
against "GRIEVOUS WOLVES" seeking to PROMOTE THEMSELVES rather than the Word of God and he did so "with
tears" (Acts 20:28-31)
Paul exhorted Timothy to be "STRONG IN GRACE",
so that he may teach other FAITHFUL men who in turn will be able to also teach others (II Timothy 2:1-2)
The GRACE of GOD exalts the Lord (the GIVER) and NOT His
MINISTERS who like their hearers are but the RECEIVERS (I Corinthians 3:6-7;I Corinthians 4:6-7)
Paul's admonition concerning "HERETICS (DIVIDERS)"
(Titus 3:10) who are those that teach "CONTRARY" things to serve themselves
rather than the Lord Jesus Christ - are to be "MARKED (NOTED)" and "AVOIDED" (Romans 16:17-18),
because they "SUBVERT" and "SIN" against themselves (Titus 3:11) and in turn "DECEIVE" others (II Timothy 3:13)
The proverbial phrase "THREE STRIKES and you're OUT"
is Paul's advice to Titus concerning the "REJECTION" of a "HERETIC (DIVIDER)" (Titus 3:10)
Note Israel's THREE-FOLD REJECTION of God and the Lord's
prophetic warning (Matthew 12:31-32) and its fulfillment in His TEMPORARY REJECTION of Israel (Acts 28:25-28 cf.Romans 11:25-29) during this Gentile "dispensation of GRACE" (Ephesians 3:1-2):