SOUND DOCTRINE IS PRICELESS - Free sermon outlines, Bible ...

TEXT: TITUS 1:1-4TITLE: OPENING GREETINGSBIG IDEA:THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD (WITH ITS MESSAGE OFETERNAL LIFE) IS A SACRED TRUSTI. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD ISSUES FROM A SENSE OF DIVINECALLINGWhich results in an absolute commitment to the will of God; commissioned to fulfill acallingA. Paul as a Bond-servant of God -- Relationship characterized by Humility andSubmission and DependenceKent: "A slave (doulos) is one who gives himself up wholly to another's will."B. Paul as an Apostle of Jesus Christ -- Relationship characterized by Privilege andMissionApostle used in the narrow sense of the 12II. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD AIMS AT VERY LOFTY GOALSA. The Progress of Faith on the Part of the Elect"for the faith of those chosen of God"Understand that Faith is not for everyonekata -- in the interest of; pertaining toHendriksen: "The service and apostleship are exercised 'in the interest of' (that seems tobe the meaning of kata here; cf. John 2:6; II Cor. 11:21) the faith of God's elect and(their) acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness; that is, they arecarried out in order to further or promote the reliance of God's chosen ones upon him,and their glad recognition or confession of the redemptive truth which centers in him; atruth which, in sharp contrast with the vagaries of false teachers, accords with (or herealso 'is in the interest of,' 'promotes') godliness, the life of Christian virtue, the spirit ofconsecration."B. The Increase in the Knowledge of the TruthRead through the pastoral epistles and you will see that Paul never disparagestruth or sound doctrine. These are always pursued with the utmost intensity. For himthere is always the practical connection to a life of holiness.C. The Corresponding Increase in Practical Godliness