In the Hope of Eternal Life

November 18, 2024

Titus 1:1-3 [Legacy Standard Bible]
1 Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and the full knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
2 in the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised from all eternity,
3 but at the proper time manifested His word in preaching, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,

Titus 2:11-13 [LSB]
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Outline of Titus

Ch. 1 The Expected Conduct of the Church’s Leaders
Ch. 2 The Expected Conduct of the Church’s Members
Ch. 3 The Expected Conduct of the Church with Outsiders

Titus 2:9-10
9 Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not contradicting,
10 not pilfering, but demonstrating all good faith so that they will adorn (cosmeo) the doctrine of God our Savior in everything.

Outline of Titus 1:2

2 in the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised from all eternity,

Eternity
Eternal God
Eternal Life
Eternal Promise
Temporary Living Hope

1. Eternity αἰωνίοs

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be

Eternal fire (Matthew 25:41)
Eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46)
Eternal sin (Mark 3:29)
Eternal dwellings (Luke 16:9)
Eternal comfort (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
Eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12)
Eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17)
… not temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18)

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2. The Eternal God

Revelation 1:4,8 [LSB]
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from the One who is and who was and who is to come…
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Exodus 3:13-14 [LSB]
13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am about to come to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ And they will say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

2 Peter 3:8 [LSB]
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

1 John 3:1-3 [LSB]
1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God; and we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not been manifested as yet what we will be. We know that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Exodus 33:18-20 [LSB]
18 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”
19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

1 Corinthians 13:12 [LSB]
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

3. Eternal Life

John 17:3 [LSB]
3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:22-24 [LSB]
22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 2:6-9 [LSB]
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not of works, so that no one may boast.

1 Corinthians 2:7-9 [LSB]
7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages to our glory,
8 which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Revelation 21:3-6 [LSB]
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
6 Then He said to me, “They are done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

4. Eternal Promise

Ephesians 1:11–14 [LSB]
11 In Him, we also have been made an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who first have hoped in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

God Cannot Lie
Numbers 23:19
1 Samuel 15:29
Hebrews 6:19

5. Temporary Living Hope

1 Peter 4:7-11 [LSB]
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
10 As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God—
11 whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.