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Titus 2 Redeemed to do what is good Part 27

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Titus 2:14 “Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” The Christian life is lived between two points: Christ has appeared, and He will appear again. We look back to what He has done, and we look forward to what He will do. Our text points us back to what He has done for us so we’ll know why we are to do what He says. Christ came and redeemed us from all wickedness, and having purchased us by His death on the cross, He released us from the power of sin. Not only are we freed from sin, but we are also purified from it’s influence and control so that we might live in accordance with God’s good and perfect will. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The Bible, quite clearly, tells us that we are not our ow...
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Titus 2 While we wait Part 26

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Titus 2:13 “While we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” One of the things that marks a Christian lifestyle is that the Christian knows this life is temporary. Christian living, Paul says, is one of “waiting for the blessed hope”. We know that this mortal life is momentary in God’s eternal plan. We await eagerly, with patient hope, the return of Christ Jesus our Savior. Paul has been teaching Titus, and us, about Christian living and so we know that, while we wait, we are to live a certain way. We live looking forward to an eternity with our God and Savior. We await eternal redemption from our sinful and worldly passions, when death will no longer hold sway over us, and we await the restoration of creation; when we, and this earth, will be restored to its perfect order as God designed. Without Christ, man is enslaved to his passions and desires. We were dead in our sins, but Christ came to give us life, to free us from the power...
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Titus 2 Say “No” to ungodliness Part 25

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Titus 2:11-13  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” We’ve learned that the grace of God came to us through Jesus Christ and appeared to all men, therefore, no one can give excuse or deny this truth. But our text has more to say. Grace should have a profound effect on us and “It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives”. God’s grace stirs in our hearts a longing for good which will lead to the very thing Paul has been trying to teach us about: Christian living. The grace that saves us also disciplines us. Our lives must and will be marked by devotion and thankfulness to God. Mankind is enslaved to their own sinful desires and worldly passions, but...
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Titus 2 The grace of God Part 24

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Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” The are many people in the world who push the idea of tolerance a lot farther than it ought to go. It’s gone so far that something can be true for one person but not another. It’ s a contradiction of reality. Many believe there is no real truth, but everyone has their own “Truths”. Without God people can do whatever they want because “who are you to say that what I’m doing is wrong?” But truth is NOT relative. Many think they don’t need God or His grace because they think they are good people and doing fine on their own. But the idea that we’re all ok doesn’t match experience or address the matter of our hearts. We are all guilty in God’s sight and must learn, through the law and the working of the Holy Spirit, that we’re not ok. Through the law we become conscious of our sins and therefore of our need for God’s grace. God’s justice requires payment for our sins, but His grace sent His Son to be born, beco...
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Titus 2:9-10, Do all to the glory of God Part 23

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Titus 2:9-10 “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Slavery was a basic element of Roman society and culture; therefore, Paul addresses Christian slaves and tells them how they ought to live. Romans 6:16 tells us we are either slaves to sin, which leads to death, or of obedience which leads to righteousness. Matthew 6:24 tells us we cannot serve two masters; we cannot serve both God and money. We are all slaves to something, either to God or to sin. Looking at Titus 2:9-10 we can apply these commands to ourselves as well. Who do you serve? The Bible tells us do all things to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). In all you say and do, do it to God’s glory. If you’re called to be a stay-at-home mom, do your duties to God’s glory. If you’re called to be an employee...
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Titus 2 Be an example Part 22

 Titus 2:7-8 “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned so that those who oppose you may not be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” People often pay more attention to your actions than to what you say. As the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words”. If you want someone to heed your words about Christian living, you need to live out the very words you’re teaching. Your life will reinforce your words and what you’re teaching and will “earn” you the right to be heard. Paul urges Titus to be a good example so that others will see the word being active in his life and imitate him. He urges him to teach the truth with integrity and seriousness so that he can avoid criticism. Careful study of the Bible and listening before we speak is especially important when teaching others or confronting moral or spiritual issues. Just as the previous verse reminds us ...
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Titus 2 – Self-Control – Part 21

Titus 2:6 “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.” Self-control. We all need it and yet, we all lack it in some way. For some it’s indulging excessively in food, for others it’s not holding the tongue but gossiping, yet, for others, it’s indulging sexual desires in wrong ways, still, others struggle with drug or alcohol abuse and there are still so many more ways we lack self-control. Maybe you lash out in anger or frustration, maybe you read or watch things that you shouldn’t. Demanding self-control is a tall order and yet, it’s one we must all seek. Self-control is a common theme throughout the book of Titus. Paul tells Titus to teach self-control to the old men, the older women, the younger women and now the young men as well. Really, he wants us all to practice self-control because when we can control our urges it prevents us from sinfully living them out. In James 3:2 it says, “For we all stumble in many ways and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is...
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