NorMel House Devotions

Titus 3:10 “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that have nothing to do with them.” Have you ever met a child or adult who argues a lot, someone who seems to enjoy picking fights? When a child has a bad attitude and is stirring up arguments, you don’t allow them to disrupt and disturb the whole house; you send them to their room until they can be a positive, productive, and happy member of the house. Just as discipline is important in the home, so, too, in the family of Christ. When parents fail to discipline, it affects the whole house. Paul wrote several times in his pastoral letters not to allow division and how to deal with it when it arises. When someone causes division in the church, they threaten its unity and must be dealt with. These warnings must be given to correct the individual’s divisive nature with a view to restoration in the church. Our warnings ought to be purposeful, pointing out their errors and the implications of their actions, wit...

Titus 3:9 “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” Have you ever argued with someone about something that really has no solution or is completely unimportant? In our text, Paul warns against foolish arguments. At the time, some were adding names and stories to the genealogies and then getting into arguments about them. They were turning the truth into myth. Some people were adding laws and stipulations to the law and then quarreling about their legitimacy and importance. Paul has just taught us about what is profitable for everyone and now warns us against something that is profitable to no one. Paul warns Titus about getting involved in these petty arguments and foolish quarreling. We must not let ourselves be distracted from the gospel truth by those who embellish history or add to God’s law. This doesn’t mean we can’t have honest discussions that lead to wisdom or understanding. In fact, t...

Titus 3:8 “This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”  Throughout the letter to Titus, Paul has stressed the importance of doing good works and living a Christian lifestyle. He wants Titus to teach “what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), and He reminds us that we can trust what he has been saying because Christianity is not characterized by hopes, wants, and dreams, but rather, it is based on historical facts. What Paul has just told us in verses 4-7 is trustworthy because it is true, rational, and verifiable. Christianity is unique; religions of the world tell us to do this or do that, but Christianity tells us to look at what WAS done. The good news is what God has already accomplished for sinners. This verifiable truth is why Paul reminds us that what he has told us is trustworthy: Jesus came, ...

Titus 3:7 "So that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." It's amazing how so much can be packed into such a short sentence. In our text Paul says, "that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." We've already taken a look at justification but, now, let's look at what it means to be heirs of God. On several occasions, in the Bible, we are called heirs of God and even co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). What does this mean for us? It is a promise of much but, also, an obligation; both of which should have a great impact on our lives. Jesus said, "My Father's house has many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?" As Heirs, we have the promise of a home with God. We can also look forward to a feast as Jesus often spoke about a heavenly banquet. There are also verses in the Bible that te...

Titus 3:7 “So that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Justification. What does it mean? Theologically speaking, the dictionary says it is the action of declaring and making righteous in the sight of God. We’ve already learned of our need for a Savior, that among men, “there is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10b) How, then, can we be put right before God, the Lawgiver and Judge? 2 Corinthians 5:21 gives us a nice summary when it says, “For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus died for us, He rose, and by His blood we are declared not guilty and acquitted of all our sins. We are given free and full forgiveness from the law's curse. All of this is only possible because of the grace of God. God offered Himself to save us from our sin. In giving the Son, He gave Himself. God took His own love to appease His own righteous anger by bearing it in ...

Titus 3:5-6 “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit , whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” In today’s text, Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit's washing of rebirth and renewal. He isn’t referring to baptism, but rather to what baptism signifies. Spiritual rebirth of the soul is the God ordained transformation portrayed in baptism. We are washed in Christ’s blood, cleansed from sin and renewed by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t because of anything we’ve done, but, as 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” We are sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit. God poured out the Holy Spirit on us through Jesus Christ. Spiritual Baptism is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, and by Him, we a...