NorMel House Devotions

So we’ve now learned that God’s grace is the undeserved gift of salvation that all people need. We could not earn it ourselves, but rather, by the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are given faith to accept this gracious gift. We’ve learned that God’s grace is limitless and all-sufficient. So, what else can we say about grace? Romans 6:14 says, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” So, we who sinned and could not do any good, who “were once slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17), now, “Having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). So we see that grace transforms us! We go from being slaves to sin to being slaves of righteousness.  Titus 2:11-12 tells us, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” When God gives us His grace, He also gives...

Titus 3:15 “Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.” Grace. Grace is where everything starts and ends.  Grace is where Paul begins and ends his letter as well. Grace makes salvation possible. By the grace of God, Christ brought us salvation. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12). Grace makes it possible for us to do the good works that Paul has been teaching us about, and that God requires of us. It is by grace that we are justified and made heirs to the kingdom of heaven. Paul wrote, “So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7). By God’s grace, we are called and made willing and able to live a life that is marked by good works. Although it may seem that Paul’s letter is asking a l...

Titus 3:12-15 “12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.” You might be tempted to just skip over the final verses of the book of Titus, thinking that it's simply Paul’s typical greeting, but every word of the Bible is God-breathed and important. God has not designed us to live alone. People matter, fellowship matters. We matter to God, and He uses us for His purposes. There is nothing in the Bible that is small or insignificant. The Bible teaches us that the Creator preserves His people, and all things are used to further His will. God created you at the exact moment He desire...

  Titus 3:11 “For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.” Today’s text is quite simple. Paul has been making the point that the gospel is transformative. One who has been born again in Christ will live differently than the unrepentant sinner. 1 John 2:4-6 says, “Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” People who have turned away from the gospel truth will be obvious because they won’t be living as Jesus did. Their actions will reveal what is in their heart, thereby condemning them. We are all sinners, condemned by our sins, but one who lives for Christ will strive to do what is right and, by the Holy Spirit, will live to do the good works God has set forth for them to do. No, Christians are not perfect, but i...

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...

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.” We often like to think that we are good people, that we generally do good, and that we deserve to go to heaven. Paul, however, points out the flaws with this ideology and the Bible is full of texts that contradict this idea. In our text, Paul is making the point that even the things we consider our “best works” cannot contribute to salvation. The reality is that there is not an iota within us that can contribute to our salvation. Salvation is only through God alone. Because of His mercy, God does not give us what we deserve, but rather, as we learned in verse 4, He sent His kindness and love in Jesus to give us what we don’t deserve. 2 Timothy 1:9 says, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jes...

Titus 3:4-5a “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us” If you know Paul's history, then you know that Paul was not always a servant and preacher of the gospel. Paul, formerly Saul, persecuted the Christians of his time, even putting many in prison. So, how did the persecutor become the preacher? Titus 3:4 gives us the answer; quite literally, "the kindness and love of God the Savior appeared." Saul went from persecutor to preacher, not because of anything he had done, but because Jesus came to him, and as our text says, "He saved us!" In Acts 9, we can read about Jesus' appearance to Paul, and in verse 20, it says, "At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God." The opposer became the opposed, again, not because of anything Paul did, but because God chose to reveal Himself to Paul through Christ Jesus. Jesus personifies God's kindness and love, and we can see a strong contrast between ...

Titus 3:3 “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” We live in a world that is full of deception. We deceive ourselves and others with worldly ideologies that would have you believe that you are a good person, that you can find strength in yourself, that you can have your own truth, and that freedom is being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want. The Bible tells us something different. If we start with the basic knowledge that we can do no good in and of ourselves then all of those concepts go out the window. In Titus 3:3, Paul is describing all mankind, and if you think you’re an exception, then you deceive yourself! Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Christians can sometimes have haughty opinions and think they’re better than unbelievers, but Paul is reminding us that we, too, were “foolis...

Titus 3:1-2 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate and always to be gentle toward everyone.” The way that Christians behave in society has a direct relation to the impact of the gospel. Once again, Paul speaks of Christian living but this time he’s specifically referring to our conduct in society. The Christian should be law-abiding, obedient, and, as our text says, “ready to do whatever is good.” Paul, once again, takes us back to the evils of the tongue when he tells us to slander no one. We are called to radical goodness! Not only are we not to speak evil of others, but we are also to be courteous and considerate to everyone. We often try to categorize sin into greater and lesser evil but that is not right. Sin is sin. All of our behavior must be such that it commends the gospel so that others will be attracted to the gospel. We must seek to save! Jesus spoke o...

Titus 3:1-2 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate and always to be gentle toward everyone.” As Christians we are part of two kingdoms but ultimately our allegiance first lies with God, our true King. Having said this, we are also required to be good citizens of our country on earth. We are not above the law but must be obedient to the ruling authorities that God has put in place. When and where our earthly authorities differ from God’s law, we must first be obedient to God. We must not allow the government to lead us astray or cause us to disobey God. If we look to the disciples, we can see that they only disobeyed the government in order to stay obedient to God. They did not do this lightly and many suffered, were beaten, threatened, thrown into jail or even executed for it. As Christians, we must study and understand what God requires of us in His law so we wil...

Titus 2:15 “These, then, are all the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” If we look back to Titus 2:1, it says, “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” Paul starts with a command and then gives instructions for following it. He tells Titus what and how to teach the various groups of people. In verses 11-14, Paul tells us why we are to live as he has instructed; God gives us grace so that we can live this way while we await “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13). Christ redeemed us and continually purifies us so that we are His people and will seek to do what is good. This brings us to our text today, in which Paul reiterates his point. All the things Titus has been told to teach must be taught with encouragement but also rebuke when necessary. Paul reminds Titus that God is our authority. By the working of the Holy Spirit, he is to share the word of God....

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...

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...

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...

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...