Thoughts from Titus

Let me quote a portion from Titus 2:6-3:8-

"Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;

7in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,

8sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

9Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

10not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

15These things speak and (exhort and (reprove with all authority Let no one disregard you.

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
2to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

3For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

4But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

6whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men."

The first thing that I have seen from these verses that really stuck out at me, was Paul's emphasis on 'good deeds.' He mentions good deeds four times in these few verses. He says to be an 'example of good deeds' (2:7), then he says-'zealous for good deeds' (2:14), then in 3:1-'to be ready for every good deed' and finally in 3:8-'be careful to engage in good deeds.' I guess it is just another reminder to be doers of the Word and not hearers only!

The other powerful part of these verses come at then end of the 2nd chapter. These verses-11"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,.."

Let me just leave a few thought from John Calvin on these verses-

"But the manifestation of the grace of God unavoidably carries along with it exhortations to a holy life.”

"By worldly desires he means all the affections of the flesh; because we look at nothing but the world, till the Lord has drawn us to himself. Meditation on the heavenly life begins with regeneration. Before we have been regenerated, our desires lean towards the world, and rest on the world.”

"Looking for that blessed hope From the hope of future immortality he draws an exhortation, and indeed, if that hope be deeply seated in our mind, it is impossible that it should not lead us to devote ourselves wholly to God. On the contrary, they who do not cease to live to the world and to the flesh never have actually tasted what is the worth of the promise of eternal life; for the Lord, by calling us to heaven, withdraws us from the earth.”

The picture on the left is Jonathan Edwards' Bible. I put it up, to remember his faithfullness in his mediation on Scripture, and to encourage me to do the same.