LEARNING DAILY

Titus 2:11-13, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to a young pastor named Titus who needed encouragement. Titus had taken on the challenge to pastor multiple churches on the island of Crete and there were false teachers presenting a threat to his teaching. The island of Crete was Gentile territory and Paul’s letter was about “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men”. That meant salvation was for both Jew and Gentile; of course, that brought Jewish opposition and false teaching.

Paul wrote that the grace of God brings not only salvation but changes in the one accepting this salvation. I do not need to remind you that God not only saves us but begins to change us to make us ready to walk into His kingdom. That is why we walk a narrow way with all its trials and tests. David Jeremiah writes, “God’s grace instills a desire to please Him in four ways: (1) by rejecting sin – that is, disowning ungodliness and denying one’s passions and sins (2 Corinthians 5:17); (2) by ruling self through sober living; (3) by respecting others through righteous living that mirrors one’s relationship with Christ (Matthew 25:40; Colossians 3:23, 24); and (4) by reverencing God with a disciplined devotion (1 Timothy 4:7, 8).” Jeremiah continues, “God’s grace should not be an excuse for sins but a motivation for holiness.” Jeremiah’s comments and Paul’s writing certainly applies to each Believer today!

Why does the writing in this blog concentrate so much on walking the narrow way as God instructs Believers to do? It is because Jesus said it was a difficult way. It is a way that is meant to turn Believers away from worldly thoughts and from living our lives any way we want to live them – godless ways. Godlessness is anything that contradicts God’s will or His nature. God’s grace helps Believers to reject ungodly living and reject the sinful desires that have plagued our lives for so long.

God’s grace emphasizes that believers live a self-controlled (sober), disciplined life. That involves saying “no” to those sinful things that have had control of the lives of Believers until they met Jesus and were saved by Him through His forgiveness. The “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) have caused people problems for a long time; It seems to be only growing worse in these “last days”. Be sure to understand what is about to be written. “Grace is not a license for laziness” (David Jeremiah). Here’s why.

Paul tells Titus that the reason for living a godly life, for walking the narrow way with Jesus, is to include “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”. If the Believers of Paul’s day were to be living their lives in a godly way and looking for the return of Jesus Christ, should not Believers today be living their lives as if Jesus was to return at any time? That is the “blessed hope”. This is the return of our Lord Jesus to the earth to judge the earth and set up His kingdom. Believers need to be doing all they can to purify themselves from sin right now and walking the narrow way in holiness. Jesus gave His life that those who believe in Him would be empowered to overcome the world and resist the temptations found in it. Galatians 1:4 encourages Believers by saying this is the will of the Father. Grace is not about escaping the judgment of God that too many want; it is about accepting the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and living for Him each day by walking on a narrow way.