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 Titus 3 - The Power of Good Doctrine - God's Kindness and Love

Christians are to be known for what they do (good things).  What we do is based on the truth of God’s word (good doctrine).  The Book of Titus (especially 3:4-8) packs a heavy punch of the doctrine we need to learn to live the newborn Christian life.  In just a few words we hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

        We hear about God’s grace, washing away our sins, and pouring the Holy Spirit into our lives to show us how to turn from godless living to living for our Creator.  We hear of our mission and our purpose.  God’s grace declares us righteous.  God loves us!  God loves every man and every woman.

God came to earth in the Son of Man, nay, as the Son of Man.  God’s grace is revealed in the Son.  And God pours out the Spirit generously so that we can worship God and do good - for the benefit of ourselves and the growth of God’s Kingdom.

We know too well that we are all being led by something.  What’s leading us?  Who is leading us?  Is it our sinful desires?  Sinful desires are enticing and overpowering.  The day is long.  We have many opportunities from eyes open to eyes shut to be misled.

Our charge from Titus is to live in this evil world with wisdom.  That means we must learn and correct as we go.  God does not want us to have lives stuck in sin cycles.  God is merciful.  So merciful that Jesus saved us.

        That’s where Christianity takes a much different doctrinal position than performance-based religions.  It is not salvation by a balance of probabilities or a preponderance of the evidence.  You can’t be slightly good enough to get into heaven or comparatively good.  Those factors may very well speak to our rewards from our King, but righteous actions get us nowhere from a soteriological point of view.  Your mom can’t save you.  Nor a prophet, pastor, or priest.  It is all Jesus, only Jesus.  It’s God’s love and mercy that saved us (3:5).  Thank you Lord Jesus for your grace.

God washes away our dirty sins.  Our filth, our sinful lusts, and pleasures.  Our evil, envy, jealousy, and hate.  God does this by washing through the Holy Spirit.  It is supernatural.  There is no better thing than to be fully washed by the Blood of Jesus Christ.  Not just washed feet, washed toes, etc.  But like the Apostle Peter (John 13:8), we are drenched and scrubbed from top to bottom by the showering of the Holy Spirit.  

Think of that every time you get into the shower or the tub.  God pours out his Holy Spirit on us to spiritually clean us with water and a fragrance of holiness from heaven.  Our sins are serious and staining.  But God declares us clean (white as snow) with new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit (3:5).

So we must devote ourselves to being led by God.  We are born again.  New people.  God’s people.  We are gentle and show true humility to everyone.  We are obedient.

        The Christian is the best citizen of any nation because we are citizens of heaven.  We speak the truth in love.  We avoid quarreling.  We must remind believers to submit to the government and its officers (3:1).  That’s the Christian way because of what Christ has done for us.  We are good, gentle, and humble because we emulate our King.  We move from foolishness and disobedience to wisdom and discipline because Jesus shows us His way is better.

Lord Jesus, we need your help in this short life.  We cannot do it on our own and we praise you for pouring out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Thank you for every blessing.  Thank you for Your Church.  Please work powerfully through us today.  Amen.


Time with family.


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