God Speaks
Remind your people to obey the government and its officers, and always to be obedient and ready for any honest work. 2 They must not speak evil of anyone, nor quarrel, but be gentle and truly courteous to all.
3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient; we were misled by others and became slaves to many evil pleasures and wicked desires. Our lives were full of resentment and envy. We hated others and they hated us.
4 But when the time came for the kindness and love of God our Savior to appear, 5 then he saved us—not because we were good enough to be saved but because of his kindness and pity—by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out upon us with wonderful fullness—and all because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did 7 so that he could declare us good in God’s eyes—all because of his great kindness; and now we can share in the wealth of the eternal life he gives us, and we are eagerly looking forward to receiving it. 8 These things I have told you are all true. Insist on them so that Christians will be careful to do good deeds all the time, for this is not only right, but it brings results.
9 Don’t get involved in arguing over unanswerable questions and controversial theological ideas; keep out of arguments and quarrels about obedience to Jewish laws, for this kind of thing isn’t worthwhile; it only does harm. 10 If anyone is causing divisions among you, he should be given a first and second warning. After that have nothing more to do with him, 11 for such a person has a wrong sense of values. He is sinning, and he knows it.
12 I am planning to send either Artemas or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them arrives, please try to meet me at Nicopolis as quickly as you can, for I have decided to stay there for the winter. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with their trip; see that they are given everything they need. 14 For our people must learn to help all who need their assistance, that their lives will be fruitful.
15 Everybody here sends greetings. Please say hello to all of the Christian friends there. May God’s blessings be with you all.
Sincerely, Paul
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Paul advises Titus to instruct his people to obey governmental authorities and not to be argumentative or quarrelsome. Instead, they should be kind, gentle, and courteous to everyone. Then Paul restated the gospel: God’s people had been foolish, disobedient, and imprisoned by all types of sin, but God’s great kindness and love developed a plan to set us free. Jesus, the perfect Son, came and died in our place. We didn’t earn or deserve it. Out of kindness, compassion, mercy, and grace the Holy Spirit set us free, washed us totally and completely clean, and moved into us so we could be full to overflowing with joy and all the other evidence of His presence. This is all because of what Jesus did in His life, suffering, death, and resurrection. God the Father has now made us heirs of His kingdom with all the rights and privileges of the Son He loves. By ever increasing faith in Christ, we will live good, productive lives blessing others here on earth and spend eternity in heaven blessing and thanking God. This is what Paul wanted Titus to preach and promote. Verses 9-15 are Paul’s final instructions and farewell. As with most of his letters, Paul closes with the words “Grace to you all.”
Prayer: Dear Awesome God, thank You for knowing even before You created the universe and everything in it that we weak human beings would sin and mess things up. Thank You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that You formed a plan whereby we could be saved through faith while not violating Your sovereignty and justice. Thank You for carrying out that wonderful plan. Thank You for saving everyone who has or ever will be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus. Thank You, Jesus, for all You suffered on our behalf and for the joy You felt knowing that having us with You in Heaven forever was worth it all. Thank You for the simple yet profound exchange of our sin for Jesus’s righteousness. Thank You, Holy Spirit for indwelling believers enabling us to do whatever You have in mind now and for eternity. Thank You for this letter that You caused to be included in the Scriptures to give us direction for Your church down through the ages. Thank You for Yourself and all that You are. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will praise God for all that He is, has done, and will do.
- I will mention God in some way at least once every day this week.
- I will demonstrate my love for God and love for people in some specific way every day this week.
- I will find ways to avoid getting into arguments or quarrels.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.