August 16, 2022 -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Trained to renounce ungodliness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14 ESV

Notice the order of things. Paul is confirming that God’s saving grace is the starting point. He has rescued His people from destruction, by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, so that the enemy is disarmed. Now as the people who are saved, it is incumbent on you (your binding obligation) to renounce ungodliness. Isn’t that attention-grabbing?

In your past, as sinners, you embraced ungodliness. Perhaps it was alcohol. Perhaps it was gluttony. Maybe the ungodliness is haughtiness—thinking oneself better than others. Perhaps it is laziness (as Paul noted the Cretans are especially appropriately called lazy as even their own prophet called them such). Sins that used to have free reign in your life don’t just lay down and die when Jesus takes over your life. Cornered and about to be rooted out, sins are pernicious and persistent. The grace of God is powerful; strong enough for your every need. However, Christians need to be trained in righteousness so that they refuse familiar sins and abstain from past wicked habits and instead, live upright, self-controlled and godly lives. This is training. Like a chef following a new recipe, making sure he has all the requirements at hand: the ingredients, the correct temperature, the right sized frying pan to hold all the ingredient, so a man gripped by the grace of God will follow God’s instructions with great care. He will study the Word of God. He will make preparations in his day so that this new life doesn’t collapse and old evils wash out any signs of progress. This is a battlefield. The enemy hates seeing Christians honour the very LORD of Glory Whom he himself despises. So the devil is particularly vicious in his repeated attacks against Christians who are striving to implement self-control in their pursuit of holiness.

God has given to believers the sure hope of eternal life. It is His promise to believers. So do not give up the fight against your own flesh, nor the battle against the world and peers who would scoff and mock and call you back to old sinful ways. Do not lose heart, the devil is already defeated. Recognize his tricks and his deceitful invitations which would drag you back to ungodliness and hopelessness. You serve the King of kings, the LORD of lord, and as such, He is also the Captain of Salvation—He will bring you to victory. Pray for Christ’s victory to take hold of your life. Hate your sin more and more. (That is a choice, an hour to hour decision: I hate this old sin, and I remember how it ruins me!) Find fellow Christians who will hold you accountable to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ and in turn hold them to account also. Use all the tools and gifts God has given you so that you will be zealous for good works and you will persevere in carrying them out in your life.

Jesus, Captain of Salvation, thank You that Your strong arm is leading Your people on to victory. Faithful Father, send Your Spirit, the Counselor, so that Your people will be led in all that is upright and godly. Give holy discernment so that tiny sins, the choices that might seem inconsequential at the moment, will be exposed as the course-altering hateful habits that they are. Such tiny-appearing-sins are trying to find weakness in the armor of God so that they can once again reassert themselves. Thank You, Triune God, that You purify Your people. Thank You, God-Who-Never-Lies, that all Your promises are "yes" and "amen" in Jesus Christ. Shelter Your people in your grace and peace and so prepare them to face the joys and challenges of the day. Amen.

https://youtu.be/wVmfwqMqRmQ

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.