Wholy4Christ

In every translation I have read, I see only the Wholeness of Christ revealed in this Scripture. Paul like to put the complete Truth in one sentence so that there could be no doubt, no deviation or distraction in what he wanted to convey. In his letter to Titus in Crete, he makes the whole case of Christ in just the one sentence contained in verses 2:11-13. He completes the purpose of the Gospel in the next verse, Titus 2:14. I will use three translations to share the completeness of Paul’s intent, The New Jerusalem bible, the New Living Translation and the English Standard Version. If there ever was a book of the Bible to memorize to guide us in True Christian living, this is it!

You see, God’s Grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in his present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessings which will come with the appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus. (The Jerusalem Bible, Titus 2:11-13)

He sacrifices Himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be His very own and would have no ambition except to do good. (Titus 2:14)

The New Living Translation has broken these verses down into many sentences for easier reading but as Paul did not use punctuation, most likely it was to be read as one sentence. In order to grasp the full intent though, I will dissect it as does this translation.

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing Salvation to all people.” (NLT)

In both letters to Timothy, Paul has made this same statement, (1Tim 2:4; 2 Tim 1:10) if we are to believe that Christ’s Grace is for a select few and that many are rejected without a chance of justification then Paul is wrong. I DON’T THINK THAT IS SO! Jesus came that the whole world may know of His love and His commitment to redeem the Children of Adam. To reject someone as doomed to loss is to reject The Great Commission. We are all called to evangelize and to be missionaries to the world. Even if the world we live in is just our family and neighborhoods.

“And we are instructed to turn away from godless living and sinful pleasures.”

The ESV reads, “(Grace appeared) training us to renounce ungodly living and worldly passions.” Worldly passions are not just those things that are easily defined as “Sin”, but anything that distracts us from God and His Grace. I’m rereading Rick Joyner’s masterpiece, “The Final Quest” and am encouraged by the reminders of the workings of Faith and the constant distractions that the Adversary sets in our path to draw us away from the Perfection of Christ. As long as we continue to live lives that do not reflect Christ in all things, we are clinging to the lies of Satan. When we allow teachings that reflect the disharmony of the believers, we allow godlessness to rule instead of Christ.

“We should live in this evil world with self control…”

This perhaps is the hardest thing for Christians to follow. We tend to want to impose our understandings or those taught to us, on everybody else. We fail to turn to God and the Word to confirm or further instruct us before we confront others. While I “feel” that I have a good understanding of the Word, I still question my understandings and strive to grasp more each time I read the Word and I pray. Many times I had to revise my understandings. Self control means that we do not accept every new idea. Yet it does not mean we reject other understandings. We examine carefully what is conveyed and seek to gather the fullness of the meaning. If we cut other views off before understanding, we may miss the opportunity to correct with love misconceptions or myths that have permeated the churches over the years. Self-control means that we think before we speak and act.

“….right conduct, and devotion to God.”

“In this present age” we are to continue to live in right conduct, rejecting all things that are contrary to the will of God. We don’t have to go far to realize what is not right with God. A few years ago teens where wearing WWJD bracelets. If you thought about it and asked if what you were doing was something that Jesus would never do, then don’t you do it either. It is not enough to renounce sin, we are to devote ourselves to God. Every action, thought and emotion is to be directed toward God’s Grace. We are to live actively for the Gospel. Not only for our own sake but for the sake of all others in our lives, even those who are not believers. Titus 3:4 reads, “But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done in righteousness, but according to His own Mercy…” Yet also Titus was told to be an example by his good deeds so that others may know what is right living. Your “works are to be a refection of God’s Grace and not the ambition for His Mercy. While good deeds will not bring Salvation, these efforts done for God’s Glory and to Serve His Will, do reflect grace. They are a major part of the devotion of God that we are to sustain at all times. Prayer and Praise is not enough, Serving God and Living in Truth and Mercy is required.

“…While we look forward to that wonderful event when glory of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.”

While there are many who believe that we are fast approaching the “End Days” and many think that is is still far off, the fact is that the end days have been with us ever since the death and resurrection of Christ. Ever since Jesus defeated death and preached that He will come again, Satan has been in a constant battle with the faithful. And even as those who yearned for the return of the King in the first century, we still yearn for His coming again today. And it will be a wonderful event, terrifying and awesome as He wins the final battle.

Every day of our lives though, we still wage battles against the pleasures of the world and the Prince of Lies. We strive to kill sin in our lives, to walk justly in goodness and in mercy. We seek to share the peace of Christ as we still battle the wiles of the flesh and the corruptible minds of men. Yet we hold fast to the truth that Christ is our True God and Savior.

That is perhaps the real message of Paul; that Jesus is not only the Savior of the People of God, HE IS THEIR GOD! (2 Tim 2:6; 2 Peter 1:1) The key element in Titus is God is our Savior. Titus 1:4,..”Christ our Savior”. Titus 3:4“…God our Savior appeared…”4. Titus 3:5-6 “….the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on richly through our Savior , Jesus Christ.” This is why when we have absorbed this message of Paul to Titus, we stop and pray before going on to the next verse. The ESV concludes this verse as the closure of the sentence, not separating it from the prior words. But it should be consumed as a complete thought unto itself. Let every word of it sink deep into your heart and your mind. Let every inference of its words reveal to you the wholeness of the Mission of Jesus to the World, every Nation and every People, that they may see the fullness of God’s Love for His creation, man.

“Who gave HIMSELF for us to redeem us from all unlawlessness and to purify for HIMSELF a people for HIS OWN POSSESSION who are zealous for good works.” (ESV)

Not that long ago, I read “The Relationship Principles of Jesus” by Tom Holloway as a devotional. Through his understandings, I was able to grasp firmly the requirement to be in a purified life of Christ Relationship with everyone. It was an companion book to Rick Warren’s “Forty Days of Love.” As we look back at the previous verse, we see that Jesus is God, and therefore God Himself came to redeem us from our lawless ways and our desire to destroy ourselves. God Himself came and gave up everything that we might have the opportunity to live purified lives in this world so that we could join Him in the next and greater world. It was God’s desire for us to be His Possessions, (see Ephesians 1:1-13) It was for His pleasure that we no longer be cast out from the Garden but to live as a Holy and Blameless People for His sake. And because of this we are to be zealous to do good works. Not because of reward we might receive but because of the Grace we have already obtained, God’s redemption.

Thus this is the Good news, God came to us so tht we might be able to come before Him, blameless and Pure and eager to do His will among men.(Eph. 2:10, and 1 Peter 3:13) And as Paul instructs Titus to train leaders to reach out to a people known the Empire wide as liars and corruptible, to share the Good News of Redemption and Mercy, we are instructed to live and reach out in the same manner. We are the extensions of Christ, Living in a corrupted World with one purpose, to share the goodness of Christ. We pray today for the strength to do so, to guard against the corruption of the World so that we may Bring forth the Good News of God’s Plan of Salvation to the liars and cheats of the World. And that is the purpose of the Gospel of Jesus, to change a contentious people into a People of God. So as we are commanded to share “The Great Commission of Salvation,” we are also deemed righteous to do good works for His sake.