PRAYER + PRAISE
Transformed by Grace
- Adam Cole // August 4, 2009
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age. —Titus 2: 11-12
Paul, speaking here to Titus, a “partner and fellow worker,” imparts on the young pastor to call out elders for the humble and noble work of building churches, to inspire Christ-following communities to take shape. Paul had left Titus in Crete, one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, in order to facilitate that process of selecting godly men to shepherd the people of that island to be godly people. Like most new churches in that day, Titus faced false teachers and men that lived in the ways of the world, that sought their own ends, that brought down others in order to prop themselves up: Says Paul (1:16): “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient and disqualified for every good work.”
Paul’s note to Titus is the Gospel in a simple form. God saved us by His grace and it is through that salvation that we become new people, denying worldly lusts, and living soberly and righteously. Paul gives more evidence to the fruit of godly lives by encouraging obedience, displaying reverence, incorruptibility, being a pattern of good works, such that we “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
Paul is not saying that we have to be angels…merely men, women, and children that are wholly and completely changed by Christ, turned from evil and instead to good.
There is no magic formula to transform a village or a city; there is no ‘solution’ to the lusts and evils of this world. The solution is Jesus. Once He is in the soul, we each are changed: mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, everyday people on this earth…so that each and every one of our relationships reflects the character and nature of God.
Praise: That through His freely given salvation we can become a godly people.
Prayer: That we let His Spirit do wondrous things in us, to create the obedience and servanthood needed to reflect God in all things.
Prayer for Today: Lord, we love You and thank You that You chose. While salvation was given to all mankind, You were intentional about who You selected to accept that offer. We know we are not special, but we indeed have a special calling to be people of You, to reflect that great gift of Your love in salvation that You have afforded to us. May we adorn Your character in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.