What are you devoted to? Hopefully, to God, first of all. Also, to family? To the church? Our passage adds that as God’s people, we must also be devoted to doing what is good.
Titus, in this third chapter maintains that we have been saved to do good: to provide for the urgent needs of others. Verse 1 says, “to do whatever is good.” Verse 8 says: “And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.”
The truths of what God has done for us, listed in verses 4 to 7, provide the resources that we need to do what is good, namely, the kindness, love, mercy, generosity and grace of God!
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
What does an unproductive life look like? Foolishness, disobedience, deception and enslavement by all kinds of passions and pleasures. Living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. Thankfully, Jesus saved us from this kind of life. Let us be careful not to slip back into it through personal sin and selfishness.
Father God, thank you for the resources that you have enriched our lives so that we can do good to others, especially for those who are in need! Remind me today to be generous with time and treasure, sowing the seeds of a productive life! Amen.
Throughout this day: I cannot help but think of the song, “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.
” Let our actions follow the richness of the love that we have experienced from God!
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