Daily Thoughts from Titus: Renouncing Ungodliness (5)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 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.

Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.  (Titus 2:11-15 ESV)

Two “appearances” are mentioned in this paragraph: the appearance of saving grace, the first coming of Jesus, and the future appearance of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, when he comes a second time as king over all his kingdom.  Both of these appearances lead us to godliness.

God’s rescuing grace, which is available to all nationalities, was the sacrificial death of Jesus to pay for the penalty of our sin.  This teaches us that ungodliness and worldliness must be renounced.  They are the very things Jesus had to die to forgive.  If they led to such a drastic solution, Jesus taking our guilt on himself and bearing the wrath of God for us, then this ungodliness and these worldly passions are something that cannot be tolerated by us as human beings.

His second visitation will be one of judgment on sin, another reason to renounce that sin.  Anticipating the blessed hope of Jesus’ return, when God’s will in heaven will be done on earth, when the King’s domain will demand complete submission by all, teaches us to submit now.  We are to live godly, righteous, self-controlled lives now, in what Paul terms “the present age,” that is, the age before Messiah’s kingdom comes.  His coming is that of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, a clear testimony to the deity of Jesus and that Paul saw him as such.

This is all part of God’s plan to redeem a people for Himself, a plan He started with Israel and has now expanded, as He planned, to all nations.  Like Israel, we who believe are now His treasured possession and, if Christ is in us, those who are  zealous for good works.

This is the gospel Titus is charged to proclaim and what we must proclaim, as well.  Our authority for proclaiming it is God Himself.  If we recognize and believe that authority we will not let anyone disregard us.  That is, they may choose to disregard us but we will not be deterred by that.  We will “exhort and rebuke.”  We  will encourage and warn.  The gospel is not an option.  It is the only life available to the human race.  This is what fuels the missionary zeal of Christianity.  If every religious view is a way to God there is no compelling reason to preach this one.  If it is the only way to God we are guilty if we do not.

The strongest argument for the Gospel of Christ is the personal testimony of someone whose life has been changed by it. Charles Bradlaugh, an avowed unbeliever, once challenged the Rev. H. P. Hughes to a debate. The preacher, who was head of a rescue mission in London, England, accepted the challenge with the condition that he could bring with him 100 men and women who would tell what had happened in their lives since trusting Christ as their Savior. They would be people who once lived in deep sin, some having come from poverty-stricken homes caused by the vices of their parents. Hughes said they would not only tell of their conversion, but would submit to cross-examination by any who doubted their stories. Furthermore, the minister invited his opponent to bring a group of non-believers who could tell how they were helped by their lack of faith. When the appointed day arrived, the preacher came, accompanied by 100 transformed persons. But Bradlaugh never showed up. The result? The meeting turned into a testimony time and many sinners who had gathered to hear the scheduled debate were converted.  [Source unknown]