| Our verse to DATE the Word on March 14 (3/14) is Titus 3:14 |
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| Titus 3:14 says, “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” DOING GOOD WORKS The Apostle Paul over and over makes it clear that our WORKS DON’T WORK for salvation. It is a false gospel to tell a person that good works will save them. As he writes to Titus he makes it abundantly clear how one OBTAINS salvation. Notice Titus 3:3-7 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” It is hard to miss that we are “NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE.” Works don’t work to save! However, while works do not work to save, once one is saved one will be diligent to do good works! Following verse 7 Paul writes in verse 8 “This is a faithful saying and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” It is hard to miss that we who “have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” GOOD WORKS DON’T WORK TO SAVE BUT THE SAVED WILL DO GOOD WORKS! I think I can make a strong argument that the Apostle Paul was PASSIONATE that a person is justified by faith and faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ AND that he was passionate that a believer will be fully engaged in doing good works. Three times in the book of Titus alone he stressed the necessity of believers doing good works. Notice these verses: Titus 2:14 says “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” And our verse to DATE: Titus 3:14 “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” You might recall his teaching on good works followed after being saved from Ephesians 2:8-10. He wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Are you learning to MAINTAIN good works? Are you watching for opportunities to DO GOOD, to do good, especially to members of the household of faith? (Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.) As we do good to and for others we glorify God and even cause the unbelieving world to notice and glorify God. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 I read that Benjamin Franklin liked to ask two questions each day, one in the morning and one in the evening. The morning question was WHAT GOOD SHALL I DO TODAY? The one in the evening was WHAT GOOD HAVE I DONE TODAY? Verse to DATE the Word on March 14 (3/14) is Titus 3:14. It says, “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful,” I can’t think of a much worse commentary of a believer’s life than to hear one is unfruitful! Be good and DO good!! Continue Strong DOING GOOD WORKS! And remember to DATE THE WORD |
Tag: Titus
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Verse to DATE the Word on March 14 (3/14) is Titus 3:14
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Verse to DATE the Word on February 14 (2/14) is Titus 2:14
Our verse to DATE the Word on February 14 (2/14) is Titus 2:14 Titus 2:14 says, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” For God, LOVE is spelled G A V E!!
On Valentine’s Day, our thoughts naturally turn to LOVE. While Titus 2:14 does not have the word LOVE in it, it is saturated with LOVE as it tells how Jesus Christ GAVE HIMSELF for us. He GAVE HIMSELF so we could be REDEEM as we could never pay the price that was owed. His death PURCHASED us out of the slave market of sin. He GAVE Himself in order to CLEANSE US from our filthiness and stains of sin that we could never get clean. He GAVE Himself so He could HAVE us as His own special people, called in Ephesians His BRIDE.
OH, HOW JESUS LOVED and LOVES US!! OH, HOW JESUS LOVED YOU AND LOVES YOU!
When seeking to define LOVE one of the first words that comes to mind is GIVES! LOVE GIVES! LOVE SACRIFICES!!! LOVE DOES for another what one could never DO for themselves. LOVE GIVES for another what one could never GET for themselves. You might recall what Jesus said in John 15:13. It says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” He laid down His life for us. He died for us. He GAVE HIS LIFE for us, for you!
May I encourage you to take a quick minute and consider the GIVING of Christ starting with our verse for 2/14? Let His love saturate your heart!
Titus 2:14 says, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
1 Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all–the testimony that was given at just the right time.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit,
Revelation 1:5-6 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has washed us, released us from our sins by His blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nations.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
With outstretched hands upon a rugged wooden cross, Jesus Christ shouts to I LOVE YOU. He calls to you to BE MINE! Have accepted Him?
If you have accepted His invitation to BE HIS I propose we should be now asking Him what shall we give back to Him who has given His all for us.
The answer is to WORSHIP Him AND go to WORK for Him!!! As He GAVE His life for us, we now GIVE Him our life! As He fulfilled the Father’s will we now seek to know and to DO HIS WILL with our lives.
Verse to DATE the Word on February 14 (2/14) is Titus 2:14. It says, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
Continue Strong knowing JESUS LOVES YOU!
And remember to DATE THE WORD -
Verse to DATE the Word on February 10 (2/10) is Titus 2:10
Our verse to DATE the Word on February 10 (2/10) is Titus 2:10 Titus 2:10 says, “not stealing, but demonstrating complete faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.” Living a Life that Makes the Gospel Attractive
In the Apostle Paul’s writings to churches and to individuals, you cannot help but see challenges and instructions to live differently as a believer. There were things the believer is NO LONGER TO DO. Our verse tells us NOT to STEAL – no longer stealing. There are new things we are TO DO. Our verse says we are to demonstrate complete FAITHFULNESS. The person who has trusted Christ as Savior is a changed person.
The apostle now connects living differently to the sharing of the gospel. Don’t miss the two words “SO THAT.” One of the reasons we live differently is SO THAT we can PRESENT the teachings of Christ to OTHERS in an ATTRACTIVE WAY!
Our daily actions can make the gospel appealing and attractive or appalling and ugly.
By the things we do and say we can draw a person to wanting to know more about becoming a Christian or by the things we do and say can become a major turn-off for a person of ever wanting to be a Christian.
In Titus 2:10 Paul says our actions can be thought of as our APPEARANCE. The verse has the word “ADORN”. The Greek word that is translated as ADORN gives us the English word COSMETIC.
Now, why does one use cosmetics? One uses cosmetics to make one more attractive, if you will, more acceptable, and yes, more appealing. Some put on make-up. Some put on after-shave. Hopefully, all put on deodorant. We use a variety of COSMETICS to make our appearance more attractive and acceptable.
As we think about making ourselves PHYSICALLY attractive and acceptable we need to think about our ACTIONS making the gospel ATTRACTIVE. Living lives of integrity and lives of loving others and lives of service and generosity and living a life of joy will make the gospel attractive. Living hypocritically, saying one thing but doing another is a huge turnoff.
Are your daily actions making the gospel attractive and appealing?
BTW – I find an excellent guide for making the gospel attractive in 1 Timothy 4:12. I Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” I draw from the actions of being an example to believers that these are significant actions as well toward unbelievers. I encourage you to look at and live these actions before both the believer and the unbeliever.
Let us diligently act accordingly ADORNING the gospel, making it ATTRACTIVE and APPEALING!
Verse to DATE the Word on February 10 (2/10) is Titus 2:10. It says, “not stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.
“You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By deeds that you do,
By words that you say.
Men read what you write,
Whether faithless or true;
Say, what is the Gospel
According to you?”
Continue Strong as an “ATTRACTIVE” witness for Jesus
And remember to DATE THE WORD