April 18 – Promised Ages Ago

“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,” – Titus 1:1-2  (NASB)

In our modern culture the very thought of being someone’s slave is abhorrent. So is the thought of any person having ownership of slaves for their service. But Paul uses the word “slave” to describe himself. Most often translated “bond-servant” it more accurately means an ordinary life-long “slave.”  In fact Paul pictures himself as the most menial slave of New Testament times, signifying his complete willingness to submit to the Lord. All believers have been chosen by God by whom we have been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). The promise we have been given is eternal life in which we have a hope. Paul’s meaning is that all of his ministry was “with a view to” that promise of eternal life. This hope was promised to the elect from eternity past by God, who cannot default on His word. Because God Himself is truth and the source of truth, it is impossible for Him to say anything untruthful. Paul places this act into a time long ages ago. God’s plan of salvation for sinful mankind was determined and decreed before man was even created (Ephesians 1:4). It’s a secure guarantee because the promise was made to God the Son. 

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October 25 – All Spirit Generated

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” -  Titus 3:4-6 (NASB)

How and why God saves people is a general point of discussion. This is because it is nearly impossible for one to consider any salvation is accomplished without some contribution on their part. It’s simple to read what God’s promises are about salvation from the curse and wages of sin (Romans 6:23). It’s more difficult for some to imagine their salvation having nothing to do with how they live their lives. But God promised, and we read His promise in the passage for today: kindness, love, and mercy, all represent aspects of God’s grace. Mercy is goodness given and conferred when it is not deserved or earned. Our our best and purest deeds are never good enough to save. This salvation brings for us divine cleansing from sin and the gift of a new, Holy Spirit-generated and Spirit-empowered, and Spirit-protected life as God’s own children and heirs⸺this is our new birth. It is a promise that is poured out upon us according to His riches in Jesus Christ, our Savior. What a promise it is and one that we can depend upon and live by.

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October 12 – Hope is Believing

“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,”  Titus 2:11–13 (ESV)

In this letter by Paul to Titus, he had explored that godly living is what God’s truth demands from us. In these verses Paul changes his emphasis to determine the central aspect of God’s truth which demands a godly life. The word ‘for’ (gar) suggests that Paul is establishing the basis for what the he had just written. (The last phrase, (v. 14) references Christ act of self-sacrifice to redeem us from lawlessness and make us pure for Himself.) When fully understood, it is the gospel of the grace of God which teaches Christians how to live. This promise is clear: grace has brought salvation to all men and it is universally available. The message is that God’s grace leads Christians, to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live positively self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. Because we are Christians, we look forward and wait for the blessed hope which is the appearing of our Great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. This hope in its essence is the same substance as faith. It is believing God. Faith believes what God has said, what God has done, and hope believes what God has promised yet to do. 

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Titus, whose name appears 13 times in 12 verses in the Apostle Paul’s letters was a Gentile convert who had served and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Titus had also served as a faithful messenger to the troubled church in Corinth. Like Timothy, he was trained by Paul and appointed as an Overseer who established other overseers in the churches under his care.

April 14 – Being His Own Possession

“...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”   Titus 2:13-14 (NASB)

These words are a very precious reminder of the thoughts of Jesus our Savior regarding us who are following Him.  Jesus died on the cross to bring us into a relationship with Himself. Because of sin we were separated and did not have a relationship with God who wanted us to belong to Himself.  He wanted us as a people who are His very own. Our verse today reminds us why Jesus had to die for us on the cross.  We were lost and apart and needed forgiveness. A wonderful promise and we believe that He still lives with the same motivation.  Jesus still wants to draw us to Himself to be a people who truly belong to Him and who live pure lives.  As we desire to do what is good, trusting in God for the ability to do so, we can show that we belong to God and He'll work through us to accomplish His purpose in this world.  

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March 19 – Waiting With A Goal

This day is the anniversary of Richard Anderson's birthday.*

“...while we wait for the 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 wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”   Titus 2:14  (NIV)

Our verse today tells us that we who believe are waiting for the blessed hope which is the appearing of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.  We are reminded also of the why, the goal we have each day to do what is good.  And not just do it but to be eager to do what is good.  We believe that those who read and follow this daily blog have this goal in our lives.  We trust that we all eagerly want to do what is good and that we look to the Lord to help us because none of us can reach our goal in on our own effort.  We need God's help.  We were saved by God's  grace and mercy and it is by His grace we keep on with Christ in us, working today.  In all this we wait for the ultimate promise, the blessed hope of Jesus' return when all things will be resolved and renewed.

* It was 106 years ago on this date that Richard B Anderson was born in Boone, Iowa.    He was the  author of these daily visits into promises from God.  He served the Lord our God until he was taken Home after 90+ years on earth.  As a possession of God, he was zealous for good deeds as this verse describes.   

This blog was started on January 1, 2016. As of March 1, 2019 a total of 1157 posts have followers in more than 25 countries around the world.  

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February 21 – Purified For a Purpose

“...looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”  Titus 2:13-14 (NASB)

If one is looking to know something about what our Lord God had in mind in his dealing with us, who have put our faith in Him, today's verse helps us to remember and understand.  We can realize that He knew us long before we were born.  He knows what our situations and conditions are and what our needs would be.  Jesus died for us to redeem us from all wickedness.  He died to save us from our sins by taking the penalty for them on Himself.  He also died to save us from the power of sin and its evil attractions. By His death we are purified and given the desire and passion to do what is righteous.  This is our promise and we can live in the assurance of His grace to help us do what he wants.  Let's be thankful to God today for giving to us the desire to please Him in our lives and let's keep that desire growing in our hearts every day.

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December 7 – When He Appeared

“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.”  Titus 3:4-5a  (NIV) 

We are thinking about and beginning to see pictures these days which depict the events which occurred at the time that Jesus was born.  There were the angles who appeared to announce his birth to the shepherds who responded and sought out to find the baby Jesus in the manger, or feed trough.  We also see the wise men from the countries to the east who traveled a long way to find Jesus and to bring him gifts.   Our verse teaches us what was behind all the beautiful things about the Christmas story.  Titus a co-worker of the Apostle Paul received a letter from his teacher which lets us know God had a purpose.  When Jesus appeared as a baby and was wrapped up and put in the manger, it was God acting out of His kindness and love. He had planned it for us and it was by his this that we are saved.   We have not received salvation because we have been good enough or done enough.  We are saved because of His mercy.  He came, He died, and He rose again, and we have new life because once, in Bethlehem, in a manger, at the right time and place, He appeared as a baby.  Let's be thankful. 

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April 14 – Pure and Good

“...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.” Titus 2:13b-14 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul writes this letter to Titus* who had traveled with Paul and been his helper, especially in Crete. Paul is encouraging Titus and instructing him on what message Titus needed to teach. It is not surprising that when our Lord wanted to choose out a people to be His very own He would want them to be as much like Him as possible. Since He is holy and pure He would want His people to be pure too.  He is good and He would want His people to be good. Our verse reminds us that this is why Jesus gave Himself on the cross. He died to pay the penalty for our sins and to set us free from sin so that we would desire to do good instead of evil. If we have accepted Jesus as Savior then we belong to Him He wants to help us be like He is – pure and good.

*Who is Titus?


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May 28 – In Our Place

“. . . while we wait for the 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 wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:13 -14 (NIV)

We have a wonderful Savior and He has great plans for those who believe in Him. He is our Savior  because he died on the cross for us to pay the penalty for our sins. Our verse today reminds us that He did this with two purposes in mind. Jesus died for us in our place to redeem us by paying the price we owed in order to make us His own. If we have believed in Him we belong to Him. And, by having died for us Jesus can then purify us and He is working in us to make us pure. He is praying for us each day and working in our minds and hearts to make us pure and to keep us pure. That is God's great desire for each of us. Let's be eager to see this accomplished.