Titus: Rules for us all

After a discussion on how elders (Titus 1:5-14), older men (Titus 2:2), older women (Titus 2:3-5), young men (Titus 2:6), and slaves (Titus 2:9-10) should act, Paul sums up the attributes that “all people” should exhibit in their lives.

For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,  while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
-Titus 2:11-14

This is quite the list to take in. Let’s look at it one phrase at a time. First, God’s grace has appeared with salvation for all of us. As a result, Paul encourage us:

To deny godlessness and worldly lusts. I like to think of this like a bouncer at the doorway of our lives. We don’t even grant access, even temporary access, to godlessness and worldly lusts. Because once these thoughts and desires get a foothold in our lives, they are difficult to shove back out.

To live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way. What’s sensible to one person, may not be sensible to another. But righteousness is the same for all of us. God has blessed us all in different ways and how we steward these gifts is a reflection of our relationship with Him. And yet, whether we have a little or a lot, God has called us all to live a virtuous life.

Wait for the blessed hope and appearing of Jesus Christ. This statement is just as true for us today as it was for Titus when Paul wrote it. We still wait for Jesus to return to this earth and make all things new again. In the meantime, Paul encourages us to remember who Jesus is and why His identity changes our actions. Jesus “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people.”

In response to realizing that Jesus gave Himself for us, we eagerly respond in a life of living in submission to Him. Let’s be good hearers of the Word of God and apply one of these three categories to our life today. Here are some questions to think through:

What worldly desires do I have that are distracting me from my relationship with God?

In what areas in my life am I not living a righteous life?

Do I trust that God will return and be the judge of all or am I taking matters into my own hands now?