Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
At one time …
Summary: Today’s meditation is a preview of the next eight verses. With a few strokes of the pen, Paul lays out before us the essential message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “Titus 3:3-11 — The Gospel”
Remind the people to be … considerate …
Summary: Being considerate means considering want other people might need or want. The second step is thinking about what we can do for others. The third step is doing it.
Continue reading “Titus 3:2 (c) — Consideration”
Remind the people … to be ready to do whatever is good …
Summary: The meaning of the word “good” depends on whose point-of-view you are talking about. Worldly good is about pleasing the flesh. Spiritual good is about pleasing God.
Continue reading “Titus 3:1 (d) — Do Good”
… to redeem us from all wickedness …
Summary: Being redeemed is not like snapping your fingers. It is a process. There is a payment to be made, and then there is a collection process. Eventually we see our Redeemer face to face. At that point we have been redeemed.
Continue reading “Titus 2:14 (b) — Up and Down”
[Jesus Christ,] who gave himself for us …
Summary: The story of our salvation is amazing. Our part is rather sad and embarrassing. The exciting part is provided by God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He left heaven to become a man, live a good life, and then allowed mankind to take that life away from him. Under the law, he now has the right to take our lives, but instead, he gives us life.
Continue reading “Titus 2:14 (a) — The Eyes of God”
—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ …
Summary: Paul’s words in this passage identify Jesus as God and Savior. These are two parts of what scholars call “the Trinity.” The word is dangerous if it causes someone to think that they understand our God. That would be a bit like an ant claiming to understand Shakespeare.
Continue reading “Titus 2:13 (b) — In The Air”
… while we wait for the blessed hope …
Summary: Waiting for heaven is a bit like waiting at a train station. We are hoping for something that has yet to happen.
Continue reading “Titus 2:13 (a) — Gospel Train”
… in this present age …
Summary: There are limits to what we can know about Paul’s thinking. Yet there are clues in his letter to Titus that give us confidence that his words are still relevant today.
Continue reading “Titus 2:12 (c) — The Age”
… and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives …
Summary: Paul has written about being self-controlled four times. He has also mentioned being upright before. In this passage he introduces the idea of living a godly life.
Continue reading “Titus 2:12 (b) — The Meaning of Godly”
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
Summary: Knowing our Lord and talking about him are two different things. We can do one without the other. However, when we know the Lord and talk about him, the way we talk says as much as the words we use.
Continue reading “Titus 2:11 — Unspeakable Love”