Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… because these are unprofitable and useless.
Summary: Paul has constructed example of both the profitable and unprofitable. He stops short of comparing that which is unprofitable to sin, but does feel strongly that such behavior should be avoided.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (e) — Worse Things”
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies …
Summary: Genealogies are a useful tool, but like other tools they can be misused. Paul instructs Titus to teach people to avoid them as a means of gaining power over other people.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (b) — My Dad’s Bigger”
But avoid foolish controversies …
Summary: The concept of a “foolish controversy” is one that opens the door to a lot of discussion. Understanding the difference between what is foolish and what is sensible requires wisdom.
Continue reading “Titus 3:9 (a) — Foolish and Sensible”
And I want you to stress these things … so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
Summary: Looking at Paul’s list again, we can pare it down in size and simplify it a bit. It really boils down to saying “Yes” to Jesus and “No” to the world.
Continue reading “Titus 3:8 (c) — Two Choices”
… so that, having been justified by his grace …
Summary: Paul’s description of being saved arrives at the concept of justification. Do we need more than we already have? It turns out we do. We need to be justified before God.
Continue reading “Titus 3:7 (a) — Arrived”
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared …
Summary: The word “kindness” is sometimes misunderstood to refer to someone who never says a mean word. As we look at today’s passage, we discover that what is important is the moral quality of the person or being the word refers to.
Continue reading “Titus 3:4 — A Kind of Kindness”
Remind the people … always to be gentle toward everyone.
Summary: Understanding the context of a verse or passage is critical to understanding the intent of the text. It is important to ask questions about the context as we read through God’s Word.
Continue reading “Titus 3:2 (d) — Who Is Everyone?”
Remind the people … to slander no one …
Summary: Slander is an untruth that eats at a person’s reputation. Even if the slanderer believes that the lie is true, the damage that follows can never be fully undone.
Continue reading “Titus 3:2 (a) — A Weapon of Voice”
Encourage and rebuke with all authority.
Summary: The word “encouragement” is often translated as “exhort.” The word rebuke is almost always the same. Both are two sides of the same coin. How and when they are applied depends on the authority in the moment.
Continue reading “Titus 2:15 (b) — All Authority”
In everything set them an example … by doing what is good.
Summary: Today we look at a shift if Paul’s writing; he tells Titus what to be. Telling Titus to be a person who does good leaves us with the question of what does God mean by “good?”
Continue reading “Titus 2:7 (b) — Knife’s Edge”