The Place to Be #36

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 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.

Having given the exhortations that Titus was to use in the circuit of churches in Crete, Paul then gives the theological base for his call to godly living: The Gospel is founded on God's Grace, which inherently has a call to change.  These changed by Christ will renounce ungodliness and run toward godliness, denounce their former out-of-control and under-the-control of sin, to lives of self-control enabled by Spirit-control. There will also be a change in orientation from the present to the future.  Rather than looking for all the fulfillment one can get now, there will be a focus on what one will receive when Christ returns. We will be looking to Him, remembering that He came to by us back from all this ungodliness to purify us as a people who pursue godliness, who want to do God's will and God's work, just like He did while here on earth.