Day: January 4, 2012

The book of Titus gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the  New Testament (N.T).

The book of Titus is a leadership manual with established standards and protocols to follow. It was written by Apostle Paul to a fledgling church in the Mediterranean island of Crete, whose residents (the Cretans) had a personality in the 6th Century, as recorded by their own philosopher Epimenides, which isn’t altogether different from our days, with many of our own personalities i.e., Cretans are known to be liars, beasts (wild animals) and slow bellies (lazy gluttons). And in this context, the Scripture establishes the fact that there is ONLY ONE TRUTH i.e., ONE STANDARD. Jesus said, I am the TRUTH, in other words, He was saying that He is THE STANDARD. See when Jesus said, ‘Anyone who looks at a woman with lust is guilty of adultery or who hates his brother is guilty of murder’, He was not establishing a new standard, instead, in essence, He was expressing that He was the standard i.e., On OUR OWN you and I DON’T STAND A CHANCE.

So as we look at Jesus Christ in the Scripture from the book of Titus, Titus 2:13-14 shows Him as the BLESSED hope (for you and me), the one who will APPEAR gloriously (not only will He appear gloriously, but He will be the glorious one appearing), the GREAT God, our SAVIOR Jesus Christ who GAVE Himself for us (Jesus showed up empty handed to the Sacrifice).

Why did Jesus do this? So that He can REDEEM us from ALL iniquity and PURIFY us (unto Himself as a peculiar people), zealous of good works.

The process of being redeemed and being purified is by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5-6).
When washed – we are made Clean
When regenerated – we are made New (a new creation; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
When renewed – we are made New each day (for His mercies are new every morning; Lamentations 3:22-23)

First time, Jesus appeared as the Grace of God (our Savior); Second time, He will appear as the Glory of God (our King).

In Titus, Jesus Christ is the Standard, our Savior & soon coming King in glory, who purifies us from ALL sin by making us CLEAN, NEW and RENEWED.

Points to ponder:
Have you been redeemed and purified by the blood of Jesus Christ?
And if you have, we are saved by grace, called to do good works. Are you and I zealous of good works?

Titus 2:13-14 (KJV)
¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
¹⁴ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 3:4-7 (KJV)
⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
⁷ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.