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"This is a trustworthy saying. 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. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."
(Titus 3:8)
This week we have taken a close look at Titus 3:1-8. I would encourage you to go and read the whole passage all together before you continue reading here. Today, we will focus on verse 8, and it will be helpful to remind yourself of the whole passage, especially since the verse begins by saying that what comes before it is "a trustworthy saying".
In verse 8, Paul connects the proceeding verses, which describe Christian salvation through the Gospel, with doing good works for the evangelistic purpose of showing Jesus to the lost around us (profitable for everyone). Our Christian behavior, the good works we do, ought to be based on a right understanding of the Gospel which then fuels us to do good works, also on the basis of grace, so that others might see Christ in us.
We don't enter into relationship with God through grace and then do good works in our own strength. No, we enter into a saving relationship with God through grace and then we do good works also through His grace. We still need Him every day! That is why Paul ties our good works to the Gospel of grace. We ought to, as the verse tells us, devote ourselves to good works. This implies that we rely on the grace of God in all to which we devote ourselves since we came to know Him through an act of His mercy, as verse 5 says. All of this has a purpose, as the verse explains at the end. It is an evangelistic purpose. Remember from Monday that Paul is giving instructions to Titus and the believers on the island of Crete on how to be evangelistic to the lost community that surrounds them. He urges them to do good works (verse 1-2), reminds them of their salvation (verses 3-7) and then urges them again to do good works, with the Gospel as the basis.
On Monday, we looked specifically at the commands Paul gives in verse 1. This is obviously not an exhaustive list of good works we can do in order to be a living testimony of a life transformed by Jesus.
As I write this, I am preparing to fly to the US with my family over the weekend to visit my parents. Air travel often puts you in close contact with others, many of whom are lost. I'm asking God to let my patience and kindness (which are sometimes hard to come by in airports and airplanes) be a testimony, and that I would have the boldness to open my mouth whenever the opportunity presents itself to share about Jesus. I'll also spend time with unbelieving family members and pray that my attitude, how I speak to and interact with my husband and son, and how I take opportunities to share about my hope in Christ would be a testimony to them.
What about you? Consider the day you have today and the weekend ahead. Where will you interact with people who are lost? What are some specific ways you can display Jesus to them? Remember the Gospel and the mercy shown to you through your salvation. In light of that mercy, ask the Holy Spirit for His grace to help you to do these things this weekend.
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