Titus Chapter 3
Paul uses the same pattern throughout his letter to Titus – a contrast of a good lifestyle to a bad lifestyle. Examples include: Ch 1:5-9 against 1:10-16; Ch 2:1-13 against 2:14; Ch 3:1-2 and 4-8 against 3:3 and 9-11. It’s interesting to me because I tend to be verbose and wordy and I say more than I need or should to relay an idea. Paul here is brief, but redundant, with his description of the Godly life.
My favorite part in chapter 3 is verses 3-8. Verse 3 tells of our pre-Christ life and verses 4-9 explain how the change from evil to Christ-like happens.
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Just like in chapter 2:11-14, Paul attributes the change in our lives to God’s work through his Spirit, made possible by his own life and death on earth. It not new or groundbreaking exegesis, but it’s very affirming to me because these verses reveal the character of God.
God is righteous and holy. We are foolish, disobedient, and enslaved to all sorts of passions and pleasures. God is merciful and compassionate. We live in malice, being hated and hating others. God is kind and loving and he saved despite our obvious failure to be like him. Even now, I still live with hatred and jealousy and pride, yet I have confidence that the God who saved me through Jesus the Messiah will continue to change me through the washing of rebirth and renewal by his Holy Spirit.
The letter to Titus is an affirmation of God’s character and a directive to move from knowledge of God’s character into a lifestyle of worship to God (Ch 3:8). Our lifestyle of worship is a self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined person ready to do good works.
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