Tit 2:11 | KingComments | STEP | . This is the beginning of a new section. Yet there is a clear connection with the previous verses. You can derive that from the word “for” which indicates that everything that is said previously has its meaning through what follows. And what is it that follows? That is the instruction of “the grace of God”. You could say that all previous exhortations can only be realized by the instruction of the grace of God. In that instruction the teachings of our Savior-God is being explained. However, not as a theory, as a theological dogma, but as something that is to be seen in our life on earth, which was seen in the life of the Lord Jesus. The grace that appeared was revealed when the Lord Jesus came to earth in humiliation. Especially the Gospel according to Luke exposes Him as the One Who revealed the grace of God to the whole of humanity. Already in the very beginning of that Gospel you read how people wondered “at the gracious words which were falling from His lips” ( ; cf. ). When Christ came to earth by being born as Man, the grace of God appeared in His Person. In the Child in the manger you see how God opens His heart for all people. With that Child salvation comes to all people without exception. God’s salvation is not limited to a certain people. God had chosen a certain people to be His people. He had provided that people with all possible means in order to serve Him and testify of Him toward all other peoples. He gave them His law. But that people were worse and more corrupt than all other peoples. When God sent His Son, it became evident how corrupt that people were. All of their murderousness came to light. They killed Him because they couldn’t bear Him. Man is so depraved that he cannot stand God revealed in goodness. That was the end of all God’s efforts to make man serve Him. Then an awesome change came into God’s way of acting. When man had delivered the proof of his absolute incorrigibility, the way was now opened for God to reveal His grace. That grace is present in the same Christ Who was killed by His people. Only, the offer of that salvation is not made to only one nation, but that offer is for all people. This offering fits the appreciation God has for what His Son has done. Salvation is being offered to all people. . Everyone who has been saved, old and young, man and woman, learn to know grace in still another way, namely as a teacher, for grace is “instructing us”. Grace gives us the necessary instruction on how to live as a believer. Therefore grace is for ‘all’ people, is being offered to all people, but is instructing ‘us’, which implies the believers. This instruction of grace is a continuous process. Through this instruction new people are being made able to honor God in their new walk of life. The most important thing that is shown in this instruction is that the past has been condemned. In order to live to God’s honor, it is important to have a good view of your past. Before your conversion you lived without God. Your life was ungodly, which means that you did not ask for God. You pursued worldly lusts by focusing yourself on all things that the world can offer. That is what you lived for. Through the instruction of grace you understand that “ungodliness and worldly lusts” can in no way have any room in your life anymore. You “deny” them. It is not a command to do that, but it is a matter of course. You have renounced these things as a conscious decision with a continuous effect. It is something you are to live up to on a daily basis. If you have turned your back on ungodliness and lusts in this way, there comes room for the new life. You live your new life in the present, “in the present age”. Indeed that is an age, a territory of power which is so terribly evil that it rejected the Lord Jesus, but from which you have been delivered by the work of Christ and the will of God ( ). Yet you still live in it, but as a new man with very different characteristics than before. 1. You live “sensible”. That indicates how you yourself are. You do not let yourself be dragged by the delusion of the day; you can control yourself. 2. You live “righteously”, touches your attitude toward others, like your brothers and sisters, your family members and colleagues, the world. 3. The third characteristic regards your attitude toward God. You live “godly”, which is in fear or reverence to God and you serve and honor Him. In Job and Simeon you have examples of such a life ( ; ). . After you have seen the instruction of grace in for the past and the present, this instruction continues in with the future. While living in the present, you may look forward to a great future. The focal point in that future is “the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”. With a view to that Paul speaks about a “blessed hope and the appearing of the glory”. Our ‘blessed hope’ is that we will see that glory when He will come to take us, the church, up ( ). Regarding the world we may look forward to ‘the appearing of the glory’. All sin and the misery it has caused will come to an end when the Lord Jesus returns to earth. He is ‘our great God and Savior’. The Man Who once was on earth in humiliation to be the Savior of the world ( ) is also the eternal God. He, Christ, can justly be called ‘great’ ( ; ; ; ). . When Paul speaks about the glory of Christ he cannot help but speak about the great love of the Lord Jesus and about the great work He has accomplished. Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us”. He loved us that much that He not only gave everything He had ( ) and was willing to become poor for our sakes ( ), but beyond all that He gave Himself . You read somewhere else that God gave His own Son ( ; ), but here you read that the Lord Jesus gave Himself. And how did He do that? By giving His life a ransom for many ( ; ). He did that voluntarily. He died for you and me while we were still sinners ( ). What did He have in mind when He gave Himself? He wanted to make us “a people for His own possession”. To achieve that it was necessary that He redeemed “us from every lawless deed”. To redeem here means as much as ‘to ransom’, ‘to release’. With this meaning this word appears another time only in 1 Peter 1 ( ). There Peter writes that we are not ‘redeemed’ with corruptible things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. That means that a price has been paid for our redemption, which is nothing less than the precious blood of Christ. We have indeed been bought at a price that cannot be valued in money ( ). But, as it is said, that price is paid for our redemption, our liberation from a power by which we were completely captivated. That power was lawlessness. Lawlessness is the essence of sin ( ). Lawlessness means that you rejected any form of authority that comes from God. The Lord Jesus has redeemed you from all lawlessness (cf. ) so that you may acknowledge Him as the only Commander. You belong now to a people He calls “His own possession” (cf. ) and to whom nothing of the uncleanness of the nations of the world is attached. The only way that this people could come into connection with Him was that He cleansed them. That also happened through His blood ( ). Through His redemption you are His possession. Through His purification you answer to His holiness and you are able to serve Him by being “zealous” in doing “good deeds”. ‘Good deeds’ is everything you do in obedience to the Lord, for that is the way God is glorified and others are blessed. . Paul urgently asks Titus once more to definitely communicate to others all that he told him. If people do not want to heed this call because of their negligence, he should exhort them. And if he notices that his words are resisted, then he ought to openly reprove them. He should not hesitate, but he must speak with all authority. After all, he is a representative of the apostle. But he must behave himself in accordance to his position. If he does not live up to what he says, others will despise him and his words will be in vain (cf. ). Let us also speak on a regular basis with one another about the topics covered in this chapter. We may hold these things up to each other. If it appears that there are hindrances to practice the sound doctrine, let us get rid of them or make the necessary changes. The Lord is worthy of it. He has redeemed us and cleansed us for Himself. Now read Titus 2:11-15 again. Reflection: What do you learn in these verses about the practice of your Christian life? How does that become visible in your life?

‏ Titus 2:11

A People for His Own Possession

Tit 2:11. This is the beginning of a new section. Yet there is a clear connection with the previous verses. You can derive that from the word “for” which indicates that everything that is said previously has its meaning through what follows. And what is it that follows? That is the instruction of “the grace of God”. You could say that all previous exhortations can only be realized by the instruction of the grace of God. In that instruction the teachings of our Savior-God is being explained. However, not as a theory, as a theological dogma, but as something that is to be seen in our life on earth, which was seen in the life of the Lord Jesus.

The grace that appeared was revealed when the Lord Jesus came to earth in humiliation. Especially the Gospel according to Luke exposes Him as the One Who revealed the grace of God to the whole of humanity. Already in the very beginning of that Gospel you read how people wondered “at the gracious words which were falling from His lips” (Lk 4:22; cf. Psa 45:2).

When Christ came to earth by being born as Man, the grace of God appeared in His Person. In the Child in the manger you see how God opens His heart for all people. With that Child salvation comes to all people without exception. God’s salvation is not limited to a certain people. God had chosen a certain people to be His people. He had provided that people with all possible means in order to serve Him and testify of Him toward all other peoples. He gave them His law. But that people were worse and more corrupt than all other peoples.

When God sent His Son, it became evident how corrupt that people were. All of their murderousness came to light. They killed Him because they couldn’t bear Him. Man is so depraved that he cannot stand God revealed in goodness. That was the end of all God’s efforts to make man serve Him.

Then an awesome change came into God’s way of acting. When man had delivered the proof of his absolute incorrigibility, the way was now opened for God to reveal His grace. That grace is present in the same Christ Who was killed by His people. Only, the offer of that salvation is not made to only one nation, but that offer is for all people. This offering fits the appreciation God has for what His Son has done. Salvation is being offered to all people.

Tit 2:12. Everyone who has been saved, old and young, man and woman, learn to know grace in still another way, namely as a teacher, for grace is “instructing us”. Grace gives us the necessary instruction on how to live as a believer. Therefore grace is for ‘all’ people, is being offered to all people, but is instructing ‘us’, which implies the believers.

This instruction of grace is a continuous process. Through this instruction new people are being made able to honor God in their new walk of life. The most important thing that is shown in this instruction is that the past has been condemned. In order to live to God’s honor, it is important to have a good view of your past. Before your conversion you lived without God. Your life was ungodly, which means that you did not ask for God. You pursued worldly lusts by focusing yourself on all things that the world can offer. That is what you lived for.

Through the instruction of grace you understand that “ungodliness and worldly lusts” can in no way have any room in your life anymore. You “deny” them. It is not a command to do that, but it is a matter of course. You have renounced these things as a conscious decision with a continuous effect. It is something you are to live up to on a daily basis.

If you have turned your back on ungodliness and lusts in this way, there comes room for the new life. You live your new life in the present, “in the present age”. Indeed that is an age, a territory of power which is so terribly evil that it rejected the Lord Jesus, but from which you have been delivered by the work of Christ and the will of God (Gal 1:4). Yet you still live in it, but as a new man with very different characteristics than before.

1. You live “sensible”. That indicates how you yourself are. You do not let yourself be dragged by the delusion of the day; you can control yourself.

2. You live “righteously”, touches your attitude toward others, like your brothers and sisters, your family members and colleagues, the world.

3. The third characteristic regards your attitude toward God. You live “godly”, which is in fear or reverence to God and you serve and honor Him.

In Job and Simeon you have examples of such a life (Job 1:1 ; 8; Lk 2:25).

Tit 2:13. After you have seen the instruction of grace in Tit 2:12 for the past and the present, this instruction continues in Tit 2:13 with the future. While living in the present, you may look forward to a great future. The focal point in that future is “the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”. With a view to that Paul speaks about a “blessed hope and the appearing of the glory”.

Our ‘blessed hope’ is that we will see that glory when He will come to take us, the church, up (1Thes 4:15-17). Regarding the world we may look forward to ‘the appearing of the glory’. All sin and the misery it has caused will come to an end when the Lord Jesus returns to earth. He is ‘our great God and Savior’. The Man Who once was on earth in humiliation to be the Savior of the world (Jn 4:42) is also the eternal God. He, Christ, can justly be called ‘great’ (Lk 1:32; Mt 5:35; Lk 7:16; Heb 10:21 ; Heb 13:20).

Tit 2:14. When Paul speaks about the glory of Christ he cannot help but speak about the great love of the Lord Jesus and about the great work He has accomplished. Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us”. He loved us that much that He not only gave everything He had (Mt 13:44-46) and was willing to become poor for our sakes (2Cor 8:9), but beyond all that He gave Himself. You read somewhere else that God gave His own Son (Jn 3:16; Rom 8:32), but here you read that the Lord Jesus gave Himself. And how did He do that? By giving His life a ransom for many (Mt 20:28; Jn 10:11 ; 15). He did that voluntarily. He died for you and me while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8).

What did He have in mind when He gave Himself? He wanted to make us “a people for His own possession”. To achieve that it was necessary that He redeemed “us from every lawless deed”. To redeem here means as much as ‘to ransom’, ‘to release’. With this meaning this word appears another time only in 1 Peter 1 (1Pet 1:18). There Peter writes that we are not ‘redeemed’ with corruptible things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. That means that a price has been paid for our redemption, which is nothing less than the precious blood of Christ. We have indeed been bought at a price that cannot be valued in money (1Cor 7:23).

But, as it is said, that price is paid for our redemption, our liberation from a power by which we were completely captivated. That power was lawlessness. Lawlessness is the essence of sin (1Jn 3:4). Lawlessness means that you rejected any form of authority that comes from God. The Lord Jesus has redeemed you from all lawlessness (cf. Psa 130:8) so that you may acknowledge Him as the only Commander. You belong now to a people He calls “His own possession” (cf. Exo 19:5) and to whom nothing of the uncleanness of the nations of the world is attached.

The only way that this people could come into connection with Him was that He cleansed them. That also happened through His blood (1Jn 1:7). Through His redemption you are His possession. Through His purification you answer to His holiness and you are able to serve Him by being “zealous” in doing “good deeds”. ‘Good deeds’ is everything you do in obedience to the Lord, for that is the way God is glorified and others are blessed.

Tit 2:15. Paul urgently asks Titus once more to definitely communicate to others all that he told him. If people do not want to heed this call because of their negligence, he should exhort them. And if he notices that his words are resisted, then he ought to openly reprove them. He should not hesitate, but he must speak with all authority. After all, he is a representative of the apostle.

But he must behave himself in accordance to his position. If he does not live up to what he says, others will despise him and his words will be in vain (cf. 1Tim 4:12).

Let us also speak on a regular basis with one another about the topics covered in this chapter. We may hold these things up to each other. If it appears that there are hindrances to practice the sound doctrine, let us get rid of them or make the necessary changes. The Lord is worthy of it. He has redeemed us and cleansed us for Himself.

Now read Titus 2:11-15 again.

Reflection: What do you learn in these verses about the practice of your Christian life? How does that become visible in your life?