As we have studied this
wonderful book of Titus, we have watched as Paul the apostle has
instructed Titus about teaching sound doctrine to the members of the
church in Crete. In the last few verses we have been learning the
importance of these doctrines as they relate to the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and we have noted the motivation and hope for conducting
ourselves in such a manner. Jesus is to returned to the Earth which
is known as “the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.” Today Paul continues
his thoughts about Jesus in chapter two and verse fourteen where he
shares the work that Jesus did on our behalf and the reason for doing
so. He wrote:
Who gave himself for
us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Jesus
“gave himself for us.” Paul the apostle wrote in the book
of Second Corinthians in chapter five and verse twenty-one:
For he has made him [to
be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
God's
purpose and will for Jesus Christ was that He would come to the
Earth, live as a perfect man, and die for the sins of all humanity.
Jesus in effect, received the penalty of death for our sins. Death
was and is the penalty for sin, and Jesus gave Himself in our place.
The question becomes, “Why would He do this?” The answer lies in
the next part of today's verse.
“That he might redeem
us from all iniquity.” The
idea is that we might be “redeemed” or “bought back”,
“repurchased”, or liberated by payment of ransom. We were trapped
by the bars of sin, and there was no way out until Jesus paid the
price to deliver us from all evil both internal and external. As the
song writer penned, “He set me free, yes, He set me free.
He broke the bonds of prison for me.” Jesus'
purpose and plan for coming to the Earth was to “seek and
to save that which was lost”,
and all who believe in Him are the benefactors of His coming.
Not
only did He come to redeem us from all iniquity, but Jesus “knew
no sin.” In other words, Jesus
never sinned. He never did anything against the law of God. He
fulfilled the law which is something we could never do. This is why
He was the perfect sacrifice. As the perfect passover lamb which was
required to be without spot or blemish, Jesus was the flawless
sacrifice by which all who believe in Him can be saved. Jesus had to
be perfect, and He was. Jesus had to be without flaw, and He was.
Jesus was the only sacrifice that was sufficient to satisfy the
payment for our sin, and Jesus was sacrificed to “purify
to himself a peculiar people.” Because
of Jesus' atoning work, which means at-one-ment work, believers are
now purified as a people set apart as His own possession.
We
learn next that we were and are set apart for a reason. We are to be
a people “zealous of good works.” Because
Jesus did such wonderful things for us, we should be people who are
burning with zeal for the kingdom of God. We should desire to defend
and uphold “good works” that promote the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus paid a great price for us, and the doctrine of behaving and
having attitudes that are conducive toward others knowing Jesus as
their Savior should keep us diligent about the things of the Kingdom
of God. May we evermore be about the business of keeping God's word
that others may know Jesus' glorious sacrifice provided for whosoever
will.
Next
time we will see the final words of chapter two and Paul's
reiteration of earlier words, so read ahead, and we shall join
together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites,
www.amazon.com
; www.barnesandnobles.com
; download
to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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