"Be an example of good deeds"

Titus 2 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

¹⁵ These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

John 15:18-25 says:  “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”       We cannot claim to be, like Jesus, hated without cause if we do not do as Paul says in today’s text:     be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. We can expect that the world will reject, hate and even persecute us, but let it be the Christ in us which they reject. If all that they can say against us is that we are like Jesus, then, we have lived up to the standard set by both Paul and Jesus Himself.  

Paul also says:  Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.   How often do people say they cannot witness for Christ at their workplace? Yet if we are known as Christians, everything we do and say is a testimony of our faith and our doctrine. Our actions and our attitudes at work are a reflection of the one we say we follow. We should look carefully at ourselves asking; what am I adorning the doctrine of God my Savior with?  Jesus says:  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)    Our actions and our interaction with other people should be as salt, preserving what is good. We should be as lights in the darkness. If the world chooses to hate us, it should be for our good works. As I write this I can’t help but think of Tim Tebow. He is an example, in our time, of one who is hated without cause, ridiculed because he is salt and light in the world of sports entertainment, where darkness is accepted and embraced.

Paul ends today’s text with part of our reason or motivation for how we should live.   For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.     Some people believe and act as though grace allows or gives permission to continue in sin and unrighteousness, since by grace we have been forgiven of our sin. Paul on the other hand says that the grace of God has appeared both to bring salvation, but also, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. Christ Jesus Himself is that appearance of grace. He redeemed us from every lawless deed, not that we should continue in them, but rather to purify us for Himself, to reconcile us to God. He is zealous for good deeds, good works which will glorify God the Father in heaven.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for the grace which is both my salvation and what instructs me in the way I should live. By Your grace may I live as salt and light. May I live in such a way that those around me can have nothing bad to say. If the world would hate me, may it be because they hated You. May I zealously live to do the good You desire.  Amen.