Today’s Scripture passage comes from the often overlooked book in the New Testament, St. Paul’s Epistle to Titus. Titus was a Gentile convert of the Apostle Paul, possibly from the city of Antioch, and was with Paul during some of his missionary journeys. Later Paul appointed Titus to be a leader of the church in the island of Crete. The Book of Titus is a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus, giving him some instructions on requirements and duties of elders and leaders of the church. This Epistle also gives instructions to help believers grow in their faith in the Lord Jesus. Let’s take a look at what the verses from our passage today can teach us.
One thing that the Apostle Paul taught new believers, after he had led them to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus, was that they no longer needed to live under the power of sin. This is something that believers today also need to get a grasp of. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary, and His following resurrection from the dead, defeated the power of Satan and broke the power of sin to hold believers in captivity. Paul wanted new believers to know this, and he instructed Titus to teach this to the church in Crete, as well. We need to practice this in our life, and not continue to live as though we are still slaves to sin.
God’s plan of salvation saved us from the penalty of sin (vs. 11), the power of sin (vs. 12), and the presence of sin (vs. 13). When we become saved, the power of sin is broken, and we are able to live a new and transformed life. As believers, we are to renounce sin and its evil desires, and live actively for God. When temptations come knocking on our door, we need to send the Holy Spirit, who dwells in each of us, to answer, saying “No!”. Instead of following and courting sin, our lives should be lived in service to God.
In verse 14 Paul teaches us that we were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word Paul used for “redeem” is “lytroo” and it means to release or liberate by payment of a ransom. We were being held captive by sin and Satan, but the Lord Jesus Christ purchased our release, our salvation, through His shed Blood (Mark 10:45).
Paul continues on, saying that we are God’s peculiar people. That is an odd or uncommon way of saying that we are God’s special people, His own, belonging especially to Him. Jesus purchased us with His Blood, so now we belong to Him. Because of that, Paul tells us that we need to be zealous of good works. Good works are the product, not the means, of salvation. Good works do not save us, but if we are saved, they will be the by-product. Christianity is not a social club, where we have no other responsibility other than to just believe in Jesus. As believers, bought with the price of the Blood of Jesus, we are to be zealously pursuing good works, be committed to Jesus, and to serving others.
There are some who claim that verse 11 teaches Universalism, saying that all people have salvation and are saved. This is a false interpretation of this verse. The Scriptures correctly teach that Jesus Christ made a sufficient sacrifice to cover every sin of everyone who believes (John 3:16-18; John 3:36). Only those who believe are saved. Those who remain stubborn and refuse God’s grace will be excluded from salvation because they have chosen disobedience over obedience.
Looking back over our passage from God’s Word, we see a verse that declares that Jesus was not just a good and holy teacher, not just a good man like so many people today claim, but rather was God Himself, the second Person of the Trinity. In verse 13 we read “the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.” We see the use of the definite article “the” with the word God, plus the connecting conjunction “and” with Jesus Christ. This shows that the first and second nouns are one and the same person. The Lord Jesus Christ is, and always was God, which is a good declaration to make as we close out this year!