Titus 1 – 3
Paul’s concern was false teachings and it really showed in this letter to Titus. Verse 1:11 talks about how these teachings must be stopped:
Their talk must be quashed—their mouths sealed up because impure teaching is flying out of their lips and overturning entire families for the sake of their own squalid gain.
The problem with false teachings are they lead people away from Jesus and the true Way. We HAVE a guide book and should be in it daily. Honestly, if we are not we could easily fall prey to these false teachings. I hate to pick on Joel Osteen, but every time I watch his sermons I see things that appear to be wrong, yet he has a huge church. He says what people want to hear and picks verses that work while leaving out chapters that don’t. See yesterday’s reading where suffering is possible, yet getting a goodie bag is also.
The only way we can protect ourselves is to double check and read IN CONTEXT what is being preached. I find PK has been scripturally sound for the 8 or more years I have listened to his sermons, yet I still consider each sermon in context. We must be ever vigilant in our quest to serve Jesus.
Verses 2:11 & 12 gives us simple instructions on what to do with our salvation:
11 We have cause to celebrate because the grace of God has appeared, offering the gift of salvation to all people. 12 Grace arrives with its own instruction: run away from anything that leads us away from God; abandon the lusts and passions of this world; live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy.
Jesus died on the cross for OUR salvation. Yes, he thought of YOU hanging on that cross, knowing the hope and salvation needed. That salvations is transformational and has us run away from our past sins. Sure it’s not easy and sin may pop into our saved lives, but grace gives us an out to confess and run away again. NOTE this is not a E-Ticket to go back to sinning, but rather an E-Ticket to flee from the sins of this world.
Verse 3:5 is the KEY to Jesus and the salvation offered:
He came to save us. It’s not that we earned it by doing good works or righteous deeds; He came because He is merciful. He brought us out of our old ways of living to a new beginning through the washing of regeneration; and He made us completely new through the Holy Spirit,
This is the key over other religions, that salvation is not earned but given. I am picking on specifics today and will poke at Scientology since it’s the newest of the large “religions”. There salvation comes from enlightenment which is learned in classes that cost a boat load of cash. Ignoring the fact it was first described in a forward of a Sci-Fi novel, we see a group of men tapping into the energy of God without acknowledging God and charging money to do so. Sure the doctrine is very twisted to appear logical but misses the mark when it comes to service to others. My test is if it cost money to become “saved” there is a problem, it should be a free gift to the least and not a pleasure of the well off.
Salvation through Jesus is simple and free to join. Although it’s sometimes difficult to follow, it’s something that does not require money or works to gain, just faith. The “works” come from the salvation, not for the salvation!!