My wife and I were relaxing on the couch one afternoon, savoring a break from stress. Except oh no! we forgot to pick up our daughter after basketball practice!
Life can get stressful, busy, urgent – and we can easily forget what is most important. Like the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Take a look at what Paul reminds us of the Gospel in Titus chapter 2, verses 11 to 14:
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.
Titus 2:11-14
God’s grace is available to all people for their salvation. Not just to Jews; or to Gentiles; not just to free; or to slaves. All people can be saved through the grace of God.
So what has Jesus done for those who believe in Him? His sacrificial death bought us our freedom from slavery to lawless deeds. We are at the same time purified for Christ’s benefit as His own people, His own possession, characterized by a zeal to be doing good deeds.
Verse 14 really brings out that Christ died in my place and Christ lived in my place. I needed God’s grace so that I could be freed from slavery of sin. I am free in Christ! But I am also purified, belonging to Jesus Christ. Even more, this is not merely passive, but is actively zealous or eager to do what is good. This new salvation of God’s grace teaches and directs me to reject the previous way of life (the old dirty clothing) of ungodliness and worldly desires, and to pursue with the enablement of Christ a new way of life (the new holy clothing) of being sensible, righteous, and godly!
This good news of our great salvation is something we need to repeat to ourselves often, so no matter what’s going on in life, we do not forget.