20230301

say these kinds of things

Titus 2:11-15 (JDV)

Titus 2:11 Because the favor of God has appeared, announcing salvation for all humans,
Titus 2:12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly lusting, and to live self-controlled, fair, and godly lives in the present age,
Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are uniquely his — enthusiastic about doing good achievements.
Titus 2:15 You should say these kinds of things; encourage and reprimand because you have every right to do so. Do not let anyone wonder about your right to teach them.

say these kinds of things

Paul’s instructions to Titus in this passage outline the core message he is to proclaim as he manages the mission work on Crete. His task is not administrative in the modern sense but pastoral, theological, and formational. He is to speak in ways that shape the community’s understanding of salvation, their conduct in the present age, and their hope for the age to come.

At the center of his message is the salvation God has revealed in Christ. Paul wants Titus to keep announcing that God’s grace has appeared—an event rooted in Christ’s incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection. This salvation is not a human achievement or a philosophical insight. It is God’s decisive act of kindness toward a world trapped in sin. Titus is to keep this truth before the believers so that their identity remains grounded in what God has done, not in their own efforts or cultural expectations.

Flowing from that salvation is a call to renounce ungodliness. The gospel does not merely forgive; it trains. Grace becomes a teacher, instructing believers to turn away from the patterns of life that once defined them. For the Cretan Christians, this meant rejecting the vices that characterized their culture—dishonesty, self‑indulgence, and moral disorder. For believers in any place, it means allowing the gospel to confront whatever habits, desires, or attitudes contradict the character of Christ. Titus is to speak in ways that help the community understand that salvation leads to transformation.

But the transformation is not only negative—turning away from what is wrong. It is also positive—learning to live godly lives in this present age. Paul envisions believers who are self‑controlled, upright, and devoted to good works. These qualities make the gospel visible. They show that the grace of God has taken root. Titus’s teaching is meant to cultivate this kind of life, shaping a community whose conduct reflects the reality of the salvation they have received.

Finally, Titus is to direct the believers’ attention toward the next age. The present age is marked by brokenness, temptation, and mortality. But another age is coming, and it will begin when Jesus appears in glory at his second coming. This hope is not an escape from responsibility but a motivation for faithfulness. The appearing of Christ will bring the fulfillment of salvation, the resurrection of the dead, and the renewal of all things. Titus’s teaching must keep this hope alive so that the believers live with expectation and perseverance.

This passage, then, gives Titus a threefold message: proclaim the salvation God has revealed, train believers to live transformed lives now, and anchor them in the hope of Christ’s glorious appearing.

LORD, train our mouths to speak the right things.