{"id":3579,"date":"2019-06-18T20:00:12","date_gmt":"2019-06-19T03:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=3579"},"modified":"2019-06-19T04:17:41","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T11:17:41","slug":"titus_2_9-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/titus_2_9-15\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus Is All You Need + Making Your Faith in Christ Attractive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Titus 2:9-15 \u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Titus 2:9-15.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Titus 2:9-10 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 9-10:\u00a0 When Paul tells slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, is Paul condoning slavery?\u00a0 Nowadays whenever we think of slaves, we might think of the barbaric practices of more recent Western\u00a0slave\u00a0trading, where people are kidnapped, treated inhumanely and forced to work as slaves against their will for little or no compensation. We might also think about the cruel enslavement of the Israelites by the Egyptians in Exodus. Keep in mind that slavery during Paul\u2019s time probably looked quite different.\u00a0 During Paul’s time, a\u00a0person would voluntarily enter into a formal\u00a0contract\u00a0with his or her boss to work for them as a slave for a period of time, in exchange for compensation, food and lodging.\u00a0 Back then\u00a0to work as a slave in the Roman empire\u00a0was a form of employment.\u00a0\u00a0 For this reason, when Paul addresses slaves in verses 9-10, there are certain principles we can apply from his teaching to employer-employee relationships today.<\/p>\n

When Paul tells slaves to submit to their masters, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, not to steal from them, and to show they can be fully trusted, notice why Paul is telling them to do so: it\u2019s with an evangelical purpose in mind.\u00a0 Paul wants Christians to show through a trustworthy, responsible, excellent lifestyle the difference that faith in Christ makes.\u00a0 He wants them \u201cin every way\u201d to \u201cmake the teaching about God our Saviour attractive\u201d to others (v10).\u00a0 As we say at THRIVE, it\u2019s about \u201cliving out loud\u201d.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 \u00a0We make faith in Christ (\u201cthe teaching of God\u201d) attractive<\/strong>\u00a0not just with our words, but with our behaviour<\/strong>.\u00a0 At work, aim to be the most trustworthy, most responsible, hardest working and best employee or employer you can be.\u00a0 Don\u2019t do it just for your own personal success, but even more do it so that others can see the difference Jesus makes in our lives.\u00a0 Question:\u00a0 do you make faith in Christ attractive to those around you at work or at school?\u00a0 Do you make the teaching of God and faith in Christ attractive by being trustworthy, responsible, hard-working and excellent in your work?\u00a0 As Paul emphasizes repeatedly in the book of Titus, we are to lead others to Christ by our example as much as by our words.<\/p>\n

Titus\u00a02:11\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 11:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is the grace of God who brings salvation and who has appeared to all men.<\/strong>\u00a0 In other words, God the Father has made Jesus the Son and the salvation that comes from Him available to everyone.\u00a0 He now waits for each of us to receive Jesus personally so that we can be saved.<\/p>\n

Titus\u00a02:12\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 12:\u00a0 \u201cIt\u201d in verse 12 is referring to \u201cthe grace of God\u201d in verse 11.\u00a0\u00a0 If \u201cthe grace of God\u201d in verse 11 is Jesus, then verse 12 means that Jesus is the one who teaches us to say \u201cno\u201d to ungodliness and worldly passions and to have self-control.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As Christians we have access to a power that the world does not have.<\/strong>\u00a0 The Bible says that if you have trusted in Jesus as your Saviour, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead now lives in you (Ephesians 1:19-20).\u00a0 Imagine that.\u00a0 If the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you, that means that\u00a0in Christ<\/strong>\u00a0you have everything you need to beat temptation or any other mountain that is in front of you today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Self-control for the Christian is not like self-control for the non-Christian.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0That’s because when I trust in Christ, \u201cI no longer live but Christ lives in me\u201d (Galatians\u00a02:20). Because we have access to Christ\u2019s power, we have access to great self-control through faith in Christ.
\n
\nTitus\u00a02:13\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 13:\u00a0 Notice how Paul refers to Jesus Christ as \u201cour great God and Savior\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is God<\/strong>.\u00a0 For those who claim that the Bible never says that Jesus is God, they are missing numerous references throughout the Bible such as this verse that speak about Jesus\u2019 divine nature as God.<\/p>\n

Also, a recurring theme in the book of Titus is that\u00a0God is a saving God<\/strong>.\u00a0 In chapter 1, Paul refers to God as \u201cour Saviour\u201d (1:3) and later to Jesus as \u201cour Saviour\u201d (1:4).\u00a0 Now in chapter 2 Paul does the same again:\u00a0 he refers to God as \u201cGod our Saviour\u201d (v10) and to Jesus as Saviour (v13).\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is God and the Saviour we need.\u00a0<\/strong>
\n
\nTitus\u00a02:14\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 14:\u00a0 Jesus Christ gave himself \u2013 that is, gave his life \u2013 to redeem us from\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do good.\u00a0 There are two important truths that stem from this.<\/p>\n

First,\u00a0Jesus is our\u00a0all sufficient<\/em>\u00a0Saviour<\/strong>.\u00a0 For Paul\u2019s opponents to teach that what Jesus did on the cross was not enough, and that in addition you need to do other things in order to be saved (such as be circumcised or follow the Jewish law), they were effectively devaluing the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.\u00a0 How about you?\u00a0 Do you teach or act as if Christ\u2019s sacrifice on the cross is not enough to save you?\u00a0 Remember that the reason Jesus said \u201cIt is finished\u201d when he hung on the cross was to indicate that His death was all sufficient to pay for our sins.<\/p>\n

Second, this verse tells us that Christ gave himself for us not just so that we could go on our merry way and keep living for ourselves.\u00a0\u00a0 Rather\u00a0Christ gave himself for us so that we could belong to Him and be like Him in this world<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 \u201ca people that are his very own\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Christ died not only so that you could be forgiven, but so that you could have a relationship with Him, belong to Him and become more like Him<\/strong>.
\n
\nTitus\u00a02:15\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 15:\u00a0 \u201cEncourage\u201d and \u201crebuke\u201d.\u00a0 These are two things every leader must do from time to time.\u00a0 If all you do is encourage, the people who follow you will be friendly with you but they will not grow to their full potential.\u00a0 If all you do is rebuke, you will eventually push people away.\u00a0\u00a0A good leader knows that there are times to encourage and times to rebuke.\u00a0 A great leader knows when to do so and how.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0With those you lead, may you know when it is time to encourage, when it is time to rebuke, and how to express that encouragement and rebuke at the right time.<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, thank You for being God my Saviour, and for giving me through Jesus Christ all the grace that I need.\u00a0 Continue to change my life from the inside out, that those around me would see the difference You can make in a person\u2019s life.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Titus 2:9-15.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Titus 2:9-10 (NIV)\u00a0
\n9\u00a0\u00a0Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,
\n10\u00a0\u00a0and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On verses 9-10:\u00a0 When Paul tells slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, is Paul condoning slavery?\u00a0 Nowadays whenever we think of slaves, we might think of the barbaric practices of more recent Western\u00a0slave\u00a0trading, where people are kidnapped, treated inhumanely and forced to work as slaves against their will for little or no compensation. We might also think about the cruel enslavement of the Israelites by the Egyptians in Exodus. Keep in mind that slavery during Paul\u2019s time probably looked quite different.\u00a0 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3579"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3729,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3579\/revisions\/3729"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}