WE’RE TO BE COMMITTED

“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.”  Titus 2:14

     God’s grace is this: that He knew of our sin and yet in mercy and compassion provided a sacrifice to compensate for all of it.  We don’t deserve such an incredibly selfless act done for our benefit, but that also is what God’s grace is; undeserved favor.  Do you realize that there is absolute nothing you can do to pay for your sin debt on your own?  God declared in the Old Testament that a blood sacrifice was necessary to cover over one’s sins.¹ As the scripture indicates in Leviticus, blood represents life, for without blood coursing thru its veins there is no life.  Christ replaced the OT sacrificial system by the shedding of his own blood for the payment of the sins of all mankind.

      Are we totally committed to doing good deeds?  We ought to be.  Once we have received the gift of salvation we should be totally and completely committed to serving the Lord.  That doesn’t mean we cloister ourselves away and do nothing but pray and praise God.  We’d have no way to minister God’s grace to others that way.  However, we do need to spend time with the Lord each day so as to strengthen our spiritual man.

     Christ is coming for us one day.  How is your witness?  Do you know the word of God?  Can you explain to others what is different about your life if asked?  We must take our walk with God seriously.  It’s not an “ask and take” religion, but rather is meant to be a selfless “me second” relationship.  God arranged for our life to be purchased back for us when we could least afford it.  He deserves our continual devotion.  This is the point Paul was making in writing to Titus.  Believers living a committed, devoted life based on God’s standards for living as found in scripture.  Make a covenant with God to draw closer to Him in 2016 and see how your life changes.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

NOTE:  The translation used is THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, published by TYNDALE HOUSE. 

¹ "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11).