Salvation
What does it mean to be saved? In a culture where almost everyone around us claims to be a Christian, what does it really mean? Our Scripture memory verse for this week (Titus 3.4-6) answers this question.
In Paul’s letter to Titus, he wrote about how God our Savior appeared and saved us. And in the context of this verse, he first wrote about who we used to be. We were not basically good people who had wandered off course every once in a while. No, we were foolish, disobedient, led astray by the evil one, enslaved to the passions of our sin nature, and passing our days in malice and envy. Consequently, we hated everyone and were hated in return (see Titus 3.5). We cannot be saved until we confess and admit the genuine condition of our lostness.
The glory of the gospel is that God appeared, not in His wrath, but in His goodness, loving kindness, and mercy to save those who rebelled against His kingship. And He did not do this because we were worthy by any means. He only saved us because of His mercy.
But even then, we were only saved because the Holy Spirit gave us new birth (regeneration) and new lives (renewal). Our new birth is God’s work, and we have nothing to brag about other than the riches of His grace.
So what happens to the one who is saved? The old things pass away and new things come, so that a believer devotes Himself to good works (see Titus 3.8).
Why take the time to memorize Titus 3.4-6? Because it tells your story of salvation. Because it gives you the words to tell the story of salvation to another person who needs to be saved. Because it elevates the love and mercy of an awesome God.
May we hide His word in our hearts so that we can always be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have in Christ.
Todd