Before we move on to the second promise God made in the book of Titus, namely, our “blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13), let me share one additional thought about Jesus Christ’s first coming which we considered in previous visits.
It is found in Titus 3:4-7: “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
I wanted to be sure you clearly understood that salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift. We don’t receive this gift by righteous things we have done. It is God’s love and kindness that makes the gift possible. The gift is a rebirth into a new life which is the result of the Holy Spirit renewing us day by day. It is purely grace – God doing for us what we don’t deserve and cannot produce on our own.
Paul put it this way in Ephesians 2:8-9, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Isn’t that amazing? This is the greatest gift anyone could receive. If you have received it you know what I mean. If you haven’t, then take it by faith today, God’s Christmas gift to you. You’ll never be the same, nor will you ever regret it.
