Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 9

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:25-26

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores an unintuitive concept for unbelievers - how Christ's death on the cross represents triumphant shame.  John Piper first shares the hope of the gospel that for those who are saved "a great and holy God can and does welcome dirty, unholy people like you and me into his favor."  Piper then explains how God does this, and he starts by pointing to Hebrews 9:25-26 where Christ's death on the cross was - like it was under the OT sacrificial system - a sacrifice of a perfect blemish-free life.  This sacrifice from the text, however, was unlike the OT sacrificial system as it was done "once for all."  This is a triumph because sin and death are defeated with this "once for all" perfect sacrifice.  Piper explains, again looking at the text, that if Christ had to die repeatedly year after year such an act would "look weak and ineffective" and it would not be a victory.  The result of an annual sacrifice of Christ would nullify the "infinite value of the sacrifice of the Son of God, [as i]t would vanish in the shamefulness of a yearly suffering and death."  Piper then suggests that when you combine Hebrews 9:25-26 with Hebrews 12:2, we see triumphant shame in Christ's perfect "once for all" sacrifice.  Piper concludes the devotion by pointing to 2 Corinthians 4:4 and praying that unbelieving readers of this devotion "see the light of this glory and believe."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and Your death on the cross represents triumphant shame and it is also a victory over sin and death for all who believe.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You give me victory over sin and death.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

Today, I maintain my pause of my study of 1 Corinthians return to my study of Titus through my participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  My focus this morning is preparation to meet with my d-group in person tomorrow to review material for week 5 (see below). Given my objective to memorize Titus 2:11-14 for tomorrow (building on memorization from previous weeks), I leaned on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book (Lab) The Grace of God Appeared: Titus 2:11–14, Part 1.

Given Piper has four labs that unpack the entirety of Titus 2:11-14, this lab (Part 1 of 4) primarily explores v11, but it also touches on how these verses impact the remaining vv12-14.

• V11: For the grace of God has appeared...leaning on this verse and looking elsewhere in scripture, including 2 Timothy 1:9-10 and Titus 3:4-7 we also see this "appearing" of God's grace and in 2 Timothy we see how this grace [was given to] us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, how it manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, and how it saved us.  Piper summarizes this by sharing that God's grace was planned, given, and purposed for us in eternity and done so before the ages began.  
  
• V11: Bringing salvation for all people...again leaning on this verse and looking elsewhere in scripture, including 1 Timothy 2:1-4, we see how God desires to save all people (not that all people are saved) and this grace not only saves but serves to train believers, redeem us from sin, and to purify us to prepare us for good works. 
  
• Ultimately, Piper concludes and summarizes the text by sharing that this universal extension of grace that appears in Christ for all people, for those who are saved, has a saving purpose beyond salvation for training, redemption of sin, and purification (sanctification).  See also key stages of Christian journey.
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your grace - that saves and blesses me daily!  Thank You Jesus for such love and blessings.  I know I am undeserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores the root of ingratitude.  John Piper uses Romans 1:21 (see also John MacArthur commentary introduction to Romans) where Paul writes to believers in Rome, including both Jews and Gentiles, and in v21 and surrounding verses (vv18-32), Paul shares how Gentiles specifically had no excuse in acknowledging a divine Creator.  They pursued idol worship and this is where John Piper picks up today with the devotional.  Piper starts by pointing to yesterday's devotion where a gratitude towards God results in magnification of Him and a desire to bring Him glory.  He then looks at why we don't show gratitude towards God - he shares: "there is a very good reason that human beings by nature do not want to magnify God with thanksgiving or glorify him as their benefactor. The reason is that it detracts from our own glory, and all people by nature love their own glory more than the glory of God. At the root of all ingratitude is the love of one’s own greatness. For genuine gratitude admits that we are beneficiaries of an unearned bequest. We are cripples leaning on the cross-shaped crutch of Jesus Christ....[W]hile a man loves his own glory, and prizes his self-sufficiency, and hates to think of himself as sin-sick and helpless, he will never feel genuine gratitude to the true God and so will never magnify God as he ought, but only himself." This is the futility of thinking Paul writes about.  Piper concludes the devotion by pointing us to Mark 2:17 where Jesus said "[T]hose who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and grace - I KNOW I need You - for everything - including my salvation and how You intercede for my continuously and forever through prayer.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and I am in DESPERATE need for You...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today - using Psalm 69:30 looks at what it how believers magnify God, and why it is important to do so.  John Piper starts the devotion by describing two kinds of magnification: one where we look through a microscope to see a bigger image of something that is actually very small, and two where we look through a telescope to see a bigger image of something that is actually much bigger.  Piper then moves to share that "[w]e are not called to be microscopes. We are called to be telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality, when they know the competitor’s product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is."  Piper then reminds us that magnification of God in this way - to make much of God and to bring Him glory is why we exist.  We are referred to 1 Peter 2:9 where Peter writes how believers are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation...that you may proclaim the excellencies of him...."  Piper concludes by sharing that "[t]he whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God."  We are also provided two texts - Ephesians 1:18 and Psalm 103:2 - by Piper as "our first task is to see and to remember the greatness and goodness of God."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God worthy of all glory and magnification!  You are SO good to me and to all of Your children.  I am not deserving of the love and blessings You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. 

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how Jesus prays for us - eternally.  Believers already know Jesus as eternal - He existed before time began and He will exist forever in the future.  Yet many have yet to see (including myself), until others such as John Piper does here in this devotion, that Jesus not only exists eternally - He intercedes for us forever.  Piper uses Hebrews 7:25 to point this out.  The text is clear: our salvation is only secure because "[Jesus] always lives to make intercession for us."  Piper shares that "we should not talk about our salvation in static terms the way we often do — as if I did something once in an act of decision, and Christ did something once when he died and rose again, and that’s all there is to it. That’s not all there is to it. This very day I am being saved by the eternal intercession of Jesus in heaven. Jesus is praying for us and that is essential to our salvation."  Piper concludes the devotion by referring us to Romans 8:34 (where Jesus is actively interceding for us - not in the past) and 1 John 2:1 where it describes how Jesus advocates for us. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who not only saved me but intercedes for me - forever.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at gratitude to God and how it glorifies Him.  John Piper starts the devotion by sharing that "[g]ratitude to God is a joyful emotion. We have a sense of joyful indebtedness for his grace. So in a sense in the very emotion of gratitude, we are still the beneficiaries. But by its very nature, gratitude glorifies the giver. When we feel thankful, we acknowledge our need and God’s beneficence, God’s fullness, the riches of his glory."  Piper goes on to describe how Paul, even though he labors for the church, his ultimate goal (see also 1 Corinthians 10:31) is the glory of God.  In the verse in 2 Corinthians 4 that Piper highlights today, Paul describes how, as each new person is saved, God gets more and more glory as each new person saved thanks Him for his or her salvation - as salvation is of course a gift of which all believers are undeserving.  Believers be grateful to Him and bring glory to God - this is why we exist.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God and worthy of all glory - You freely give me salvation and pour out Your mercies every day.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of any of this.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:17-18

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at Hebrews 6:17-18 and why the author of Hebrews encourages us to "hold fast." Piper answers this question by sharing:

• "What Christ bought for us when he died was not the freedom from having to hold fast, but the enabling power to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the nullification of our wills as though we didn’t have to hold fast, but the empowering transformation of our wills so that we want to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the canceling of the commandment to hold fast, but the fulfillment of the commandment to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the end of exhortation, but the triumph of exhortation."

Piper than points us to Philippians 3:12 where Paul describes how he is able to "press on" because Christ made him one of His own.  He is the source of our power to press on and hold fast!  Remain in Him, hold fast, and press on!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so faithful - I can rest in Your promises because You never lie and You give me everything I need to hold fast and press on.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”

Hebrews 6

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” Hebrews 6:13-14

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at Hebrews 6:13-14, and how (and the implications of) God makes a promise, takes an oath, and swears "by himself."  The author of Hebrews is describing God's promise to Abraham (see Genesis 22) to "bless and multiply" him and how he swore and guaranteed this promise "by himself".  John Piper shares that "[t]here is one Person whose worth and honor and dignity and preciousness and greatness and beauty and reputation is more than all other values combined — ten thousand times more — namely, God himself. So, when God takes an oath, he swears by himself. If he could have gone higher, he would have gone higher. Why? To give you strong encouragement in your hope. What God is saying in swearing by himself is that it is as impossible that he will break his word of promise to bless us as it is that he will ever despise himself. God is the greatest value in the universe. There is nothing more valuable or wonderful than God. So, God swears by God....Now this is our God, the God who is reaching as high as he can reach to inspire your unshakable hope in him."  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me a peace that surpasses all understanding, and a blessed hope - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God...my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today provides a highly convicting message from John Piper on how to achieve spiritual maturity and a deeper understanding of God's Word. Piper starts by referring us to Hebrews 5:14 and then he says "if you want to become mature and understand and appreciate the more solid teachings of the word, then the rich, nutritional, precious milk of God’s gospel promises must transform your moral senses — your spiritual mind — so that you can discern between good and evil."  He then states that this is not an "intellectual challenge" but a "moral" one.  We must value God above all other things and value God such that it directs everything we do and how we spend our time - avoiding influences of this world that God detests (and are sinful) and not finding it burdensome but instead joyous to love what God loves - which is delight in Him...or in John Piper's words Christian Hedonism. THIS is the path towards spiritual maturity. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me discernment and wisdom to help with all matters of life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You do this - I know that apart from You I have nothing - certainly no good things - and can do nothing - certainly no good things. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of Your heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 2, assisted by the Christ Centered Exposition Series commentary for 1-2 Timothy and Titus, and focus on vv11-15. Per the commentary:

• Main idea: The grace of God is the foundation for godly living.
  
• Excerpts from the introduction: No doctrine of Scripture is more precious to mankind than the doctrine of salvation. And no word is more crucial to the doctrine of salvation than the word grace....In Titus 2:11-15, Paul highlights the grace of God and the glory of God. What he discusses concerning these two realities can also be summed up in one word: Jesus. 
  

Divisions:

1. God’s Grace Teaches Us How We Should Live (2:11-12): God's grace has come to us through Jesus. "Without calling for perfection, Paul says that a new direction in a person’s life is the outgrowth and expectation of God for those experiencing His salvation. The grace of God, the goodness of God, the greatness of God, the glory of God instructs us negatively “to deny godlessness and worldly lusts” and positively “to live in a sensible [toward ourselves], righteous [toward others], and godly way [toward God].” We are called to live this way “in the present age,” right now, today....And remember: it is grace, God’s amazing grace, that teaches us to live this way. I cannot do it in my power, my strength, my genius, my ability."
   
2. God’s Grace Teaches Us Where We Should Look (2:13): Although believers have a temporary home in "this present age," we know that Jesus will return someday and we should look here. "The grace that has appeared speaks of His first coming. The glory that will appear speaks of His second coming. With a constant gaze and the experience of grace, our eyes are fixed heavenward with one and only one hope: His coming. 
   
3. God’s Grace Teaches Us Who Is Lord (2:14): The doctrine of salvation is laid out as "Jesus paid for us...He purifies us...He possesses us....and He prepares us....He purchased us, to purify us, to possess us, literally 'for Himself a people for His own a possession.'" We are referred to 1 Peter 2:9-10.  What security is ours! Once we were Satan’s, now we are the Son’s. Once we were sin’s, now we are the Savior’s. Once we were foreigners, now we are family. Now I belong to Jesus[.]...Our works are the natural response to His work. Zeal for Him becomes our daily desire, having been prepared by Him for this kind of life. Grace teaches us who is Lord." 
   
4. God’s Grace Teaches Us What We Should Learn (2:15): "John MacArthur says verse 15 'is one of the clearest and strongest statements in Scripture about the spiritual authority of men whom God calls to minister His Word and shepherd His people.'" Using imperatives, Paul commands Titus and all believers to "learn doctrine, learn duty, learn discernment, [and to] learn dedication."   
   

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me...teaching me how to live, giving me a home for eternity where I should fix my eyes and race towards, and so much more!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, apply and be obedient to Your message for me today and every day.

Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Titus 2

Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Titus 2:9-10

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 2, assisted by the Christ Centered Exposition Series commentary for 1-2 Timothy and Titus, and focus on vv9-10. Per the commentary:

• Main idea: The gospel produces godly service that provides an opportunity for gospel proclamation.
• Excerpts from the introduction: In the first century one out of three persons in Rome and one in five elsewhere was a slave. A person could become a slave as a result of capture in war, default on a debt, inability to support and “voluntarily” selling oneself, being sold as a child by destitute parents, birth to slave parents, conviction of a crime, or kidnapping and piracy. Unlike the slavery that arose in the Americas in the 1600s, slavery in the ancient world was racially indiscriminate, cutting across racial, social, and national lines. One would have thought that with the spread of Christianity, slavery would have met its demise. Unfortunately that was not the case. Justinian (AD 527–565) sought to abolish slavery, but the numbers again grew, and after the collapse of the Roman Empire, it merged into serfdom. The Crusades boosted slave trade, and in Venice, Christian slaves were actually sold to Muslims (Elwell, “Slavery”). But what about the modern era and the enslavement of some 24 million Africans, many of whom were sent here to America and found themselves in servitude to Christian masters? Any honest history must note that the enslavement of Africans by Africans was common and had been so for hundreds of years. Still, the pattern changed radically from the fifteenth century onward, and the crimes humanity visited on fellow humanity were shameful beyond imagination....While many of the nation’s founding fathers were in fact abolitionists, the movement failed to take root in the new country....it is simply impossible to deny that slavery played an important role in the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845, even if the northern Baptists forced the issue and basically shoved Baptists in the South into starting a new convention. Thankfully, one must also acknowledge that Christians led the way in bringing to an end this horrible institution. Men like William Wilberforce, Granville Sharp, John Wesley, and Charles Finney led the charge. Quakers and Moravians, Methodists, and some Baptists voiced their opposition against great odds and were heard by God. Slavery was outlawed in 1807 in Britain and throughout its empire in 1827. Congress brought “slave trade” to a close in 1808, but the end of slavery in the United States would not come until 1865. Still, and do not miss the point: only where there was a Christian impulse did slavery come to an end. 
  

In response to the question, "what does the Bible say about slavery," the commentary proceeds to emphasize how the Bible "regulates but does not ordain slavery or require [it]."  The commentary then directly refers to the text (Titus 2:9-10), sharing that this text applies to all under an earthly authority, including government, employer-employee relationships, etc. These relationships are seen as a "fertile and open field for evangelism."

Divisions:

1. Be Productive for Your Superior (2:9): Believers should all recognize that they work for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). "Are there exceptions to this wide sweeping call to obedience? Yes, there are four: when it is unbiblical, illegal, unethical, or immoral. Outside of these, our goal is to submit to him and serve him, all the while seeing the true Master, the Lord Jesus, who stands behind him." 
   
2. Be Pleasing in Your Spirit (2:9): This includes being pleasing in both "scope and the spirit [our] service."  Thus, our action and attitude must reflect the heart of Christ.    
   
3. Be Polite in Your Speech (2:9):  "[Christian workers] are not argumentative, contentious, or disagreeable. They do not gripe about their boss behind his back and compromise their testimony as a follower of Jesus Christ. Words are powerful weapons. In a matter of seconds, a testimony built over a lifetime can be destroyed by a few careless words." We are referred to Proverbs 6:12, 13:3, 16:27-28, 18:6, 18:7, 18:21, 26:20-21, and Psalms 39:1. 
4. Be Principled in Your Service (2:10): "This servant will go the extra mile in maintaining his financial accountability. There will be no inflated expense accounts, falsified time sheets, or unauthorized use of his employer’s resources. From a paper clip to a corporate jet, he will conduct himself with absolute honesty and integrity."
   
5. Be Public in Your Sincerity (2:10): "Our trustworthiness, reliability, and dependability are continually on display. No one needs to be looking over our shoulder. We are known for our loyalty and integrity. Others may cheat the boss but not us. Others may betray the boss but not us. Others may become embittered at their boss, especially if they serve a tyrant or bully. But not us."  
   
6. Be Praiseworthy for Your Savior (2:10): "This kind of servant makes beautiful and attractive the teaching of God our Savior, and he does this in everything and in every way. Though he is a slave or servant, the one under authority makes gorgeous the things of God by his productive, pleasing, polite, principled, public service."   
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so good in how You bless me with employment and managers that bless me - I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Titus 2

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Titus 2:7-8

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 2, assisted by the Christ Centered Exposition Series commentary for 1-2 Timothy and Titus, and focus on vv1-8. Per the commentary:

• The main idea: The gospel calls those within the church to pursue God’s assignment of godliness, whether young or old, male or female.
  
• Excerpts from the introduction: The church is being shaped by secular culture more than by sacred Scripture. Never has the church needed more desperately to hear the words of Titus 2:1-8. This is a text that makes God’s plan, God’s assignments, God’s roles for men and women in the church plain and clear. In this passage of Scripture, Paul outlined God’s expectations for each of the four major groups in the church in terms of gender and age. He defined godly living that is “consistent with sound doctrine.” Though the word itself does not appear, the driving concept in these verses can be summed up in one important word: discipleship. Older men need to disciple younger men, and older women need to disciple younger women.
  

Divisions:

1. Pursue God’s Assignment as an Older Man (2:1-2): Paul seeks for Titus to lead the men away from their focus on the words of men (see Titus 1) to the Word of God. He encourages a different path for the older men of the church, including teaching the Word of God, being level headed and making sound Godly judgements in use of God-given time and talents, being reverent of God in all speech and behavior - not vulgar or inappropriate, being sensible/self-controlled and not letting passions rule them, being sound in his faith, loving, and patient. 
   
2. Pursue God’s Assignment as an Older Woman (2:3): Be reverent of God, truthful, not slanderous, level headed (not enslaved to alcohol), and be a teacher.
   
3. Pursue God’s Assignment as a Younger Woman (2:4-5): Love your husband, love your children, be self-controlled, be pure, be a homemaker, be good, and be subject to your husband (yielding to Godly leadership and direction).
   
4. Pursue God’s Assignment as a Younger Man (2:6-8): Seek older men to pour into you and to serve as a model for Godly living. "Paul recognizes the need younger men have for godly mentoring, and so he instructs them in a pattern of discipleship that would promote godly character, conviction, and commitment." Younger men are also to be level headed/self controlled (guarding heart), a good example, sound in doctrine, and sound in speech.
   

In all these verses, believers, regardless of their role/assignment, are to serve as an example for others and to be above reproach - all towards an aim of saving others for Christ.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus for giving me Godly men who serve as examples for my own journey with Christ.  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[Jesus Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2

[Jesus Christ] gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:14

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 2 unassisted by any commentary. Here, in v1 and in the remaining verses of chapter 2, Paul pivots from a discussion of qualifications for elders in chapter 1 (and who is not qualified) to how Titus must serve the church in Crete, and how he must watch over his flock, including providing instruction that is both affirmative (encourage) and negative (admonish/rebuke).

• v1 teach what accords with sound doctrine
• v2 older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness
• vv3-5 older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine; they must also teach what is good and train young women to love their husbands and children; to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled
• vv6 younger men must be self-controlled
• vv7-8 Titus himself in all respects should be a model of good works, and in his teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing evil to say about the church
• v9-10 bondservants (by implication all working people) are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior

Paul then concludes - in vv11-15 with how Titus and the church are equipped for this instruction - it is through the grace of God, how it trains us, and a final emphasis on how Titus must do all these things, including exhortation on what is good and rebuking what is not.  Paul ends with how Titus has authority - so use it and let no one disregard you.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - You provide all I need and equip me to love and serve You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation and the blessed hope You provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[P]ut on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4

[P]ut on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:24

This morning I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how change is possible. I suspect this devotion will hit a nerve for many people as it certainly did for me - it hit a nerve because I KNOW what God has done to transform my life and change me.  At the same time, I continue to struggle with change in certain areas - I pray constantly that God would make me a prayer warrior, that I would pray for more people more of the time and to pray with passion, vigor and specificity.  Yet I don't feel as if this prayer is getting answered.  Still, I press on and endure as - in Jesus - I have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7)...among the many, many rich blessings He pours out for us.  This keeps me running back to Him. In this devotion today, John Piper encourages me to press on with efforts to change and to continue praying to become a prayer warrior.  At one point I struggled with Bible study...and in response to prayer, God fanned a flame in me that gave me a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). God is faithful!  Piper shares how change is possible BECAUSE "[t]he Bible assumes that God is the decisive factor in making us what we should be....This is wonderfully freeing. It frees us from the terrible fatalism that says change is impossible for me. It frees me from mechanistic views that make my background my destiny." To support his claims, Piper provides several scriptures:

• Matthew 23:9: "God adopted us as his children. We have a new Father and a new family. This breaks the fatalistic forces of our “family-of-origin.” “Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven."
  
• Ephesians 5:1: "God loves us as his children. We are “loved children.” The command to imitate the love of God does not hang in the air, it comes with power: “Be imitators of God, as loved children.” “Love!” is the command and being loved by God is the power."
• Ephesians 4:32: "God has forgiven us in Christ. Be tenderhearted and forgiving just as God in Christ forgave you. What God did in Christ is powerful. It makes change possible. The command to be tenderhearted has more to do with what God did for you than what your mother or your father did to you. This kind of command means you can change."
  
• Ephesians 5:2: "Christ loved you and gave himself up for you. “Walk in love, as Christ loved [you].” The command comes with life-changing truth. “Christ loved you.” At the moment when there is a chance to love, and some voice says, “You are not a loving person,” you can say, “Christ’s love for me makes me a new kind of person. His command to love is just as surely possible for me as his promise of love is true for me.”"

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are faithful and with You all things are possible, including change. You gave me a new heart, and made me a new creation.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the love You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5

...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

This morning I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which focuses on anxiety, as John Piper shares that "unbelief...is the root of anxiety, which, in turn, is the root of so many other sins." Piper looks at a number of sins we are tempted to commit as a result of unbelief and anxiety, and he provides promises found in scripture as the antidote for such temptation:

• sickness and health issues (Psalm 34:19, Romans 5:3-5)
  
• getting old (Isaiah 46:4)
• death and dying (Romans 14:7-9)
  
• weak faith and apostasy (Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 7:25)

Of course, when we explore the promises of God, we can rest in how God is faithful:

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness and the rest it provides.  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

I maintain my pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I participate in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning, on week 4-day 6, the focus is once again Titus 2:11-13, scripture memorization for this text, and I am assisted by a DesiringGod.com Look at the Book (Lab) for this text (including v14). In this lab, John Piper unpacks the text by describing the structure of how two actions below produce both negative and positive effects and how ultimately, the waiting for our blessed hope works through these negative and positive effects. 

1. The grace of God appears...training us to renounce (negative)...and to live...(positive)
2. God gave Himself...to redeem us from (negative)....and to purify for himself a people (positive)
   

After describing the two actions above that have both a negative and positive effect or result, Piper explores how the remaining text in the middle - the waiting for our blessed hope - correlates with the other text (the two actions).  He suggests that the essence of God's grace appearing and Christ's self-giving trains in us how we are to renounce and live what Paul seeks, and how it redeems us from all lawlessness, and purifies us to become zealous for good works.  ALL of this is done by producing in us a joyful and confident hope of glory that frees us from being slave to sin and to the world...we are free to love God as He intends and to serve Him out of the overflowing love we have for Him (see snapshot of John Piper's lab notes below).  See also Philippians 4:7.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who appeared to me to save me, and you love me, train me and equip me to endure challenges and live with Christian freedom.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.