Titus 2 - All In

I accidentally skipped chapter 2 yesterday and rolled right into the conclusion of Titus. Oops. So, today we jump back into chapter 2, and based on my circumstances, this might of been God’s plan. Today’s reading hit home. I am only going to hit on a small subset of the chapter, but it’s gold.

To be honest, every time I read slaves in the Bible, I get uncomfortable. I do not like the sound of it, the concept and the reality of slavery, it just makes me sick. So this morning, I ran right into slavery, and I wanted to just jump right past it and move on. But, God had something else in mind for me, and maybe this will resonate with you as well. 

“Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and 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.” - ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Teach slaves...in other translations, we see that this is like the opening of Titus, using bondservant or bondslave. So as I am processing and reading this, I am putting myself in these shoes, as I am the slave, and I am being taught to be subject to my master. Remember how Paul opened Titus, I talked about this a few days ago.

“From Paul, God’s willing slave and an apostle of Jesus, the Anointed One, to Titus...” - ‭‭Titus‬ ‭1:1a‬ ‭TPT‬‬

God’s willing slave. Or in a few other translations, we read bondservant, bondslave, or slave of God. These words were translated from the original Ancient Greek word doulos. According to a few Greek scholars, they called it “the most abject, servile term in use among the Greeks for a slave”), and it was also the word for a slave by choice. This is to me was critical because Paul was set free in Christ Jesus, but yet chose to remain in “bondage” to God, it was his choice, it was his calling. I loved this opening and these learnings as I process my life and process the reality of so many Christian leaders. We have the freedom to do just about anything we want or desire, could pursue financial wealth, could pursue notoriety or independence, but part of the calling, part of the choice to follow Jesus is being a bondslave to God’s will, and this is a choice, it’s a calling. This calling requires necessary sacrifices but produces limitless fruit and joy that are fulfilled this side of heaven and beyond. 

I am back to where I started in Titus, a willing slave of Jesus Christ. This is pressing into my spirit and challenging what am I a slave to, or what am I a slave for? What is my master?  As Jesus was taking his last few breaths, he again modeled this for us, yet not my will, but yours be done. 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” - ‭‭Luke‬ ‭22:42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The critical messaging I am hearing and reading is, who is our master? We are all slaves, every one of us, and uniquely we have a choice of who our master is. We can choose Jesus Christ to be our master, and walk as he did and live a life that says not my will, but yours be done. Or, we can choose a different master, pride, money, the corporate ladder, success, and the list goes on and on. Who is my master? This guides me back again to Jesus, and his response to an essential question:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” - ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:36-37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Love! The central message of the Gospel. We can not split or divide our love, and it must be directed towards the Lord, our God entirely. This is selfless, period. Paul, right after talking about teaching slaves to be subject to their masters, he goes right into the Gospel. How ironic. 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the 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 wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” - ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The gospel is transformational, and it does not leave us how it found us. The knowledge of the gospel must continue to transform us and push us closer and closer to Christ. The closer we get to Christ, the more we release our desires and grow eager to do what is good in God's eyes. This transformation doesn't typically look anything like what the world tells us is success, or good, or worthy. That is where the tension lies...not my will Lord, but yours. 

Who is my master? What am I a slave too? Am I zealous for the right things, the things that God has uniquely called me to do? This is my message today, this is what I am profoundly processing. Oh, how great is our God! Lord I am all in, I am yours, the answer is yes...I am just waiting on your question. And God, when I enter the times when I don’t believe this, I ask now that you help me with my unbelief. I am your bondservant, and here to fulfill your calling and your will for my life. 

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” - ‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬