Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 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. You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.
Titus 2:9-15 NLT
What does it mean to be “saved”? What have you been saved from? For many people, salvation means they have escaped punishment. This is true, but it isn’t enough. God wants to save (“cleanse” v. 14) you from sin, and this means He needs to save you from your desire for sin. Jesus gave His life to free us from sin; this means we allow Him to live in us and transform our desires so that we no longer want to sin. We live for Him. Paul challenged everyone to live godly lives even if they were in hard situations. Paul didn’t say slavery was good, but he challenged Christian slaves to live their faith and shine for Jesus. Christ died, rose again, and lives in us. We have His power to overcome our sin and live godly lives.
We have a new motivation for right living – gratitude. Our lives are always lived in view of His love and sacrifice. He lives inside of us. Even if we are in an unjust situation, we can still live exemplary lives because of Christ. We won’t grow by accident – our choices are motivated by more than what is easy or practical. Our hearts are filled as we follow Christ.
Think about your life. What habit of sin is the Spirit working to change in your life? How can you cooperate with God and overcome?
