Titus 1:1-3; 2:11-15
“So what now?”
That is the question that Paul addresses in his letter to Titus, and in many other letters he wrote.
What do we do now, in the time between the Incarnation and Christ’s second coming? How are we to live in light of what’s come to pass and what lies ahead?
We have been reflecting on the idea of “eternal hope” and how it affects who we are and what we do right now. We continue that discussion today, looking at Paul’s words about Christian life in the wake of Christ’s ascension in Titus.
But how?
When I read the letters of Paul, I often find myself asking, “Okay…. but how?”
There is tons of wisdom to be found in Titus: advice for identifying good leaders, guidelines for Christian living, lists of Christian virtues.
While all of this is good, the letter is a little slim on how we arrive at these ideals. We are left to fill in the gaps on what it means to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:15).
While it might seem straightforward, these terms on their own are vague, and their meaning can vary depending on the context. For some, they may evoke a sense of pride and accomplishment, for others a sense of fear and unrealistic expectations.
So what does it mean to live the kind of life Paul is talking about? How do we avoid the pitfall of perfectionism while simultaneously disarming the shame of falling short? How do follow Paul’s guidelines for living a life of discipleship to Christ?
The answer, I’ve found, is in the question. We look to the one who lived a life of self-control, uprightness and godliness. We look to the life of Jesus Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Discipleship to Jesus
We need only flip back a few pages in our Bibles to the Gospels to get a good sense of the kind of living Paul is expecting from us.
Thoughtful, kind, patient, generous and compassionate: these are a few words that come to mind when considering the stories of Jesus. Jesus was also disciplined in devotion to God, rising early to pray and studying Scripture; we often overlook that. His commitment to these daily disciplines is a model for our own practice of self-control, uprightness and godliness.
However, we do not need to white-knuckle our way to the fruits of the Spirit. It is not something we earn, but something we are invited into when Jesus bids us to come follow him.
The purity of heart we seek grows up from within, drawn out of us by exposure to the One who embodies the very definition of “godliness.” Like a seed planted in soil, the Spirit of God has been planted within us and grows to bear fruit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
What if instead of trying to force ourselves to exhibit self-control, uprightness or godliness, we ask God to nourish the seedlings of these virtues within us? By asking, and hoping for that gift, our every action becomes an opportunity to receive God’s transforming grace rather than an opportunity to fall short of the standard of perfection.
But the “why” behind our desire matters even more than the how.
It is notable that Paul starts the central passage of today’s lesson focused on the salvation we have through Christ: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all…” (Titus 2:15). Salvation is freedom to experience the full goodness of God. Part of receiving this love is realizing that we want to respond, to love God and our neighbor back with the love that was given to us (1 John 4:19).
Self-discipline, uprightness, godliness are not something we can force ourselves into. They are things that we are drawn towards out of a deep affection for the One who gives us all good things, including a more meaningful way of life.
We engage the mystery of God’s love through what Dallas Willard calls “apprenticeship to Jesus” in The Divine Conspiracy. We watch Jesus closely to see how he lived and then follow in his footsteps. We strive to pray as he did, practice patience as he did, demonstrate kindness, and love and wisdom and compassion.
We will stumble in our striving, but the presence of God begins to work a miracle within our soul. Slowly, surely, like the petals of a flower opening to the sun, our hearts change for the glory of God.
What do we do now?
The miracle of God’s transformative love does not banish the uncertainty we may have about what it means to live a faithful life in the time between the Incarnation and Christ’s second coming. In light of that uncertainty, I’ll leave you with two final thoughts.
First, in seeking the joy Paul describes, we get to spend time in the presence of the God of joy, blessing and goodness. There is no greater gift. Like spending our time with someone we love, we can never get enough.
Secondly, we get to play an active part in God’s plan of redemption. God gives us purpose and agency to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. There’s a reason we feel good when we do good. We get a glimpse into the new heaven and new earth God is actively bringing into being.
As Christians, we are invited not to lose hope, but to have faith. And may we continue to pray that God’s will be done in us and in the world around us, just as it is in heaven.
For reflection
- In what areas of your life do you feel like you’ve been striving for self-control, uprightness or godliness? What would it look like to ask God for what you desire?
- What aspect of Christian living – prayer, fasting, sabbath, giving, service, study, etc. – would you like to deepen in yourself? What would it look like to confirm that commitment with God?
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