OUR PEOPLE MUST LEARN TO DO GOOD

PROCLAMATION

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

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to Titus, his spiritual son.  Paul began this third and final chapter by telling Titus to remind the people to obey the authorities and to be ready to do whatever is good. (Titus 3:1)  He also told him to tell the people not to slander anyone, and to live peacefully and always to be gentle with everyone. (Titus 3:2)  Paul then reminded Titus that at one time, they were also sinful people, but Christ saved them and changed them. (Titus 3:3-8)  He also told him to tell them to avoid foolish arguments.  He said that they should warn disruptive people about their behavior twice, and then if they persist have nothing to do with them. (Titus 3:9-11)  He ended this letter by urging Titus to meet him at Nicopolis and saying, “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good …” (Titus 3:12-14)

 

APPLICATION

We need to learn to do good works and then we must work at doing them.  We must first learn what The Lord God considers to be good works, and then we need to work at doing that.  We must also work at avoiding sinful behavior.  Both of these will require a conscious effort on our part because they are contrary to our inherent sinful nature.  We must actively seek to become more Christ-like.  We need to pray and read The Word of God to learn what we should and should not do, and then we need to put that which we have learned into practice.