the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Titus 3:1-15
Our behaviour towards authorities and towards all men must of necessity contrast with what "we ourselves also" were before our conversion. This memory of our former sad state should give us "all meekness unto all men" (v. 2; Philippians 4:5). Far from exalting ourselves above them, we can invite them by our own example to take advantage of the same grace which has made us anew.
Six times this epistle makes mention of good works (Titus 1:16; Titus 2:7; Titus 2:14; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14). Under the pretext that they have no value for salvation (v. 5), we risk underestimating their importance and are put to shame by the works of other Christians, who may be less instructed on other points of doctrine. On the contrary we need to be the first in good works with this two-fold aim: firstly in order to be useful to men (v. 8), then in order not to be without fruit ourselves (v. 14). The Lord delights to produce this fruit in the lives of His own. He also appreciates its value. Only work done for Him is good. By selling her perfume for the benefit of the poor, Mary would have done a good work in the eyes of the world, but by pouring it out on the Lord’s feet, she was able to do a good work to Him (Matthew 26:10).
