Titus 3
When mercy enters the room, everything looks different. We no longer walk in the shadows of our past.
Paul continues his final instructions to Titus by urging believers to model Christlike behavior in society. Submission to government and an eagerness to do good should mark the believing community—not as a passive acceptance of injustice, but as a testimony to God’s orderly and good nature. Paul reminds us that our former lives were shaped by foolishness, disobedience, and enslaving desires—but something radical happened: God saved us.
This salvation was not initiated by us, nor earned by works. It was entirely the mercy of God. The Father, Son, and Spirit all act in concert: God saved us through Jesus, and then poured out the Holy Spirit, who washed, regenerated, and renewed us—making us heirs of eternal life. Paul underscores this gospel summary with one of the “trustworthy sayings,” highlighting not only our rescue but the new creation life we now enjoy.
In light of such mercy, we are to devote ourselves to good works—not to earn salvation, but because we now live from a new Spirit-born reality. As Titus navigates church leadership, Paul also offers practical wisdom about avoiding fruitless disputes and handling divisive individuals. The priority remains: to live out the gospel with clarity, unity, and goodness.
Personalized Journal Entry – In the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You once lived in a fog of self-seeking desire, tossed around by passions and pride, deceived by the promise of satisfaction in things that could never fill you. You envied, compared, and competed, wearing the weight of a life apart from Me. But I came. I washed you. I made you new. You were not merely cleaned up—you were born again. The old spirit passed away; I breathed life into the new.
The Father planned it in mercy, the Son accomplished it in grace, and I poured Myself into you—not by measure, not in part, but in full. I live in you now. You are not who you were. You are My dwelling place, My heir, My redeemed one. You don’t need to strive for worthiness. You have already been placed into Christ, declared righteous, and set apart.
Now live from that reality. Speak peace. Show gentleness. Submit not out of fear, but as a declaration of trust in the One who holds all authority. Do good—not to gain favor, but because favor already rests on you. Ignore the fruitless debates that stir up fleshly division. Stay anchored in what is excellent and profitable—this life you’ve received, the life I now express through you.
There will be those who oppose you, stir controversy, or resist the truth. But you need not fight for your identity or place. It is already settled. Walk in the renewal I’ve begun in you. I remain faithful to complete it.
Scripture References: Titus 3:1–11, Romans 5:5, Ephesians 2:4–10, Galatians 4:6–7, John 3:5–6, Philippians 1:6
Real-Life Analogy – Not Who You Were
Imagine you're walking into a store you used to frequent years ago—back when you were in debt and struggling to make ends meet. You remember the anxiety of counting loose change and the sting of being declined at the register. But this time, everything’s changed. You have more than enough. You even forgot what it was like to live in fear of being turned away. But when you walk in, an old cashier sees you and says, “Oh, I remember you—you always had trouble paying.”
You smile, not out of shame but because you know that's not who you are anymore. You’re not trying to convince her. You’re not proving anything. You simply live from a new reality. That’s what it means to live as a new creation in Christ. The world may try to label you based on your past, but the One who matters has already written your new name.
Prayer
Father, I rest tonight in the beauty of what You’ve already accomplished. I am not striving to become something—I am rejoicing in who You’ve made me to be. Thank You for the mercy that reached into my mess, the grace that justified me, and the Spirit who lives in me. I don’t walk by the shadows of who I was. I walk by the light of Your indwelling presence. Keep my heart tuned to what is profitable, not distracted by what is divisive. Thank You that I can live gentle, peaceable, and confident—not because of self-effort but because I trust You to live Your life through me.
Devotional Credit: Summary insights adapted from the Grace and Truth Study Bible (Zondervan, 2021)
Image Credit: Photo from Unsplash.com