(Tit 2:15) “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”   Despise thee”: reject his God-given spiritual authority. Yes, in this matter the world has affected and infected the saved. The proof is evident: we treat God’s Word as “suggestions to live by”, certainly then we are not going to submit to His ministers. Yet, His ministers are to stand upon the authority given them against all who rebel – alone if need be.

 (Tit 2:15) “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”  Why “speak, exhort, or rebuke? Because like it or not, what God says has absolute authority over all, but especially over those called by His Name! No saved person has the right to live in willful sin!  So give us the Word, encourage us through the Word, and rebuke to guide us with the Word!

(Tit 2:14) “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  Zealous – passionate – regarding being recognized as living for and being one of the redeemed! Our works, whether they be spoken or  physical, are to be conscious sacrifices made to the Lord of glory! Lord help us (me) to keep this thought ever before our mind’s eye!  

(Tit 2:13) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,….”  “Peculiar”: beyond unusual. Not peculiar in the sense of warped personalities, but in the sense that we are unlike the lost in our desires and thus in our thinking. Do you notice such a difference between you and the lost?  

(Tit 2:13) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,….”  “Redeem”: to purchase back something that was once mine but is now held by another. We are created God’s. We sell our soul to hell fire through the act of sinning. Jesus went to the cross in our place, dying our death, shedding His blood (the price God has decreed for redemption). Why then would one “desire” and “will” to go on sinning knowing this truth?

(Tit 2:13)  “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,….”  Notice He redeemed us (bought us with His blood) “from all iniquity”. Not, some and we can hold on to the rest – but “all”. There is no such thing as a “Sunday Christian”. You are either all His or you are not. Are you His?

(Tit 2:13) “ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (14)  Who gave himself for us,….”  Why should we serve Him? Why should we obey Him?Why should we seek His face? Why should we long to see Him? Why should we love Him? Answer: because He suffered Calvary paying for our sins; because He saved our souls; because He willingly gave Himself for you and me!  

(Tit 2:13)  “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;…”  Ultimately, our blessed hope (eternal life, a new body, a home in heaven, mansion, seeing loved ones) is bound up in one Person – our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ! Are you looking or abiding?

(Tit 2:11) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”  The phrase, “in this present world” indicates there is one to come. The word “salvation” speaks of being delivered from a terrible fate, in this case an eternity of punishment. Is it so strange that we would be told to “live like it”?

(Tit 2:11) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,…”  Righteously: acting as God would act. Hard – yes. Especially if we have failed in the matter of reading God’s Word daily to program in you a right response. Have you loved your Savior enough to obey: “…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Lk 4:4)?