The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Titus 3:1-7, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Did your parents ever have to remind you as a child of things they had taught you? To ask the question is to answer it: of course, they did!

And so it was with Paul to Titus, a younger, but eager, disciple of the LORD. He reminds him that there are others, who have authority over him. And so, Paul reminds all believers. A ruler (????) was one who taught another elementary things. An authority (???????) was one who possessed the power of control. Thus, the believer was to “be ready for every good deed,” administering both peaceably and gently.

Simultaneously, the apostle forces our recollection of our own past lives. They were lives filled with utter foolishness, disobedience, deception, lusts and pleasures that were enslaving to evil, were they not? Prior to the knowledge of Christ, life simply overflowed with envy and hatefulness toward everyone. So, it’s time for us to start exercising love toward those who are now in authority over us.

Have consistent regard for the LORD. His salvation is according to His will and power; yet, He requires us to love and serve Him with all earnestness. When we believe, we are not our own; we belong totally to Him. We were saved for His purpose and glory. Nothing we possess is our own. It all belongs to Him. So, yield your life to Him every single day. Let all you are and do be “to the praise of His glory!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom