Titus

Titus 2:11-14

The Message (MSG)

 11-14God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

Titus 3:4-7

The Message (MSG)

 3-8It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

Christmas is the only time the Lectionary takes us into Titus, and the verses offered are 2:11-14 and 3:4-7. Titus is a short epistle that many scholars consider pseudonymous, written as from Paul to Titus, a helper and companion now doing missionary work on Crete. 

The letter encourages sound doctrine and virtuous living, and the two Lectionary selections for Christmas are about the eternal salvation that God offers through Jesus Christ.

TW+