“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 (NLT)
It’s exasperating to be in a situation where you can do nothing. I recently experienced this when a decision was about to be made that would affect our family in unprecedented ways. I had done all we could do to ensure a positive outcome, but a time came when it was no longer in our control. I wanted to do something, anything. But there was nothing to do. I didn’t even know the name of the person who would make the decision, and that was infuriating to me. As I drove alone in my car one evening, lamenting my situation, the Holy Spirit said to me, “You don’t need to know that person’s name. You know My Name.”
In 66 A.D., the apostle Paul wrote a letter to a Greek believer named Titus to guide him in his leadership of churches on the island of Crete. In this part of the letter, Paul delineates the role Christians are to play, the role of Christ, and the importance of knowing the Name.
“What I’m Sayin Is”, Regarding believers, he tells Timothy, “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:1-2 NIV).
And then Paul explains God’s role: “He [God] saved us… He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 NLT). Most importantly Paul says that God did all that not because of the good things we have done, but because of His loving kindness.
So there’s good news and “bad” news for control freaks like me. The good news is that there are lots of things I can do. Titus 3:8 (NLT) says, “All who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good.” The “bad” news is that while I can do what is humanly possible (good works), I must trust the mighty, saving name of Jesus to do the humanly impossible: washing away my sins and ensuring my salvation.
And if you think about it, that “bad” news is pretty good news. After all, it seems a much wiser choice to entrust our eternal destiny to a kind, loving, all-powerful God rather than to ourselves.
Think About It…
Chaplain Answai T. White, B.S., M.Div., C.P.E.
