“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Tit. 3:4-7).
This morning imagine the thief who died next to Jesus standing at the gate of heaven and the guardian at the gate asking the thief, “Why should I let you in?” The only response the thief can give: “I got nothing. I lived a sinful life and died before I could do anything to make up for it…Yet,” adds the thief, “the One who died next to me said, ‘Today, you will be with me in Paradise.’ I’m with Him.”
The two claims of the thief are the only claims that will qualify anyone for heaven: “I got nothing,” and “I’m with Him.” There is nothing we can do that will save us from our sin save for the grace of Christ alone. Yet, heaven is ours when we are with Jesus, uniting our souls to Him by faith in His provision.
Paul gives Titus a couple of timeless truths here, ones that we see throughout the whole Bible. “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared…”Christ came in answer to the prophesy concerning God’s great steadfast/covenantal love for His own to redeem us as was plainly promised in Genesis 3:15. The “…goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior…” is only found in Christ, the One who came to save us…His people …His elect.
The second timeless truth is the reason why He saved us. God “saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” He washes us from past sin, present sin and future sin, generating new life for us by His Spirit and renewing us daily by His Spirit. Now that is AMAZING GRACE! All of this because He declared us justified, so that “…by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”– even when we can’t make up for our wrongs…eternity has been given to us. The Scriptures are one in these messages, “In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved”
So, whoever confesses, “I got nothing,” and “I’m with Him”…truly… gets heaven.
So today with these simple truths in play take a moment and pray, Father, your mercy against my sin is astonishing! By your grace you delight in revealing to me my secure identity and purpose in you. Help me to count on your loving kindness rather than my goodness, when I stand before you to day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God Bless y’all today.
In His grip,
Pastor Mike
