You are a Blessing! (Titus 3)
You were created to be a blessing to the people in your life.
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)
We are called to be witnesses of Christ by our attitudes and conduct in our surroundings.
“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” (Ti 3:1-2)
This is not something we are to do with our own efforts. This is a fruit of righteousness that we bear when we rest in the finished work of the Cross.
We know very well the fruit that we bear by ourselves. Because we remember well the way we used to live before believing in God who revealed and expressed His goodwill towards us on the Cross.
“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” (Ti 3:3-6)
It is by grace and through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that we have become enabled and drawn to do good works and become a blessing to the people around us.
“…that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Ti 3:7)
So becoming “justified by grace” is not something we throw on the shelves and go on with our lives with petty human efforts and burn out because of fatigue and frustration, trying to obey the high standard of the Word of God.
If we do so, we have deprived ourselves of the blessing that is found in the cross and the righteousness that we inherited from it. We put ourselves back under the curse of the law from which Christ set us free.
“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God” (Rom 6:20-22).
“through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:2)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal 5:1)
It is only this freedom in which we are totally surrendered and rooted in Christ, that we have the potential and the drive to bear fruit for the Kingdom.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4)
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (Ti 3:8)
If being a blessing to the people around you is not your everyday walk in Christ, then you just might have fallen back under the law. The law yields nothing that is profitable, but gives only more power to sin, which in its turn leads to death. While the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ who became sin for us, so that we might be the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21), is the way to everlasting life.
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (1 Cor 15:56)
“…the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:22-23).
To dispute and argue on religious matters and matters concerning the law is useless. God did not make us His righteousness in Christ so that we can argue and convince people. He made us His righteousness so that we can bear fruits of righteousness by our good works.
“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.” (Ti 3:9).
The fruit we are to bear in the world is the love of God which we bring to earth and into our relationships by obeying the love that Jesus shows towards us.
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
We are no longer under the law but under grace (Rom 6:14). We are no longer servants but friends of Jesus!
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:14-15)
You are not a friend of Jesus and you are not a blessing in the world because you chose to be, but because He chose you and made you the blessing that you are today!
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. (John 15:16-17).
Jesus’ love in you is the only thing that can enable you to bear fruit for the Kingdom. You cannot love a stranger or an enemy without it.
“love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Lk 6:35)
No one can love in such a way if he/she has not experienced the true sacrificial love of Jesus in his/her life. Furthermore, no one can keep on loving this way, if he/she is not resting and well-rooted in that same love.
Also, no one can walk in the supernatural and bear fruits of divine healing, prophecy and miracles without being rooted in that same love (1 Cor 14:1).
It is essential for Christians to be aware of who they are in this world. People around us are in need. The world offers nothing for free. We can offer EVERYTHING for free because it has been given to us freely (Mt 10:8).
“let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” (Ti 3:14)
This is the only thing that fulfills a Christian’s thirst to please the Father in Heaven: to rest in Christ and bear much fruit by the grace, given to him freely.
“This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
Look at how the Apostle Paul testifies to how the grace of God has driven Him to love others for the glory of the Father:
“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:7-11)
“Grace be with you all. Amen.” (Ti 3:15)
