Why do we need Jesus?
What did He do?
How did He do it?
What does it mean for us?
How would you answer the questions above? Do you agree that you need Jesus or are you unsure? Are you able to say what He did or how, or why it was necessary? Does the understanding of these answers change your life at all?
This is the second of four studies written for an assisted living center about an hour from where I live. Once a month, I drive to this facility and we have a Bible study together.
Titus 3:3-7 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.
Last month we addressed the first question of Why we need Jesus. Our answer was found in the first verse of this section of scripture. Titus 3:3 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. The words used in this description of ourselves seem a bit strong however, upon a closer look at them, we were able to understand the ways in which we are foolish and disobedient. The conclusion is that we desperately need a Savior, and His name is Jesus.
Today, we will seek to answer the question of, What did He do?
Titus 3:4-5a But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for Mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
First, we must consider the kindness of God. What is the kindness of God? We may easily think of kindness in the way which we might try to treat one another. The word kindness in our English dictionary means “the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic”. It is having a tendency to be kind and forgiving; we might think of someone doing a kind act for someone else. Perhaps this would be acting nice or choosing to help someone who is rather difficult. Often, when we act in kindness towards others we are reciprocated with like kindness.
The kindness of God is a bit different. Kindness is part of God’s character – He is kindness personified! The Greek word from which it was translated, means usefulness, morally, excellence in character or demeanor; gentleness, goodness. The root of this word means to furnish what is needed; to act towards one in a given manner.
Well, God knows exactly what we need! And He is the only one who could supply the necessary atonement for our sin – His only Son, Jesus. God’s kindness towards mankind is needed. Unlike us, God executes His kindness perfectly! Without His kindness, there is no hope for our fallen description in Titus 3:3.
Are you willing to recognize you cannot be perfect? No amount of hard work, or dedication to doing the right things, is able to replace the need of God’s act of kindness through His Son.
Do we see the kindness of God in our daily lives? His blessings surround us each moment. Consider the air you breathe; the beauty in nature; the resource of food and water; the protection from a close call of falling, or when you were younger, that near accident on the road. It is God’s kindness for mankind that allows us to see our sin, understand our need, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Without God’s kindness working in our heart, we would be eternally lost, separated from Him forever.
Romans 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Romans 11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Ephesians 2:7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Consider. The impact of our kindness might be an encouragement to others; however it will have no lasting value on their eternal position. On the flip side, we need the kindness of God which leads to our salvation; His kindness furnishes us with certain hope for the future where once we had no hope at all. God displays His great kindness to us regardless of our undeservedness. We bring nothing to the table; everything is dependent on Him. The verse we just read in Ephesians 2:7 speaks of ‘the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us’.
God’s grace shown through His kindness: His blessings because Jesus paid our debt. Imagine owing billions of dollars to someone and your very life as a slave forever, then you receive notice that not only is your debt paid in full, but you have been left more than you need and the person who paid your debt has given their life for yours. This is unimaginable, yet it is what God did in Jesus for you.
Ephesians 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
We are not to think lightly of God’s kindness towards us. Titus 3:4 speaks of God’s love for mankind. Have you ever truly considered what God’s love is, or what it means? God’s love, in the context of this verse, is the fondness He has for mankind which is shown through His kindness. God’s love towards man is essential in His grace and mercy given to us through Jesus. God’s love is the catalyst of our salvation. God delights in His creation; He formed man (Genesis 2:7), and rejoiced at the work of His hands. When man sinned, God’s love for us determined a way to repair our relationship with Him. God’s love was shown in the sacrifice of His only Son, to redeem mankind for Himself. This kind of love is more than we can comprehend; it is greater than our mind can grasp.
“God loves man; he delighted in the idea when formed in his own infinite mind, he formed man according to that idea, and rejoiced in the work of his hands; when man fell, the same love induced him to devise his redemption, and God the Saviour flows from God the Philanthropist. Where love is it will be active, and will show itself. So the philanthropy of God appeared, it shone out, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and in his giving his life for the life of the world”, Adam Clarke’s Commentary.
Look at our text again –
Titus 3:4-5a But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
It is vitally important to understand who God is, who man is, and the reason we need to be saved. We were created for God’s glory, yet we have inherited a sinful nature from Adam; we are weak and imperfect, controlled by the desire to please ourselves rather than please God in obedience. God is perfect and although He loves us, He cannot tolerate sin. The penalty for our sin is eternal separation from God.
Stop for just a moment and consider what eternal separation from God means – a world void of blessings, goodness, and kindness. It is a world without love; a world filled with sin and hatred, pain and confusion, evil and fear; no breaks, no moments of happiness, no future.
God, because of His love for us, sent His only Son Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice and payment for our sin. It might be easy to think we are not that bad, yet every thought we have which is prideful, or degrading towards another; every time we fail to reach out and help others, every time we put our own needs first or seek our own praise, we disobey God. Our thoughts and actions are controlled by the power of sin unless we recognize our fallen state and humbly accept the gift of Jesus’ death. No number of good things we might do will save us. It is impossible to save ourselves. Think! Try as hard as you might to only have kind thoughts and actions for the next 24 hours. If you are honest, you will recognize your inability to be sinless. We naturally want our own way.
When we understand God’s love towards us, that we are justified only by His mercy and grace, we will be motivated to love others with compassion and kindness. Our acceptance as God’s children is possible only because of His love; the application of God’s love for us is seen in His Son, through His death and resurrection for mankind; the effect of God’s love gives us His Holy Spirit as our guide, growing the reflection of God’s love in our heart towards others for His glory. Read the beginning of Paul’s letter to Titus.
Titus 1:1-3 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
Paul understood God’s love and kindness shown through Jesus. He understood what it meant to be saved from the power of sin in his own life. This understanding moved him to action. How about you – do you understand the kindness and love God offers? Have you recognized your need for a Savior? How has this understanding affected your actions towards others?
2Timothy 1:8-10 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
1Timothy 2:1-4 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
We will dig deeper into Titus 3:5 in our next time together. Until then, contemplate God’s kindness and love for you. Through His Son, salvation is offered to all who will trust in His name – not because it is deserved but because of God’s mercy and grace. The gift of salvation, hope for eternal life in heaven with Jesus and complete forgiveness for sin, is not something we earn; it is a gift freely given and must be freely accepted.
