Titus 2:11-15

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (the grace of God makes salvation available for all, it’s up to us to accept it)

12 instructing us to (HINA really means for the purpose of) deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

When you let the grace of God teach you how to deny ungodliness and lusts, then you will be looking forward with anticipation and confidence to the appearing of Jesus Christ, where we will all have to “give an account of ourselves” to Him. (Romans 14:12)

How do you feel about that coming evaluation? (See 1 Cor. 3:10-15) Are you eagerly anticipating it? Or are you going to be like this:

1 John 2:28

28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

This message is not meant to make you feel guilty about your sins, or feel bad about everything you haven’t done for Him. They key to having that eager anticipation, and not shame, is simply to recognize what He did for you, as Paul brings out in the next verse of this letter to Titus:

13 … our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

When you recognize everything that He has done for you, it should naturally lead to your being ZEALOUS for good deeds. That word ZELOO means someone burning with zeal and enthusiasm.

What about these good deeds or good works? The deeds that He has for you to do, He has already prepared:

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

So what does God expect from you? It’s really simple. Everything! Look at it this way: What did He give you? The verse above says that He gave HIMSELF for us. When you realize everything God has done for you, your only natural response will be to give everything back to Him.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

After Paul writes these principles to Titus, he gives him one final command:

Titus 2:15

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

I’ll do the same thing to you with one more verse:

Romans 12:1

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

The word translated bodies above is the Greek word SOMA. It means body, but it really means everything that makes you what you are. It’s talking about giving everything you are, and everything you have.

After all, isn’t it the least we can do after everything He did for us?!