It is right and appropriate that believers be grieved over the rank evil and wickedness in this world.  However, as we saw last Lord’s Day from Titus 3:1-8, we should be most shocked that God has been merciful to rank sinners like us.  Paul’s point in this passage is that as believers have received such rich, undeserved mercy, so we must have a merciful disposition toward those yet enslaved in the foolish deceitfulness of sin.

R. Kent Hughes, in his Commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus , observes: “When we recognize that we were rescued from a pit deeper than we could crawl from, that we were saved from a darkness greater than our light could penetrate, that we were delivered from sin greater than our resolve could control – only then are we prepared to lead others…Only when we truly believe that apart from Christ there is no more hope of heaven for us than there is for the worst sinner we meet, can we minister the gospel to that one and others” (p. 360).

And John Calvin notes:  “Thus we see that we must be humbled before God, in order that we may be gentle towards brethren; for pride is always cruel and disdainful of others…he bids us remember those vices from which we have been delivered, that we may not pursue too keenly those which, still dwell in others” (Calvin’s Commentary, on Titus 3:3).

Beloved, as God in Christ has mercifully rescued helpless sinners such as us, may we humbly, compassionately, and boldly pray and labor for the salvation of those around us who are yet in their sins.

Grace upon grace,

Greg

Humility.  How eager I am to be thought of as humble; how slow I am to actually die to my pride and be humble!  As we considered last Lord’s Day from 1 Pet. 5:5-7, humility before God and one another is the garment we must constantly wear.  Jesus Himself, of course, is the supreme example and source of the comprehensive humility we are to exhibit.  I was convicted, encouraged, and helped by the following insights from Andrew Murray – I pray they are helpful for you as well.

“I cannot too earnestly plead with my reader, if possibly his attention has never yet been specially directed to the want there is of humility within him or around him, to pause and ask whether he sees much of the spirit of the meek and lowly Lamb of God in those who are called by His name. Let him consider how all want of love, all indifference to the needs, the feelings, the weakness of others; all sharp and hasty judgments and utterances, so often excused under the plea of being outright and honest; all manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation; all feelings of bitterness and estrangement, have their root in nothing but pride, that ever seeks itself, and his eyes will be opened to see how a dark, shall I not say a devilish pride, creeps in almost everywhere, the assemblies of the saints not excepted. Let him begin to ask what would be the effect, if in himself and around him, if towards fellow saints and the world, believers were really permanently guided by the humility of Jesus; and let him say if the cry of our whole heart, night and day, ought not to be, Oh for the humility of Jesus in myself and all around me! Let him honestly fix his heart on his own lack of the humility which has been revealed in the likeness of Christ’s life, and in the whole character of His redemption, and he will begin to feel as if he had never yet really known what Christ and His salvation is.  Believer! study the humility of Jesus. This is the secret, the hidden root of thy redemption. Sink down into it deeper day by day.” (Andrew Murray [1828-1917], Humility, Bethany House Publishers, 2001, pg. 26-27.)

Growing and shrinking with you,

Greg