TRUTHS THAT IDENTIFY A CHILD OF GOD

Titus 3:8

Morning Meditation 3/19/2013

"This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."

The word "faithful" means that this is a saying that you can count on. Next, Paul urges Timothy to affirm these thing constantly. The idea here is that the Christian needs to be constantly reminded of his responsibilities. Then Paul emphasizes that what he is saying here is for those who have believed in God.

"This is a faithful saying" is literally, "Faithful is the word." A more true statement could never be made. The word of God is faithful in every case. It counsels us, corrects us, reproves us and instructs us. It enables us to mature and be completely right with God."

If man is not saved by good works, then what part will they play in the salvation of the soul? Paul answers, "These things are good and profitable unto men." Men can be helped by the good works of the Christian. The good works of the Christian creates an environment for lost men to be saved. They can see the change in the life of the believer. Now let us notice some things that identify the Christian:

THE CHRISTIAN IS TO LIVE IN SUBMISSION TO CHRIST

Ephesians 5:24, "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

Jesus is the head of the Church. The church can do nothing apart from Him. It would be like my body losing contact with my brain. Can you imagine a body doing its own thing? The head tells the body, "I didn't tell you to do that!" The body answers, "I am doing it on my own from now on. Now a body that would not be in submission to the head would be weird, in fact it wouldn't work.

This same thing is true when one becomes a Christian and then decides he will not obey Christ. Where does Lordship come in? It comes in the moment of salvation. For a Christian to refuse to submit to Christ is a matter of disobedience that will bring chastening. Next,

THE CHRISTIAN IS TO FULFILL THE PURPOSE GOD INTENDS FOR HIM IN LIFE

The Christian is identified in that one can see that he is moving through life with a definite goal. Philippians 3:12, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

Saul of Tarsus was apprehended by Christ Jesus on the road to Damascus. This meeting with the Lord changed Paul's whole life. He was forever afterwards the Lord's. Romans 12:1-3, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

If any man ever attained the perfection of which this passage speaks, it was Paul. But he did not claim to have attained it. What did he do? First he admitted he had not so apprehended. Philippians 3:12, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

This, however, did not discourage his pursuit. This is the way that he went about it. Philippians 3:12-14, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." There are two important things is these verses:

1. Paul had to forget the past for which he had been forgiven. Satan uses our past to defeat us. What God has forgiven, He has forgotten, and we should too.

2. Paul pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul gave it all he had and stayed fully surrendered to the Lord to fulfill the course Christ Jesus had chartered for him.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White