REMEMBER WHEN. Titus 3:3 Paul never forgot who he was, where he came from, or where he was at the moment. Reflecting on the past can be helpful when we seek to help believers become grounded in faith. We might wonder at the choices others make and their attitude and conduct toward holy things until we remember how slow we were to understand and grasp the joy and significance of our salvation. We were children of wrath by nature and deserving of God’s righteous anger against our sin.
The world greatly appealed to us, and we lacked any spiritual understanding or awareness of how terrible sin is. Even our choices and actions were made without considering God. We only focused on the present and what attracted us, ignoring the future consequences of sin. Disobedience was our way of resisting control from parents, God, and sometimes the laws of the land. We were vulnerable to deception by the devil and others, and we deceived ourselves.
Self-centeredness led to poor habits, envy of others' possessions, sometimes malice toward others, and a mindset that kept us captive. Before we were saved, life was not as it should have been, so we should not be harsh or unkind toward those still trapped by the world, the flesh, and the devil, or toward those recently saved.
There are clear changes when someone in servant training becomes a representative of the kingdom of God. Instead of being foolish, be wise. Instead of challenging and disobeying laws, act intelligently by doing what is right. Instead of giving in to every advertising gimmick that promises pleasure, be content with what you have. Instead of insisting on your own way for self-gratification, be grateful for the grace given to us so we can enjoy our freedom in Christ. Instead of coveting and grasping what others possess, share what you have with others. Instead of being controlled by our human passions, demonstrate the kindness and love of God our Savior that was shown to us when we did not "not deserve the least of His mercies."
A gentle person shows meekness by exercising self-control under the Holy Spirit's guidance. God has delivered us by His grace when we were foolish and disobedient to Him. Even when we were deceived, serving our own lusts and harboring malice and envy toward others with deep hatred, God pitied us and showed His love by extending mercy and saving us. Our present salvation comes from the Father, the source of salvation; through the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation of salvation; and is made possible through the new birth brought about by the Holy Spirit, the means of salvation. The fruit of salvation is justification by His grace, making us heirs of God with the hope (assurance) of eternal life. “BUT WHEN…” Titus 3:4 By amazing grace, the kindness and love of God, our Savior, appeared. It was preached to us in the power of the Holy Spirit, and our minds and hearts were opened to understand it. We were born with a genuine desire to be right with God and forgiven of our sins. When that became the absolute priority of our lives, repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ changed everything!
The Lord Jesus Christ became a real, living person to us, not just a figure of the past. His kindness and love became genuine and personal. Divine spiritual gifts were shown to us through the person and redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” He revealed all the qualities of God through His humanity.
His love, mercy, and grace brought forgiveness, joy, and peace. God, who is not willing that anyone should perish but that all should come to repentance, did not banish us from His presence. By His mercy, He saved us. Christ, God our Savior, was here, sent by God to save us from our sins and bring us to God.