Posted in Cultural commentary, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Grace, Poem, Salvation, Sanctification, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, godless, Righteousness, Salvation, Savior, Titus 1 and 2 on July 24, 2020|
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I read the book of Titus recently and came away reflecting on the contrasts of our sinful past, our God altered present, and our glory bound future. Paul speaks some ugly things about Cretans but makes it clear that all we sinners share the same ground. The difference for believers is that Christ, “to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.”* Paul wanted Titus to silence the “empty talkers” and “liars” who “deny Him”, so that they will not “upset whole families” on the one hand, and “be sound in the faith” on the other. This reminds me that we must stop soft peddling the Gospel because it is not true to God or His Word and because sinners need to hear the truth of the desperation of their condition in order to be saved. The following poem came slowly with much labor, but I think the result communicates the essence of the passage (Titus 1:10-16, 2:11-14).
Lazy and rebellious
You know the kind
Hateful and pugnacious
A good one hard to find
Foolish, godless, enslaved
And such were we
Deceivers and deceived
Who truth refused to see
Defiled, unbelieving
Claim to know God
Worthless for well-doing
Perverse things get the nod
God’s grace has now appeared
Salvation come
Ungodliness denied
We more righteous become
For blessed hope looking
Glory of Christ
Savior and God stooping
His redemption sufficed
From every lawless deed
To purify
For Himself His own breed
Ardent good works thereby
*from the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
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His Redemption Sufficed
Posted in Cultural commentary, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Grace, Poem, Salvation, Sanctification, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, godless, Righteousness, Salvation, Savior, Titus 1 and 2 on July 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »
I read the book of Titus recently and came away reflecting on the contrasts of our sinful past, our God altered present, and our glory bound future. Paul speaks some ugly things about Cretans but makes it clear that all we sinners share the same ground. The difference for believers is that Christ, “to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.”* Paul wanted Titus to silence the “empty talkers” and “liars” who “deny Him”, so that they will not “upset whole families” on the one hand, and “be sound in the faith” on the other. This reminds me that we must stop soft peddling the Gospel because it is not true to God or His Word and because sinners need to hear the truth of the desperation of their condition in order to be saved. The following poem came slowly with much labor, but I think the result communicates the essence of the passage (Titus 1:10-16, 2:11-14).
Lazy and rebellious
You know the kind
Hateful and pugnacious
A good one hard to find
Foolish, godless, enslaved
And such were we
Deceivers and deceived
Who truth refused to see
Defiled, unbelieving
Claim to know God
Worthless for well-doing
Perverse things get the nod
God’s grace has now appeared
Salvation come
Ungodliness denied
We more righteous become
For blessed hope looking
Glory of Christ
Savior and God stooping
His redemption sufficed
From every lawless deed
To purify
For Himself His own breed
Ardent good works thereby
*from the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Read Full Post »