Living in this age, prior to the age to come, is the proving ground for the believer. God uses this life to mature His children, growing them in Christlikeness. We err when we become so temporally focused that we view what is going around us now as if the eternal is not awaiting us. How are we to then live in this evil age?

1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2 (NASB)

Even though genuine Christians are new creations and have been purchased out of the world through the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross, as they attempt to live godly lives in the temporal, they will come under tremendous pressure to compromise by reverting back to the fleshly way of dealing with life. This way of reacting to circumstances, both good and bad, has emotions as its catalyst motivated by a form of self-righteousness that is manifested through self-exaltation and self-protection. Here we witness ourselves reacting to the good and bad in a way that is little different than we did prior to our salvation. We may even attempt to justify our actions by proclaiming that we are only seeking justice. Pride is the culprit behind this and when we stumble into these sins it is because we are not spirit-filled and, therefore, not humble.

Living in this age, prior to the age to come, is the proving ground for the believer. God uses this life to mature His children, growing them in Christlikeness. We err when we become so temporally focused that we view what is going around us now as if the eternal is not awaiting us. How are we to then live in this evil age?

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Titus 3:1-3 (NASB)

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus is a short letter, but it is filled with some very deep teaching about how the Christian is to live and minister in a difficult time and place. In the passage above we read Paul’s instruction to Titus to teach to his congregation about living holy lives in the world. It begins with a exhortation for each of us to be submissive to rulers and authorities. This principle is taught throughout the New Testament. The Christian is to obey the government authorities God has placed over them to the extent that their commands are not to disobey God. This is part of a Christian’s testimony (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:12-17). The obedience spoken of in v1 is referring to believers obeying magistrates.

What does it mean that the Christian is “to be ready for every good work”? This is a contrast between the genuine believer who is saved unto good works and the false teachers who are “unfit for any good work” (Titus 1:16). One of the purposes of the cross is to create a people “zealous for good works” (2:14). These good works then would be those done by the Spirit-filled Christian (Ephesians 5) because no one can do them who operate in the flesh.

The Christian is “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (v2). Christians are to exemplify these godly virtues in their interactions with all people whether they are fellow believers or not. In fact, the emphasis in the way this phrase is worded in Greek is that Paul is telling us to be this way to mankind in general.

All believers were once lost sinners. We have all committed heinous, sinful acts. Therefore, we should be humble in our interactions with the unsaved. Without God’s grace, we would be just as wicked as the worst sinner.

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7 (NASB)

Read More