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“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.  One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.  To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
Titus 1: 10- 16

Bryan Chapell in his commentary on Titus says the following about these verses:

“If our deeds do not conform to the gracious character of our God, then we deny his nature and deny ourselves the opportunity to serve him.”

We know that is grace that upholds us, sustains us, and lead us to repentance over and over again. But this week, as I have been mediating on these verses, I kept thinking on how many times we –I– have hide under the precious truth of His never ending grace to excuse a sinful behavior in our lives. No, I am not talking about those who abuse grace by openly sinning against God saying that God is always merciful and all good, and will always forgive. No, I am talking here of the subtle lie, the one that is not easily seen. The one that hides behind a pious character, behind empty talks and deceitful appearances. I am referring to the sinful ways in which we live while excusing ourselves saying, “That is the way I am. I am a sinner. I am still living in this sinful body” while at the same time we wrong our families, and our family in the Lord’s Church.

The Word of the Lord has rebuked me sharply. If by faith I live,  then I must live accordingly to it. My deeds must show Christ, and do not deny Him.

J.C. Ryle said,

“To say that we are sorry for our sins is mere hypocrisy, unless we show that we are really sorry for them, by giving them up. Doing is the very life of repentance.”

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky

*This last line is based on one of Jonathan Edward’s prayers