Titus 2:14 says that Jesus gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  The difference between this verse and 1 Peter 2:9 is that one speaks of mercy and we are told how Jesus Christ gave His life in order that we might be redeemed (loosened) and purified from our iniquities.  And instead of talking of giving God the praise for bringing mercy to us, the verse in Titus 2 tells us that we are to eagerly pursue and have a burning interest in good works!  Instead of coveting those things which satisfy the flesh, instead of living for ourselves, hoarding things, we should desire something much more valuable to us in the long run (eternity); we should desire to do the good works that God has fitted & prepared us for.  

Now, think about what this all means.  Here we are, children of God, residents of Heaven who are living on earth.  That’s where the resident alien comes in that we talked about earlier.  What does a resident alien usually do?  Though they remain a citizen of their home country, they come to a land that is not their own to do some sort of work.  All the while the alien, stranger, and pilgrim keep the customs and ways of the place they belong.  Even though they are now living in an entirely different culture from their own, they tend to keep the ways of their homeland.  Likewise, Christians living here on earth are expected to shun the ways of this world and cling to God’s standards.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto (used as a function word to indicate purpose) good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk (to pursue a course of action or way of life) in them.  THIS is our purpose!  This is what we were created for and what we are to be occupied with.  We are not her for the laying up of treasures that will last only as long as this earth is around, if that long.  We were not saved to live as if we belong on this earth, but to live for Heaven and God’s glory. 

The moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, so much is changed forever.  Not only do we become a new creature and receive a new nature, we become residents and citizens of Heaven, and we are given a new way of life and a real purpose.  First and foremost, we are to bring the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).  That is a job for all Christians.  Secondly, He has called us to good works as we have seen previously.  Beyond that, God has called and equipped us all for our own calling:  Sunday school teachers, pastors’ and missionaries’ wives, special singers, prayer warriors, and the list goes on.  God says that there are many parts of a body:  ears, eyes, heart, hands, etc.  However, they all work together as one body (1 Corinthians 12). 

Trouble enters our lives when we begin to live as if we are citizens of this world, living to satisfy the flesh.  You may be wondering how it is even possible for us to live as citizens of Heaven, living in a temporary body on a temporary earth.  Romans 1:1 gives the answer to that question:  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. YOU have a responsibility to God:  to yield & surrender the power, control, or possession of yourself in service to Him.  This is not an extreme request on God’s part, but fair (reasonable), because, rightfully, you owe your life to Him.  1 Peter 1:18 & 19 says that we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus.  God paid a ransom for your life with the most valuable thing He possessed.  Ephesians 2:1 & Colossians 2:13 says that He quickened you when you were dead in sins and has forgiven every one of your trespasses.  The most remarkable thing about it is that you weren’t even His friend.  You were an enemy of God, without righteousness or strength, a sinner reconciled (changed; restored to friendship & harmony) by the death of His Son. 

Romans 1:2 admonishes you not walk in the standards and customs of this world:  . . . be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.    Romans 13:14 advises us to put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  Here are three ways to keep yourself separate from the world.  First, get a new way of thinking:  repair your thinking and renovate your intentions & desires!  2 Corinthians 10:3 tells us to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.  Don’t become prisoners of your thoughts, but reign them in under obedience to and a prisoner under Christ.  Next, sink into and take upon yourself Jesus, and, as Philippians 2:5 says, the mind He had, which was to serve:  Christ Jesus . . . made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.  In other words, your motive, your very desire, should be to be as Jesus.  Finally, don’t do those things which satisfy the longings of the flesh.  Galatians 5 gives us a solution in that we are told to walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  This just means that you should follow the Holy Spirit of God as a close companion, which He is, seeing as how He lives in you!  But more than that, by walking in the Spirit, you will not carry out or make provisions for the lusts of your flesh.

What I have spoken to you about today is something that I have struggled with in since I was saved.  It is a difficult concept to come to grips with, living in one place when you really belong to another.  No Christian is exempt from the struggles of bringing their flesh under subjection to the Spirit of God as they live in a fallen world.  Maybe because we have never yet seen Heaven, except what we are able to read about it in the Bible, it is really hard to believe that we could possibly be going to live there some day.  It could be that because we lived in this world for so many years before we were saved, it is still so easy to think of this world as our home.  It’s hard to change that thinking we read about in Romans 1:2.  God says that there is a constant battle between our flesh and Spirit and that we are not fighting daily against flesh but against principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places.  One day, however, we will reach that country prepared for us that we read about in Hebrews 11 and we will receive a new body and will never again have to worry about fleshly struggles.  When we get there, 1 Corinthians 3 says that God will reward us for those works that we have built upon the foundation of our salvation and that will be tried by and withstand the test of fire.  As Christ sacrificed His life, we are asked to do the same.  That’s the way we have to live our lives in order to not be conformed to this world.   Not only that, we must guard our hearts and our minds.

Maybe you are here today and you suffer a different problem:  working to be accepted by God.  Galatians 2:16 says that we know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.  Ephesians 2: 8 & 9 says by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Though there is nothing wrong with good works, only when we have been made new in Christ do they make a difference.  The same chapter of Ephesians says that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Those who are products fabricated by faith in Jesus Christ are called to be occupied with toiling for God.  Though the good works of those who belong to God through Christ please Him, those works done in the flesh as a lost man will never justify him.  It is only by faith in Christ that we can ever be acceptable to God.

You know, I am so blessed every day.  I have a loving husband, wonderful children, a lovely home.  But life isn’t without its troubles.  Sometimes I wonder if God doesn’t allow some unpleasant things to come our way so that we don’t become too attached to this world.  If all was good down here, who would want to go to Heaven?  Through writing this Bible study, God has challenged me about my attachments to this world.  For far too long I have been lukewarm and have allowed worldly thoughts to occupy my mind, and, in turn, I’ve not presented my body a living sacrifice to Him.  There have been too many times of satisfying the flesh and not enough obedience and sacrifice.  There has been too much living in this world and not enough looking forward to Heaven.  If this is how you’ve been living, then let’s pray for one another and encourage each other with thoughts of a better Country and that City prepared by God!

Your sister in Christ,

Julia

© 2007 Julia Faulkner

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