Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 - Good works and God's Grace go together!

Titus, my son, the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Good Works and God's Grace go hand-in-hand
photo by Adam Forster, used under the creative commons license
check out more photos here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/

God has saved us through Christ to make a holy people for Himself.  We are to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world, knowing that the world has very little sobriety, uprightness or godliness. Thus, we will appear different from those around us who have no interest in righteousness.  All the time we are living this way, we await the blessed hope which is the return of Christ.  All of this makes us zealous to do good deeds.

Yet, these good deeds we do is not what saves us. Rather, it is Grace of God through Jesus Christ who saves us by the washing, regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. So we do good works but these good works don't save us. Yet, this good works act as a sort of "proof" that the Holy Spirit is alive in us. It matters how we live and what we do.

O Lord, grant to me Your Grace today. Help me to look for ways to display kindness to others, knowing such good works show the Work of the Holy Spirit in my life.  Amen.