Titus 2:13: Obedience in Waiting

Titus 2:11-13.. "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."

How do we remain obedient? So often we try to keep God's commands, only to fail and get discouraged. What if there was a better way? What if there was something that we could look to that would motivate us to do what God commands of us?

Well, there is. In Titus 2:13 we see Paul encouraging Titus to obey God's commands. He exhorts him and the church in Crete to "renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives." But Paul doesn't stop there, but rather, he gives motivation for obeying those commands:

"...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."

Our obedience ought to be motivated by the coming Savior. In other words, we must obey God because he is coming to save us, and we ought to honor him because of this very fact. We must not disregard God's commands, for he has saved us (Titus 2:11) and will continue to save us, even from this sinful world, when he comes again (Titus 2:13).

So, how can we be motivated to obey God? By realizing that he is not done with us. By realizing that he is coming to save us. He will come again, and he will save his people from this world, both those who are alive and those who have "fallen asleep" (1 Thessolonians 4:14). Therefore, obey God, since he is coming to save you. Do not give up on him, for he has not given up and will not give up on you.