By: Rex Stump
In Titus 2:11-12, we read “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”
God’s Word instructs us, trains, coaches, and teaches us to say NO to godless living and worldly passions, as well as YES to devotion to God and godly living! But are we?
This spiritual precept is echoed throughout the New Testament by the Apostle Paul. In Ephesians 4:22-24, he wrote: But that is not the way you learned Christ!
Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Did you see it? Put off, put on. In Titus we read, turn from and live in…same concept. It’s like a commitment to get into physical shape. You must choose a new lifestyle of choices.
That means saying NO to sugars, junk food, and a sedentary life; and saying YES to the gym, a workout; 30-60 minutes added into your day, devoted to getting your body in shape. You can’t do just one, you need to do both.
Jerry Bridges compares this truth to a pair of scissors. You need both blades functioning together to cut anything with the scissors. A single blade would be useless.
In the same way, it’s not just putting off sin or worldly living, it’s also putting on the new life in Jesus Christ! It’s saying yes to Spiritual devotion such as worship and singing, praying, reading the Bible, living in obedience to God’s Word, attending church, and other small group studies.
What does your spiritual walk with Jesus look like? God has called us to leave worldliness behind! As you put off the things of this world, put on wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.