Powerful Titus!

For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. [Titus 1.10a]

The need for good leadership, as Paul was encouraging Titus in the NT reading today, was obvious because useless and deceptive talk abounded.

What caught my attention today however was what Paul determined was the primary content of this useless and deceptive talk:

This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. [Titus 1.10b]

Paul was talking about the Law! Furthermore, in the same context, Paul goes on to say...

Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. [Titus 1.16]

True believers need to get away from the Law! Oh sure it sounds good to declare a need for obedience to the Law - and for this reason, Paul states entire households had fallen for the deception - but the only relationship between the Gospel and the Law is that Jesus fulfilled the Law releasing those who believe from its damning grip!

By the Holy Spirit, imparted by Jesus and strengthened by the Word, we are then "lived through" by God and the Law therefore has no place.

What a powerful first chapter in Titus!

Father, give us the grace not only to shy away from deceptive teaching about adherence to the Law, but to launch on offensive against it's deceptive and widespread stronghold! Help us to acknowledge our complete and thorough inability to keep the Law. Help us to utilize our one and only tool to fight against the Law, the measure of faith we've each been given, to believe and fully trust in Jesus!