{"id":1717,"date":"2017-05-23T00:43:22","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T00:43:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/takingeverythoughtcaptivetoobeychrist.wordpress.com\/?p=1717"},"modified":"2017-05-23T00:43:22","modified_gmt":"2017-05-23T00:43:22","slug":"how-to-live-the-christian-life-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/how-to-live-the-christian-life-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Live the Christian Life: Grace"},"content":{"rendered":"

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… + Titus 2v11-13<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This\u00a0portion of Paul’s letter to Titus is the heart of the entire letter. To understand the application of Titus we must understand the heart of Titus.<\/p>\n

Before we get into the main portion of our text, we need to get our bearings on the foundation of the text. Notice the word, \u201cfor\u201d<\/em> at the beginning of verse 11. Whenever you see that in your Bibles that is a good indicator that what Scripture is about to say is the reasoning, basis, or motivation for what the previous verses said. The word, \u201cfor\u201d<\/em> is basically synonymous with the word \u201cbecause.\u201d<\/em> Using the word, \u201cbecause\u201d<\/em> probably helps us understand that connection a little better. So what were the teachings and instructions in the preceding verses? Elder qualifications, certain aspects of men\u2019s and women\u2019s roles, their responsibility to train and disciple the younger generations, and a Christian work ethic. In sum: gospel-fueled Christian living. So\u00a0in these verses Paul\u00a0gives the gospel and theological basis for the godly living that he laid out in the previous verses.<\/p>\n

In this text, there are three main movements that I see that we will work through. The first is the Cause of Godliness<\/em> in verse 11, the Process of Godliness<\/em> in verse 12, and the Anticipation of\u00a0the Godly<\/em>\u00a0in verse 13.<\/p>\n

The Cause of Godliness (v11)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scripture\u00a0says, \u201cFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people\u2026\u201d<\/em> This is a fundamental understanding of Christian living \u2013 godliness does not come from us. We do not generate godly living in our lives. We\u00a0do not have the ability to\u00a0bring salvation to ourselves. The initiator of our salvation is God. The first actor in our godliness is not us, it is God. We live a godly life because salvation has been brought to us.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grace of God has appeared.\u201d<\/em> There are two main ways in which we understand grace. Two correct, and true ways, that is. The first is the principle of grace. The principle of grace is basically the dictionary definition of grace. It\u2019s the idea of not getting what we deserve when what deserve is punishment. It\u2019s receiving favorable treatment when what we deserve is unfavorable treatment.\u00a0We talk much about being gracious people and treating people with grace. By that we mean that we don\u2019t want to go around punishing people for every little thing they do wrong, or treat them as they deserve. Instead we want to extend grace to them. That is true and good. We then we talk much about how God is gracious, and how He has treated us with much grace \u2013 far more grace than we could ever comprehend. That is unmistakably true and wonderful. However, when this text talks about grace, it goes beyond just the principle of grace. It goes to a meaning of grace that is far more fundamental to the Christian faith. This text is not talking about the principle of grace. It says, \u201cThe grace of God has appeared.\u201d<\/em> How does a principle or an idea appear? It can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The grace of God that has appeared is in fact, the Person of Grace. This is the second true understanding of\u00a0grace.\u00a0This is talking about grace incarnate. This is talking about our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the person of grace. In the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, grace has taken on flesh and has visibly appeared to us. He is not a God who has hidden Himself from us. He is a God who has appeared to us. People saw Jesus. They walked and talked with Him. He healed people with His touch, and by touching just the hem of His garment the woman with a terrible blood disease was healed. He has made Himself tangible to us \u2013 to those whom He saves \u2013 He opens our blind eyes and gives us sight to see Him. It is a gracious thing that the Person of Grace has made Himself known to us and appeared to us.<\/p>\n

In this world we have real hurts and real pains, we see real evil, destruction, disaster, and sin all around us and in our own lives. We don\u2019t need some abstract principle for our real lives. We need a real, visible Savior. The principle of grace will not save us,\u00a0 heal our brokenness, make right all wrongs,\u00a0or put an end to all sin, death, and evil. The principle of grace is not saving grace. But the Person of Grace is saving grace because He is a saving person \u2013 He is a saving God. We need a real visible Savior, for our real visible sins.<\/p>\n

The grace of God that has appeared, put on flesh and become visible to us. This person of grace appeared as a baby, in a manger. He was vulnerable and dependent on His human parents to care for, protect, and nurture Him. This person of grace, appeared as a boy in Luke 2v52 as He grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man. This person of grace appeared as He graciously performed His first miracle at the request of His mother, graciously saving a wedding party from turning lame, as He turned water into wine. This person of grace appeared as He began His earthly ministry, calling fisherman, and tax-collectors to follow Him; as He discipled them into grace. This person of grace appeared as He walked the earth, healed the sick, cared for the poor and needy, and extended grace and righteousness to prostitutes and sinners. This person of grace appeared as He was betrayed by one of His 12 disciples. This person of grace appeared as He graciously restored the ear of a Roman Soldier that was arresting Him. This person of grace appeared as He underwent an unjust trial as our substitute. This person of grace appeared as He was unjustly accused, mocked, spit on, and slapped in the face. This person of grace appeared, though no real charge could be brought against Him, silent before His accusers as a sheep is silent before it\u2019s shearers. This person of grace appeared to us as He was beaten, whipped, scourged, and stumbled in carrying His cross to Golgotha. This person of grace appeared as His hands and feet were nailed to a cross. This person of grace appeared as He hung for the sins of the world on a shameful Roman torture instrument. This person of grace hung there in shame, for every eye to see that passed by, carrying the sins, shame, guilt, and punishment for all His people. This person of grace appeared with blood pouring down His brow from the thorns that pierced His head, naked, for all to see. He appeared there as a ransom for many. After His death, that was witnessed by many, He was clothed in grave clothes and buried in a grave. This person of grace then resurrected from the dead and appeared to many, before He ascended into Heaven and appeared before the right hand of His father.<\/p>\n

It was there, in His appearing on the cross and resurrection, that the person of grace, completed the accomplishment of grace. It was in His life, that the person of grace accomplished the righteousness necessary for our salvation. It was in His death that the person of Grace accomplished the sacrifice necessary for our salvation. It was in His death that the person of Grace accomplished the justice and satisfied the wrath of God that was necessary for our salvation. As the person of Grace hung on the cross, grace emanated from His body for all who could ever truly see Him, and see what He was doing and accomplishing for them. It was in His resurrection that the person of Grace, accomplished the guarantee that all that He accomplished in His life and death would be sure, and sealed, for us. In His resurrection, His work of justification for us was justified. The grace of God has appeared in the person of Grace in order to complete the accomplishment of grace.<\/p>\n

Our text says that, \u201cThe grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.\u201d<\/em> The accomplishment of grace is not just for the Israelites. It is for all people. When Scripture says that Salvation has been brought for all people, this is not the heretical teaching of universalism, this is the glorious teaching that God is a God of the nations. This is a barrier breaking doctrine. This is the reason we pray for the unreached people groups of the world. This is the reasons there will be people around the throne of God from every tribe, nation, and tongue. The gospel mandate to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, is a mandate for all people. Christ accomplished salvation for the Jew and the Gentile. He accomplished it for the rich and the poor. He accomplished it for the slave and the free. He accomplished it for men and women. He accomplished it for young and old. He accomplished it for pastors and for church members. He accomplished it for Paul and Titus. He accomplished it for Cretans and for Americans.<\/p>\n

This is the cause of our godliness. Our godliness is not caused by our appearing, or the measures of grace that we practice, nor is it caused by our accomplishments. Our godliness is caused by Christ\u2019s appearing, His grace, and His accomplishment. This is the source of anything good in us. We are to blame for every sin and evil in us, but we can take no credit for any ounce of goodness in us. The accomplishment of the person of Grace is to credit for it all.<\/p>\n

The Process of Godliness (v.12)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Understanding of grace in this way radically shapes and reforms the process of godliness in our lives. Verse 12 says that the grace of God that has appeared bringing salvation for all people is, \u201cTraining us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.\u201d<\/em> What a glorious truth: the grace of God trains us into godliness. The gospel of Jesus Christ produces godly character in us.<\/p>\n

In Matthew Henry\u2019s commentary on the Bible he commented on the matter by saying this, \u201cThe gospel is not for speculation only or chiefly, but for practice and right ordering of life; for it teaches us.\u201d<\/em> This is it. This is the key to the Christian life. This is the key to walking in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. What Jesus has done for us as our substitute is the very thing that teaches us, trains us, and produces godliness and right Christian living within us.<\/p>\n

When we are saved, it because the Spirit of God has raised us from the dead. We have been raised from being dead in our trespasses and sins to life in Christ. This is the very thing that we\u2019ve been raised to life for. We\u2019ve been raised from the dead to life in Christ \u2013 which is a life of godliness, obedience, and good works. We\u2019re not raised from the dead to continue being dead in our sins. We are raised from the dead to live life in faithful obedience \u2013 doing that which only living people can do.<\/p>\n

So the grace of God trains us into godliness. Note the word, \u201ctrain.\u201d This implies that godliness is a process. Though we have been raised from the dead we are not raised to perfection. It takes training, teaching, and working out.<\/p>\n

If you notice, in our training, the first thing we are trained to do is to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions; then we are trained to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.<\/p>\n

Matthew Henry continues, in commentating on this aspect of verse 12 by saying quite simply yet profoundly, \u201cThe gospel first unteaches that which is evil, to abandon sin.\u201d<\/em> That\u2019s great. \u201cThe gospel first unteaches us that which is evil.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

So first we are trained and taught to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions. To renounce is to reject, or to come out and forsake that which you once stood for, or practiced, or believed in. It\u2019s turning away from what we once were a part of. It is essentially repentance. So the gospel first trains us to repent of our sin and the sinful ways in which we once walked.<\/p>\n

What does this text teach us to renounce? Ungodliness and worldly passions. Now we might read that and think, \u201cIsn\u2019t ungodliness and worldly passions the same thing? Why is Paul basically repeating himself here?\u201d<\/em> Think about it this way for a moment: there are many people, today and all throughout history, who have strived to live a good moral life. There are many people who are good ethical people, from a human perspective. There are even many people who strive to live a good moral live in accordance with Christian Biblical ethics. Yet, they are ungodly. Think of the Pharisees. They were incredibly moral people who held to extremely strict ethical values. And yet they were incredibly ungodly people. It is a misconception that morality equals godliness. Good morals and ethical living is not equal to godly living. You may\u00a0live a good moral life on this earth and still find yourself in hell when you die, or the Lord returns.<\/p>\n

Morality is far more shallow than godliness. Morality simply addresses one\u2019s outward actions, behavior, and words –\u00a0primarily in the way that\u00a0one treats others. Morality addresses outward living, but it does not, and cannot address the problem of the heart. It does not and cannot address the motivations within a person. The gospel is far deeper and far more effective than morality because the gospel addresses the problem of the human heart. The gospel is the answer to the problem of the human heart. In addressing and applying Christ as the remedy of the human heart, the gospel produces in those people true godliness \u2013 and true morality \u2013 and true ethical living. It\u2019s real because it is grown in them by the very Spirit of God. A Christian\u2019s moral lifestyle is not just an outside fix \u2013 A Christian\u2019s moral lifestyle has deep roots in their heart where the gospel has formed a foundational change of heart, mind, and lifestyle.<\/p>\n

A moralist, when he is wronged by someone, would forgive them, because it is the right thing to do. Or he would do it\u00a0because it makes\u00a0him look better. But, when a Christian is wronged by someone, he forgives that person, because God in Christ has forgiven him. A moralist may give money, food, and shelter to the poor, because it is kind thing to do and it makes them look like a charitable person. But a Christian gives to the poor because though they were poor, Christ became poor, so that they might become rich. The grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ addresses our living, by first addressing our heart condition and our heart motivations. This in turn produces our godly outward living.<\/p>\n

Moral people\u00a0may seem like\u00a0good people, from a human perspective. They may even attend church and give lip service to God. But there is no love of God in them. There is no zeal or passion for Christ or the things of God.\u00a0However, a truly godly person, not only lives a good moral life in accordance with Scripture, but foundationally there is a deep rooted love for God, passion, and zeal for the things of God. Christ and His gospel is the motivation for their godly living.<\/p>\n

So when Paul says that the grace of God trains us to renounce ungodliness, it could be that he is telling us to renounce a Christless morality. It trains us to renounce confidence or self-righteousness in our good works and right behavior. When he tells us to renounce \u201cworldly passions\u201d \u2013 that one is pretty obvious. That is the obvious sins of the flesh and all of sins desires – all the sin junk that the world has to offer. Paul is telling us that there are two types of sinful living that the gospel teaches and trains us to renounce \u2013 that of self-righteous, religious, moralism; and that of blatant worldly sinfulness of the flesh.<\/p>\n

This reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son. In that parable, there are two types of sinners represented. The obvious sinner in the younger son who disrespected his father and wasted all his inheritance on prostitutes and reckless living. And then there is the older son, who stayed and worked for his father all those years \u2013 and that built up in him a self-righteousness that made him bitter toward the grace of the father. So there\u2019s the obvious sinner, and there\u2019s the moral sinner in that parable. That is what we have here in our text. The grace of God trains us to renounce both our moral sinning and our obvious sinning.<\/p>\n

So the gospel trains us to repent of our sins; but then the gospel continues to work in us, and it trains us to then live rightly. It trains us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.<\/p>\n

The Anticipation of the Godly (v.12)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Verse 13 says, \u201cWaiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/em> The grace of God also trains us to wait. It trains us to wait for the second coming of Christ \u2013 our great God and Savior. I want you to see the connection between our godly living in verse 12, with our waiting for the return of Christ in verse 13. At the end of verse 12, you see that it says that the gospel trains us to live a godly life, in this present age. So right now, we are between the two comings of Christ. His first coming and His second coming. Looking at what Christ has done for us gives us the motivation and the training to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, now. We talk much about looking to what Christ has done for us in the past in order to live a godly life now \u2013 and rightly so. Scripture also\u00a0gives a double motivation for living a godly life in this present age. Not only can we look to the past and what Christ has done for us \u2013 but we also look to His second appearing. Looking to the return of Christ is a great means of motivation to live a godly life now in this present age. In this in between age. J.D. Greer comments on this passage and says, \u201cCertainty about the future enables constancy in the present.\u201d<\/em> Knowing that Christ is coming again in glory, enables us to live a godly life here and now. You see, the Christian in this present age, is surrounded by grace \u2013 in the past and in the future.<\/p>\n

When verse 13 says that we are \u201cwaiting.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 the Greek word that is used there implies eagerness. It implies an earnestness, and excitedness. It implies an anticipation. Many people fear the second coming of Christ. But that is not a proper Christian emotion. What Christ has done for us in the past to clear us of our sins and to fully and finally justify us before a Holy God creates and produces in us a joyful and happy anticipation of His coming again. When we understand the finality of the cross \u2013 and the trueness of our justification –\u00a0it erases all fear of the return of Christ. It does so because we know we\u2019re good. We know we don\u2019t have judgment or hell to fear. We know we have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ and counted as always having obeyed.\u00a0Therefore, we are enabled to live godly lives in this present age and await with eagerness for the second coming of Christ.<\/p>\n

Christ\u2019s appearing in glory will be a joyous thing for the believer. It is truly something to look forward to.<\/p>\n

He who appeared lowly and poor the first time, will appear in great glory the next time. The Person of Grace who died the death of a criminal in our place, will appear again as the King of the Universe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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… + Titus 2v11-13 This\u00a0portion of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":1811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[205,206,274,277,298,334,450,551,557,559,562,567,678,679,698,699,709,747,754,834,839,867,877,927,1014,1050,1051,1056,1088,1109,1211,1226,1257],"class_list":{"0":"post-1717","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-theology","8":"tag-bible","9":"tag-biblical","10":"tag-christ","11":"tag-christian","12":"tag-coming","13":"tag-cross","14":"tag-ethics","15":"tag-glory","16":"tag-god","17":"tag-godliness","18":"tag-gospel","19":"tag-grace","20":"tag-jenkins","21":"tag-jesus","22":"tag-josh","23":"tag-joshua","24":"tag-justification","25":"tag-life","26":"tag-living","27":"tag-morality","28":"tag-motivation","29":"tag-new","30":"tag-obedience","31":"tag-paul","32":"tag-rags","33":"tag-resurrection","34":"tag-return","35":"tag-riches","36":"tag-sanctification","37":"tag-second","38":"tag-surrounded","39":"tag-testament","40":"tag-titus","41":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/glory-4.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2186,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/four-marks-of-gospel-centered-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":0},"title":"Four Marks of a Gospel-Centered Church","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\"When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "theology"","block_context":{"text":"theology","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/theology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/architect-church-photo3-l-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1348,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-most-dangerous-false-teacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":1},"title":"The Most Dangerous False Teacher","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"My church is currently going through book of Titus in our Sunday worship service. I recently had the responsibility to preach two sermons on Titus 1v10-16. Titus 1v10-16 deals with the problem of false teachers and the pastor\u2019s responsibility to rebuke them. Without a doubt false doctrine can cause catastrophic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Preaching"","block_context":{"text":"Preaching","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/preaching\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2175,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/protecting-gospel-purity-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":2},"title":"Protecting Gospel Purity in the Church","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\"The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Preaching"","block_context":{"text":"Preaching","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/preaching\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/great-ocean-walk-couple_gor_r_1374425_1150x863.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/great-ocean-walk-couple_gor_r_1374425_1150x863.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/great-ocean-walk-couple_gor_r_1374425_1150x863.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/great-ocean-walk-couple_gor_r_1374425_1150x863.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/great-ocean-walk-couple_gor_r_1374425_1150x863.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1355,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-false-fascinations-of-jewish-myths\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":3},"title":"The False Fascinations of Jewish Myths","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cTherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.\u201d + Titus 1v13b-14 In the context of this passage, Paul is writing to Titus who Paul has left in Crete in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/04\/the-darkness.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2093,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-walk-through-titus-3v3-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":4},"title":"A Walk Through Titus 3v3-7","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "theology"","block_context":{"text":"theology","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/theology\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/fly-fishing-missouri_82110_600x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/fly-fishing-missouri_82110_600x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/06\/fly-fishing-missouri_82110_600x450.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1712,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-gospel-at-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":1717,"position":5},"title":"The Gospel at Work","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. + Titus 2v9-10 The first obvious word that we notice in our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"bible\"","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/tag\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/work-and-cancer-jeremy-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}