This week we are memorizing Titus 3:7 so I would like to take some time and consider the context. What does justification have to do with showing consideration to others? Let me state that a bit different. What does justification have to do with being kind to the most annoying, frustrating, unthoughtful, and generally unlikable people? Or we could get specific: What does justification have to do with showing kindness to people who cut you off in traffic? To those who step on you on their way to the top at your job?
The answer to all of these questions is everything. Justification has everything to do with treating all people with consideration and kindness. Specifically Titus 3:1-7 gives two big reasons for why we ought to show consideration to all people even the inconsiderate. First, remember what you were like before Christ started transforming you. Titus 3:3 shows us clearly that it wasn’t pretty. Second, remember that even though you were a Titus 3:3 type of person “the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared.” And He did the unthinkable: He showed eternal kindness toward you even though you had sinned against Him the infinite God and were therefore an infinite sinner. He saved you. And why did He do that? “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” In other words, be considerate to everyone and don’t use the excuse of who they are and what they are like because God showed us “consideration” (That is an understatement!) when we were shot through with wicked hearts.
Titus 3:4-6 is a marvelous exposition of the gospel. But how might we summarize this truth of God’s kindness to us in the gospel? Titus 3:7 does that for us: “so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” In other words, be kind in the face of “unkindness,” be considerate in the face of the inconsiderate because God has justified you. He has declared you righteous on the basis of Christ’s perfectly righteous life lived in your place and His spotless sacrifice made in your place on the cross for all your unrighteousness. God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5) therefore we can show kindness to the ungodly. God justified us the ungodly that we might share the goodnews of God’s grace to other ungodly people. Remember as you meditate on Titus 3:7 that God justified you if you have trusted Him alone for salvation, He showed you undeserved kindness that you might show undeserved kindness to all those around you for His glory.