Running on Hope
Of many purpose statements Paul makes in his letters, none so clearly articulates his driven-state-of-mind as Titus 1:1-3. After stating his primary identity, “an apostle of Jesus Christ,” a “sent-out agent of the Anointed Saviour,” Paul goes on to state why he does what he does everyday. To break it down:
(1) He does it for the believers, the “elect”, without taking it for granted that they are already secured in God’s salvation. He recognises the earthly need for them to be sanctified in…
(2) …the “knowledge of the truth” which is the only source of authoritative directives for godliness which is called for in the believers on earth representing God as the truth bearers. This is the only way to guard against mere “appearance of godliness” [Cor.2].
(3) What fuels Paul’s ministry is “hope of eternal life” which he received directly from God in Christ. This hope is grounded in what was long promised (“before the ages began”) AND manifested in His Word.
(4) Word and its power is manifested through preaching, therefore the hope is also confirmed. Paul preaches the gospel by Christ’s command, and his hope is also affirmed by the preaching.
(5) Paul is therefore able to offer to Titus, “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour” in v.4.
[Titus 1:1] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, [2] in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began [3] and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; [4] To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
What is this all about? Well, it’s not easy to remain faithful in the task of living for the gospel. There are many distractions–too many to even begin to name. But when we stay focused, it can be better than merely adequate. We can thrive in the hope! Oh, to live with divine purpose, and to stay the faithful course over time, to finish the race as Paul has!
Is “hope” good enough? When it’s from God it is. It is better than anything else we might think reliable here on earth. If it isn’t all would be lost even to the ultimate things.
We have folks in Sydney running on this hope as do we. Across the “big pond” of Pacific Ocean, we hope to unite soon to continue to run together the race Christ marked out for us. Ultimately, it is a redemptive race. But it isn’t necessarily an individual race. ”The hope” by itself is strong enough because it come from God. But hope shared is stronger from where we tread.
