SAYING "NO"
21st Aug 2024
Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
We usually think of “The grace of God” as a source of blessing and help to us in our daily walk with God. We often say the “Grace” at the end of a service and speak the words over each other. What are we seeking to impart as we say the familiar words? Here we find that grace teaches us to say “No”.
Our lives are surrounded by temptations and things that lead us towards selfishness and seek to undermine our walk with God. Paul is telling Titus that God’s grace gives you the power the say “No” to these temptations.
In so much of life these days we seem to have lost the power of “No”. When we were bringing up our five children the word “No” was used frequently to control and guide. We didn’t have a discussion, we didn’t always give reasons, we spoke a single word and expected it to be obeyed. “No” was not just negative word, but was often used to protect our children from danger.
Here Paul says, “It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions.” There is so much going on that can pull us away from following and obeying Jesus with all our hearts. We can get caught up watching programmes on TV that are unhelpful and positively corrupting - they don’t do us any good. Just say “No” and switch off the TV.
We can get caught up in critical attitudes about people we know and who have offended us, and we want to get back at them. We need to say “No” to gossip and negative speech.
Paul concludes this passage, “Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (v14)
It is time for us to reclaim the power of “No” and not only use it to resist temptation, but use it positively to live lives that are pleasing to Jesus our Saviour.
by Charles Sibthorpe
