By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador
Kua puta mai hoki te aroha noa o te Atua e ora ai nga tangata katoa, Hei whakaako i a tatou, kia whakakahoretia e tatou te karakiakore me nga hiahia o te ao, kia noho whakaaro tatou, i runga ano i te tika, i te karakia pai, i tenei ao
Auā o le alofa tunoa o le Atua ‘ua aumai ai le fa‘aolataga, ‘ua fa‘aalia lea i tagata uma lava. O lo‘o a‘oa‘o mai ‘iā te i tatou ia lafoa‘i le amio fa‘alēmata‘u, ma tu‘inanau fa‘alelalolagi. A ‘ia tatou nonofo fa‘autauta ma le amiotonu ‘atoa ma le amioatua i lenei lalolagi
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation 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
Titus 2:11-12
These are tumultuous days.
Nato jets are scrambled at a Russian drone incursion into Poland. The Middle East seems like a powder keg, and the assassination of a young Christian leader in the US has sent shockwaves around the world.
Paul writes to Titus on the Island of Crete in turbulent times. Nero is ruling the Roman Empire; crucifying Christians, burning them alive, and feeding them to wild animals.
On the island of Crete, Christians are being isolated and increasingly excluded from mainstream society. The drum beats of oppression are growing louder. The suspicion and ridicule are increasing.
Stephen McAlpine observes that the ruling powers of today's culture are increasingly opposed to the Christian ethos and ethics. The result is a continuation in the cultural squeeze, snipping and sniping at Christian schools, and pushing the radical sexual agenda.
At the same time we observe (around the country and around the West) God’s grace through what some are calling a 'quiet' revival. People, particularly young people, are increasingly tired of marching to the cultural drumbeat and are searching for meaning.
In the tempest of the times at Crete, Paul writes to encourage the church that God is powerfully at work, both in his people and in the world.
The appearance of God’s grace means saying 'no' to being reactionary, rebellious and revolutionary in worldly ways.
In the turmoil of the times, God’s grace calls us to be reformational. We're called to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives together as church families, online, at work, during school, and through our retirement.
Living godly lives means allowing God’s grace to grip our desires—to act justly, to work fairly as we live graced lives amongst the pagans.
In the tumult of those times and these times, this is the real revolution: to faithfully and obediently live, work, and play in a radically grace-filled way.
