Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Titus Volume 17

Paul Gives Titus the Qualities of a Sound Church Part 7

Titus 2:13 Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; KJV

Paul now affirms to Brother Titus and to we true believers today and of every era and generattion what the reception of such grace should implant into our inner man or inner woman as a buried treasure that cannot be lost and that is, "Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" (Titus 2:13) (KJV). The little phrase 'looking for' that begins this verse is translated by the Greek word prosdechomai which means (as used here) by implication to await (with confidence or patience). The little phrase 'that blessed' is translated by the Greek word makarios which means (as used here) supremely blest, that is, highly favored or fortunate (as by divine grace); well off. The English word 'hope' is translated by the Greek word elpis meaning (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope; it is literally confident expectation. In other words, Paul wanted Titus then and us today to not be waivering, wobbly, or wanting in our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ to fully save us from sin, death, and hell eternally and to keep us or guard us now in time from the many winds of doctrines that are distributed, downloaded, and diffused every single day by the devil and his ministers (2 Corthians 11:13-15). Instead, we are to be strong in faith just like the Patriarch Abraham was as it is written by Paul of him with these words to the Church @ Rome, "(As it has been written, 'I have made you a father of many nations') —before God, whom he believed, who makes the dead live, and calls the things which do not exist as though they do exist. For he who beyond hope believed on hope for him to become the father of many nations (according to that which was spoken, 'So your seed shall be'). And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (being about a hundred years old) or the deadening of Sarah's womb. He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:17-21) (MKJV). Just like the 100 year old Abraham did not waiver at God's promise to Him that he would father a child, even with his wife being 90 years old at the time, so must we not waiver concerning our redemption, restoration, and resurrection from the dead by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

When Paul writes, 'and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ', he means that we (as a collective body 'the Church') and (as individual members of His Body) are to trust and know that our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ will return for His Church (that is, all true born again believers) just prior to His 2nd Coming, as it is written by this same Apostle Paul to the Thessalonian believers with these words, "But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep/dead, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep/died in Jesus. For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep/dead. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) (MKJV).

It is also true that our Lord Jesus Christ will return for every individual member of His Mystical Body the Church that dies 'in Him' just as He did with the saint Stephen when He was murdered, mauled, and martyred for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and having faith in Him, as it is written and documented for us by Dr. Luke with these words, "And hearing these things, they were cut to their hearts. And they gnashed on him with their teeth. But being full of the Holy Spirit, looking up intently into Heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see Heaven opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. And crying out with a loud voice, they stopped their ears and ran on him with one accord. And throwing him outside the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid their clothes down at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, who was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, do not lay this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep/died." (Acts 7:54-60) (MKJV).

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say about this verse, "Expecting the grand object of our hope, eternal life. This is what the Gospel teaches us to expect, and what the grace of God prepares the human heart for. This is called a blessed hope; those who have it are happy in the sure prospect of that glory which shall be revealed. The glorious appearing this clause, literally translated, is as follows: And the appearing of the glory of the great God, even our Savior Jesus Christ. Some think that the blessed hope and glorious appearing mean the same thing; but I do not think so. The blessed hope refers simply to eternal glorification in general; the glorious appearing, to the resurrection of the body; for when Christ appears He will change this vile body, and make it like unto His Glorious Body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…