Adorning the Gospel
Ponder: How does my behavior affect my neighbor’s attitude toward God and His word?
Scripture: “. . . that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Titus 2:10 NKJV).
Our behavior is, in a manner of speaking, the clothing in which we present the gospel. Paul instructed Titus to exhort Christians to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” If our clothing is filthy and tattered (that is, if our conduct is unbecoming), our neighbors may find it difficult to see past the adornment to focus on the beauty of God’s word. In fact, most won’t even try; they will simply turn away and remain lost.
Someone might complain: “Well, people ought to accept the truth no matter how the messenger behaves!” In an ideal sense, that’s true; but realistically, it seldom happens that way. That’s why Paul strove to live so that “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:10).
How do you magnify Christ? Can you make Him better than He really is? Of course not! How can you improve on perfection? Paul simply wanted his behavior to make it easier for people to see Jesus for what He truly is – much like a magnifying glass makes it easier to see the print on a page.
By adorning the doctrine of God, we do not add anything to it or change it in any way. Nor do we alter the truth about Jesus when we magnify Him. In both cases, we so behave as to make it easier for people to see and understand the truth about Jesus and the gospel.
There is an old adage: “How you are acting is shouting so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying.” As we seek to proclaim the good news of Jesus, may our behavior be such that it does not distract or discourage others, but helps them to accept and obey the Lord and His word!
Song: “Make Me A Channel of Blessing”
Prayer: Gracious Father, We thank You for Jesus and His gospel, and the salvation we enjoy in Christ. Help us to so live as to adorn the gospel in all things, making it easier for others to see how beautiful Jesus is. In His name, Amen.
Joe Slater (Justin, TX)