Titus: Transformed by Grace: Part 7

Grace shapes the way believers live publicly calling us to humility, mercy, and a readiness for good works in a world that does not share our faith.

By ANDREW WELLER

Read Time: 6 minutes

Titus: Transformed by Grace: Part 7
Ready For Every Good Work: Living the Gospel in Public

By the time we reach Titus 3, Paul has already shown us what grace does in the life of the ecclesia. It teaches, it trains, it transforms. Now, he turns our focus outward. What does grace look like in public? In society? Among unbelievers?

This chapter reminds us that the gospel is not only personal—it’s public. Not only internal—it’s relational. Paul wants Titus to teach believers how to live out their faith in a world that doesn’t share it. And that begins with a call to good works.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. (Titus 3:1).1

The gospel is not just about what we avoid. It’s about what we pursue. Believers are to be ready—not reluctant, not reactive—but ready for every good work. This requirement means being alert to opportunities. Willing. Eager. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for them (Ephesians 2:10). And those good works are often public.

This article explores Paul’s instruction in Titus 3:1-8 on how to live gospel-shaped lives in the public square. He addresses:

1. Our posture toward society (verses 1-2)
2. Our memory of who we were (verse 3)
3. God’s mercy and salvation (verses 4-7)
4. Why good works still matter (verse 8)

Let’s begin where Paul does: with our posture toward the world.

Our Posture Toward Society

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 3:1-2).

These verses are deeply countercultural—then and now. In a Roman world marked by injustice and brutality, Paul calls for a respectful public demeanor. And in our modern context of political outrage and constant friction, the challenge is just as relevant.

Christ’s followers are not to be anarchists or agitators. We’re not to be the loudest critics or the most cynical voices. We’re to be submissive and obedient—not because authorities are always good, but because God has appointed them (Romans 13:1). Our calling is not rebellion, but readiness—for every good work.

And this readiness shows up in our speech. “Speak evil of no one.” “Avoid quarrelling.” Imagine what our witness would look like if we simply obeyed that one verse. No character assassination. No slander. No gossip. No social media tirades. Just gentleness and courtesy.

The word Paul uses for “courtesy” is powerful. It speaks of humility, consideration, and kindness. And it’s not just for those who agree with us—it’s for “all people.” That’s the shape of gospel citizenship. We don’t blend in, but we don’t attack either. We reflect the grace we’ve received by extending it to others. We live with conviction and compassion. And we’re always ready for good.

This posture doesn’t mean we abandon discernment or stop standing for what is true. But it changes how we engage. It reminds us that the goal is not to win culture wars, but to win hearts for Christ. Gentleness doesn’t mean weakness; it means strength under control. It’s the fruit of someone who knows they are held by grace and doesn’t need to prove their worth.

Our Memory of Who We Were

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. (Titus 3:3).

Paul doesn’t let us stand in superiority over others. He brings us back to our own story. Before grace, we were no different. He lists seven descriptions—not to shame us, but to humble us:

• Foolish: spiritually blind, unable to see clearly
• Disobedient: unwilling to submit to God’s authority
• Led astray: deceived by sin, culture, and our own hearts
• Slaves to passions and pleasures: not in control, but controlled
• Living in malice and envy: resenting others’ success, plotting their downfall
• Hated by others: breaking relationships
• Hating one another: mutually destructive, relationally toxic

These characteristics are what sin does. It disorients. It isolates. It corrupts. And Paul’s point is simple: remember this. Remember who you were. Don’t look down on unbelievers. Don’t withdraw in fear. Don’t lash out in frustration. Remember that without God’s mercy, we’d still be there too.

This memory creates mercy. It produces patience. It softens our tone. When we know what we’ve been saved from, we treat others not with judgment, but with longing—for them to know the same grace. And this remembrance builds solidarity. It helps us connect rather than retreat. Instead of seeing the world as “us versus them,” we recognise a shared need. Grace isn’t a trophy for the righteous. It’s rescue for the wrecked.

God’s Mercy and Salvation

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us. (Titus 3:4-5).

Here’s the turning point. Into our foolishness and hatred, God intervened—not with condemnation, but with kindness. His salvation is not a reward. It’s a rescue. Paul piles up words for God’s love: goodness, loving kindness, mercy. These are not abstract virtues. They are embodied in Christ. When Jesus appeared, grace appeared (Titus 2:11). And now Paul says kindness appeared too.

Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. (Titus 3:5).

This thought is the heart of the gospel. We are not saved because we are good, or try hard, or have turned our lives around. We are saved because God is merciful. Our righteousness had nothing to do with it. Grace is not God helping those who help themselves. It’s God saving those who could never help themselves.

By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. (Titus 3:5–6).

Saving us was not a legal transaction—it was personal. We have been washed. We have been made new. The Spirit through His word renews us from the inside out. This reform is not a judicial pronouncement. It’s a spiritual rebirth. And it’s not stingy. Paul says God poured out the Spirit richly. This act is the generosity of grace. God doesn’t hold back. He gives Himself. He gives new life.

So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7).

We are justified—declared righteous—by grace. And more than that, we are adopted. Heirs. Brought into God’s family with a guaranteed future. Eternal life is not just an abstract hope. It’s an inheritance we now possess. This reminder is essential. If we forget that our salvation is entirely a gift, we will lose our joy and flatten our witness. But when we live with the awareness of God’s mercy, our lives become both grateful and gracious.

Why Good Works Still Matter

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. (Titus 3:8).

Grace doesn’t produce laziness. It produces zeal. Once again, Paul ties belief to behavior. Those who have believed must be devoted to good works, not as a way of earning salvation, but as the fruit of it. And notice the word Paul uses: devote. This word is not passive. It’s intentional. We plan. We prepare. We commit ourselves to doing good. To be devoted is to arrange your life around something or someone. It’s not about random acts of kindness when convenient—it’s about a lifestyle. A pattern. A mindset that looks for ways to bless others, build up the body, and reflect God’s character in tangible ways.

Good works matter because they’re a visible outworking of an invisible grace. They become the evidence that grace has taken root. They beautify the gospel. As Paul wrote earlier: “So that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.” (Titus 2:10).

“These things are excellent and profitable for people.” (Titus 3:8). Good works are not just pious extras. They are favorable for the world. They’re a blessing to others. They show the goodness of God in tangible form. This disposition describes what it means to live the gospel in public. We are humble citizens. We are merciful neighbors. We are eager servants. And through it all, we are living proof that grace not only saves—it transforms.

So let’s be ready. Let’s remember our rescue. Let’s walk in humility. Let’s build communities where grace shapes culture, where mercy informs our tone, and where good works become normal—not for applause, but for witness. And let’s devote ourselves—not just occasionally, but constantly—to lives that speak clearly of the One who saved us.

Andrew Weller,
Cumberland Ecclesia, SA