Scripture Reference: Titus 2:11-15
Something Wonderful
As we have seen, the Apostle emphasizes this grace, this appearing of Christ’s glory as our “blessed hope.” How will things be when our hope is realized? Immeasurably the better! It is often said that for believers, “the best is yet to be.” It is an understated absolute truth. Though the future may have many a dark shadow over it and there may be many hard things to bear, it still remains true that the best is yet to be. That is wholly because of our “blessed hope.” The hope of the second coming is a hope whose realization will bring wonderful blessing into the lives of believers everywhere. Here are two examples:
The blessing of resurrection:
“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).
The blessing of comfort:
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4).
A Divine Savior?
It has been argued that when Paul speaks about the appearing of our “great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” he is actually referring to two persons, “the great God,” that is, our Father, and our “Savior, Jesus Christ.” Nevertheless, for grammatical and theological reasons it becomes apparent for giving the preference, as the NIV does, to a one person reference. What we have here in this verse is an ascription of deity to Jesus Christ, for He is our “great God and Savior.”
At the level of Greek grammar, for example, the verse is constructed in such a way that this is the most natural way to translate it. The facts are as follows: There are two nouns in the same case, “God” and “Savior.” The first one has the definite article “the” and the other does not, yet they are joined together as one by the conjunction “and.” When you come across such a construction in Greek the reference is to one person and one person alone.
To quote from the late theologian James M. Boice:
“Since Paul is writing of the second coming and sudden appearance of Jesus both words must refer to him, for it is not God the Father who is going to appear suddenly but rather ‘our great God and Savior’ who is ‘Jesus Christ.’ ”
The Savior, therefore, for whose appearing we are eagerly and expectantly waiting, is a divine Savior.
Jesus’ Self-Giving
Now, continuing on in the next verse, the Apostle reminds us of what this divine Savior did for us when He appeared the first time; He “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.” It is a picture of remarkable condescension and overflowing love. For we know what this self-giving involved. It involved the death of the cross. To every aspect of its sufferings, from the betrayal, the arrest, the trial, to the crucifixion itself with its shame and God-forsakenness, He freely “gave himself.” You might wonder the reason? It was for our redemption and purification.
To Be Continued
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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