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Pastor's Blog December 5, 2019

• "The Second Coming In Titus"

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Seventh-day Adventists tend to love Titus 2:11-14 for what it says about the second coming of Jesus - both how the second coming is connected to Jesus' work of redemption, and the glorious way in which his second coming is presented. 

But did you know Titus 2:11-14 uses the same word to refer to the first and second comings of Jesus Christ?  Titus 2:11 says, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (NASB).  Most Christians think this verse is referring to the moment someone gives their heart to Jesus, but that is because the translation "has appeared" is misleading.  In reality, a better translation of this phrase would be "was caused to appear" or "was caused to be manifest" - which is one of the expressions used elsewhere in the New Testament to talk about the incarnation of Jesus (cf. Luke 1:79; Titus 3:4).  And since Titus 2:11 is talking about the incarnation of Jesus Christ, it means that the phrase "the grace of God" is another name for Jesus: "For the grace of God [that is, Jesus Christ] was caused to be manifest, bringing salvation to all men."  Jesus Christ is grace incarnate!  Jesus Christ is what grace looks like in the flesh! 

And Titus 2:11-12 talks about the incarnation of God as what transforms us into people who follow Jesus, live by his grace, and turn away from ungodliness so we can turn toward righteousness "in the present age."  It is only after this point is made about the incarnation - Jesus' first coming - that Titus 2:13-14 then goes on to describe the second coming as "the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." 

According to Titus 2:13-14, we are able to look forward with hope and anticipation to Jesus' second coming because of what he did to redeem us on the cross: "who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." 

During this Advent season, when Christians everywhere remember the incarnation of Christ, let us recall in light of Jesus' work on the cross his first coming to save us and his second coming to save us.  The purpose of both advents is our salvation - and for this our Lord Jesus is worthy of our worship and praise.