Another passage in Titus is verse 10 where Paul encourages us whether male, female or lowly slave that whatever our lot in life, we can “adorn the Scripture.”
“…showing all good faith so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous of good works. Declare these things; exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
It is a mind-blowing thought to me that despite my obvious flaws, sinful nature, past, and general messiness, that according to this passage, His grace helps me to live godly and allows me to actually “dress-up” the very Word of God!!! Let’s look at the word, “adorn.”
Our English word, “adorn” comes from the Greek word “kosmeo” which means “to make beautiful, to decorate, dress; to put in order.” !!!!!
Whoever and wherever we are in life, if He is our Savior, then He has given us the grace and power (everything we need!!!) to adorn the scripture!!!! This totally gets me excited!!!
Can you imagine that you yourself can make God’s Words beautiful?!? Your very life can actually “dress-up” the Bible for the World around you?!? How cool is that?!?
Just mind-blowing!
So…you may be asking, “How do I adorn the scripture?” Well, I have laid out a few ideas! Here is the first one:
You can adorn the Scripture:
With Love
1. First of all by Knowing God loves you! It isn’t enough to hope it or sing about it. Take Him at His Word and believe it! Believe that you are as loved as everyone else!
a. “We will never move forward in security until we believe we are loved deeply and completely.”-Beth Moore
b. Insecurity is its own form of pride. We are consumed with what people think, feel, and believe about US.
- “Feeling bad about ourselves is a way of doing penance, trying to pay for our sins by our own deeds or feeling.” The Search for Significance
c. “If a heart does not heal, it hardens.”-Beth Moore
d. How different would your day be if you woke up completely believing that you are deeply loved by God?
-Ps. 40:4
Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
e. “The extent to which you feel God’s love is dependant on your acceptance of God’s love for you.” The Search for Significance
f. “Other’s opinions of us either good or bad, cannot be the basis of a godly self-esteem. If their opinions of us are good, we are often led either to pride or to the fear of failing and losing that good opinion. If their opinions of us are negative, we may believe them and think that we can’t change. A good proper, and godly evaluation of ourselves comes from God’s Word-not other people.” The Search
2. By living a life of Selflessness because you properly understand what He has done for you.
a. II Corinthians 9
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they [6] will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
b. I Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
c. Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
d. “True Humility is an accurate appraisal of our worth in Christ. We deserved God’s righteous condemnation, yet we are the recipients of His unconditional love, grace, and righteousness through Christ. We are deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, totally accepted, and complete in Him.
Thankfulness, generosity, kindness and confidence (in Him) constitute true humility.” The Search
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The next few blog posts will cover other ways we can adorn the Scripture. But how are you doing with this one?
Do you truly believe that you are loved and adored by God? One of my all-time favorite verses is found in Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One Who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” !!!
If you are struggling with believing He loves you, then you need to ask Him to help you. Start searching out passages on His love, pray that God will reveal His love for you in a fresh way and memorize verses on the topic.
Are you loving those around you and loving selfless-ly because you understand what Christ went through for YOU?
More to come....
Love y'all!!!
Gina
