從前與今天的我
提多書三章1至8節
1你要提醒眾人，叫他們順服作官的、掌權的，遵他的命，預備行各樣的善事。
2不要毀謗，不要爭競，總要和平，向眾人大顯溫柔。
3我們從前也是無知，悖逆，受迷惑，服事各樣私慾和宴樂，常存惡毒（註：或作“陰毒”）、嫉妒的心，是可恨的，又是彼此相恨。
4但到了神我們救主的恩慈和他向人所施的慈愛顯明的時候，
5他便救了我們，並不是因我們自己所行的義，乃是照他的憐憫，藉著重生的洗和聖靈的更新。
6聖靈就是神藉著耶穌基督我們救主厚厚澆灌在我們身上的，
7好叫我們因他的恩得稱為義，可以憑著永生的盼望成為後嗣（註：或作“可以憑著盼望承受永生”）。
8這話是可信的。我也願你把這些事切切實實地講明，使那些已信神的人留心做正經事業（註：或作“留心行善”）。這都是美事，並且與人有益。
信息分享
基督為我們所做的一切，可以用「救」這個字概括起來。因著祂的拯救，我們才能免於走上滅亡之途，同時踏上神為我們預備的道路。「我們」是指歷世歷代接受救恩，將來會在天家相聚的男女。當中包括新約時代的聖徒，也包括所有信基督的人。
基督把我們從哪個光景拯救出來呢？保羅在第3節所描述的，正是我們得蒙拯救前的寫照，一個糟糕的光景。有些人也許比較高尚，可是，在基督拯救我們之前，我們所有人都只是永遠沉淪的罪人。
基督救了我們，使我們在祂裡面得著新生。我們既已重生，聖靈便住在我們心中。於是，保羅在第7節指出，我們在神面前的新身份，我們得稱為義──那就是說，在神的眼中，祂看我們在基督裡得以完全；我們得以站在神面前並與祂相交。
神更使我們與基督一同成為後嗣（7節）。試想想，我們由原先第3節所描述的光景，變到享有第4至7節在基督裡的地位，實在是何等巨大的轉變！這不是因為我們做了甚麼，而是基督因著神的憐憫和恩慈為我們作成這一切。為甚麼不用一些時間回想自己從前的光景，檢視神在我們生命中的作為，為我們帶來的改變呢？最後，當然要為這一切恩典，感謝讚美神。
WHAT WE WERE AND WHAT WE ARE NOW
Titus 3: 1-8
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Message
Then “saved” is so often used in referring to what Christ has done. It means to be kept from what otherwise would have happened to us and also to be kept for what God has planned for us. And the word “us” covers the great crowd of men and women who will all meet in heaven some day. It includes the New Testament saints and all who have believed in Christ since then.
What has Christ saved us from? Paul spells it all out in verse 3. It is not a nice picture but then that is what we were before Christ came in. Some people lived better lives than others but we were all sinners bound for a lost eternity until Christ stepped in and saved us.
Christ saved us and in doing so He gave us new life in Himself. We were born again and we received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Then in verse 7 Paul tells us of our new standing before God. We were justified - that means that in God’s sight He sees us in Christ as being perfect. It means we can stand before Him and have fellowship with Him.
And He has made us joint heirs with Christ (v.7) Think of all the changes that have come into our lives, from what we were as described in verse 3 and our position now in Christ as seen in verses 4-7. It is not because of what we have done but because of what Christ has done for us in the mercy and goodness of God. Why not take time to think back over your life and see what God has done, and what changes He has made in your life? Then of course, take time to praise Him for all of these.