Are You Eager to Do Good?

While reading this week in the New Testament, I came across a passage I have read many times in the past. However, this week a particular question jumped off the page at me as I considered the text, Am I eager to do good? On many levels, it brought conviction just thinking about it. I ask you today, “Are you eager to do good?”

Why Should We Be Eager to Do Good?

In the church there were those who were both 1) not eager to do good, and 2) who were teaching false doctrine. Paul writes to Titus to instruct him on how best to serve the church. He describes how important it is to teach what is right in order for people in the church to live consistent with the Bible. Paul instructs Titus, “But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching” (Titus 2:1). In other words, explain to people how they should live according to God’s Word. Teach people well.

Paul then explains what that kind of teaching looks like in a series of verses that relate to men, women, young men, and young women.

Notice how Paul explains what should motivate this kind of living for the Lord. This is the portion that really stood out to me.

¹¹ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

Let me highlight just a key line or two in these four verses. Upon salvation, the follower of Christ begins to live a life that is self-controlled, upright, and godly rather than living according to worldly desires and godless. Paul points us to our great example Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to set us free from continually living for ourselves to instead live for Him. In Christ, a special people who are eager to do good.

This is it.

What Does Doing Good Look Like?

How exactly should we seek to do good today? Great question.

If we desire to do good, we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. At salvation, positionally in Christ, we did formally deny ungodliness and worldly lust. We chose to live for Jesus Christ and not ourselves. Instead of living according to what we want, we asked Jesus to be Lord of our lives and live according to His desires not our own. This started a process that continues today.

The power of worldly lusts over us has been broken. Because of our relationship with Christ, we now can and even desire to live for Jesus. Since this is the case, we learn to identify those places in our lives dominated by ungodliness or by serving our own lusts. When we do, we seek to alleviate any thought, attitude, or behavior that flows out of worldly lusts (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) and is ungodly.

In its place, we strive to live with self-control, righteousness, and in a godly way. Instead of being a slave to our own passions, we practice self-control. Instead of living ungodly, we practice righteousness. We do these things because God changed our hearts at salvation. Ultimately both the desire for change and power of change are provided in Christ.

We do these things as we look forward to that great day when in eternity we can all celebrate together that in a small way we were able to live like our great example and mentor, our big brother and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are You Eager to Do Good?

What motivates you today?

Are you eager to do good? Are you striving to live self-controlled, upright, and godly?

Or, it is possible that you are living according to worldly lusts and ungodly?

As followers of Jesus Christ, with Him as our great example, my prayer for you and me today is that we would be eager to do good.

Image Credit Nathan Lemon