Pause and chew on them a bit, and the first eight verses of Titus 3 are like drinking from a fire hose (I know, I’ve mixed my metaphors . . . maybe I should have said it’s like gorging yourself at a buffet).

There’s another one of those “but God” verses (v.4), having a similar ring to Ephesians 2:4, washing over me with similar waves of wonder, awe, and blessing. Despite who we once were, “foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy” (v.3), the “goodness” of God appeared to save us. Clearly not because of any “works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy” (v. 5a).

Then there’s the mechanics of salvation laid out (v. 5b-7). The negative operation of washing us of our filth through regeneration and the positive operation of renovating us by the Holy Spirit. The Triune dynamic of God the Father pouring out on us richly God the Spirit through God the Son (v.6). Talk about heaven meeting earth in a jaw-dropping manner and with a life-changing impact! And it happened to this guy in this chair!

But wait, there’s more. Having been “justified by grace”, I’ve also become an heir. Regeneration and renewal being the means of adoption, and adoption becoming the right to own as my mine “the hope of eternal life” (v.7).

But here’s the thing — actually the two things — that hit home this morning. First, Paul wants Titus to keep hooking up God’s people to this gospel fire hose — to keep sending them to the bounty of salvation’s buffet table — so that they would “be careful to devote themselves to good works” (3:8). That’s what Titus 2 and 3 have been all about, good works. About teaching “what accords with sound doctrine” (2:1). About how God’s people should live in light of the gospel “so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (3:10).

The second thing is the context of these fire hose verses that have been washing over me.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

(Titus 3:1-2 ESV)

Show perfect courtesy toward all people . . . that’s the main course this morning. That’s a command to obey.

And the Spirit through Titus says we are to do what God has commanded because we ourselves were once foolish . . . BUT the goodness of God our Savior appeared . . . and we were saved, washed, and renewed . . . justified by grace . . . so that we might be heirs of eternal life . . . so that we would be careful to devote ourselves to good works. And in this particular case, I see those “good works” summed up in this command: Show perfect courtesy.

Not toward some people. But toward all people. Those in our tribe and those outside our tribe. Those aligned with our views, those not so aligned. Those who are sinners saved by grace, just like as, and those who may yet be sinners saved by grace, as we once were.

Show perfect courtesy toward all people. It’s not compromise, it’s commanded. It’s not weak, it’s meek. It’s not woke, it’s the Way.

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

(2Timothy 2:24-25)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. . . . But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

(James 1:19-20, 3:17)

Like I said, a lot to chew on. Sort of like drinking from a fire hose.

Such is God’s grace — grace received, grace reciprocated.

All for God’s glory.