Pastor Glenn’s Weblog

                Who’s the savior in Titus?  The OT prophet proclaims “I, even I, am the LORD (Yahweh), and apart from me there is no savior.” (Isaiah 43:11)  When Paul wrote this letter to Titus, he would have had an understanding that there was no savior other than Yahweh God.  Yet once in each chapter he applies the title to God and to Jesus.  Note the introduction of the book:  God “brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.”  And just one line later, “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (1:3-4)  Then in the second chapter, slaves should be subject to their masters, so that “in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.”  And just a few sentences later, “we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (2:10-13)  And finally in the third chapter, Paul puts in this marvelous statement about grace:  “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (3:4-6)

                Could there be a stronger statement of the deity of Jesus?  God is our savior; Jesus is our savior; and each said three times.  In fact, Jesus is our great God and savior!  Paul wasn’t confused; he knew exactly what he was saying, and only the Trinity doctrine explains it without contradiction.  By the way, with this line of reasoning, one can prove the deity of Jesus even in the New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses – a bible translation (not a Bible!) which goes to great length to remove any reference to Jesus’ diety.  Though they change the wording of “our great God and savior,” the argument still holds.  This is such a compelling statement of deity that even that translation couldn’t get it out!