Denying Ungodliness.

Tit 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 

Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 

Tit 2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 

Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 

Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 

Tit 2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; 

Tit 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Denying ungodliness.

Denying worldly lusts.

Live soberly.

Live righteously.

Live godly.

Do we?

Or do we make excuses for living however we please?  What sort of excuses do we make so we can indulge our vices, so to speak? I'm not talking about the blatant vices, the big nasty vices. I'm talking about the everyday, very acceptable, not considered to be vices at all- vices. We know God's way and the world's way are at odds with one another and we try to marry them. Seriously, I mean, marry God's way with the world's way, not us marrying them, that's just crazy. We try to join God's way with the world's way and we do it all the time. Maybe we believe we'd have to shut ourselves completely off from the world in order not to be caught up in the mixing  and mingling of the two. That's ideal isn't it? Shut ourselves up in some monastery type place and shut the outside world away so we aren't tempted at all by its many worldly attractions. God doesn't want us to do that though--

Joh_17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

God didn't have any of the apostles taken out of the world. Jesus didn't tell the men He chose to hole up in a place that would keep them out of the world's temptations. Jesus, Himself, did not hide from the world. Yes, we can separate ourselves from others to pray and such, but our lives weren't meant to be lived away from others.

Remember these words of our Savior-

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

We are to LET others see any good works we do (by the GRACE of GOD) so they can glorify the Father in heaven.  Our lives are to be lived so that others can glorify God.  When we are caught up in the world is there any wonder that the men we are to shine before see the world in us more than they see the anything to glorify God?

When we join with the world, keeping enough of God in our life to please ourselves and ease our conscience, Satan is pleased.

We cannot join with the world, and desire the world's approval. The only approval that should ever matter to us is our God's, our Savior's- the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ our LORD.

More on all of this tomorrow by the grace of our LORD.