⁸This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

The doxology of verses 4–7 is a “trustworthy statement,” one of five times Paul assigns such a description in his pastoral writings (1 Tim. 1:15, 3:1, 4:9, 2 Tim. 2:11 and here). Of course, all Scripture is inspired and, therefore, trustworthy, even the genealogies and lists of the OT. But God uses the human author’s writing style to give weight to certain truths. This is Paul’s way of underlining, placing an asterisk, emboldening the statements (such textual devices were not conventionally used in Paul’s day). We might even call verses 3–7 a doctrinal summary statement, for the passage rises above other biblical writings in its density and saturation of truth. It is as though Paul were saying, “If you missed other things I have written, don’t miss this synopsis of truth!”

Because of this summary truth, Titus is to be confident and assertive in his teaching it. Read back over verses 3–7. Volumes have been written in attempt to unwrap the great truths briefly mentioned there. We seek to understand them, but we dare not try to “improve” on them. Of course, we need to study these truths because of the linguistic differences between English and the original Greek being used here. We are aware that the field of meanings of Paul’s actual words may differ from their English counterparts, and thus nuances may shift. The cultural influences that impact meaning in the first-century Greco-Roman culture may cause us to understand these words differently from the way Paul’s primary audience would have understood them. All these are issues  with which we must concern ourselves when it comes to “summary statements.”

However, an in-depth study of these truths that are concisely articulated in this “trustworthy statement” stands the test of sound scholarship and study. God is kind toward us who don’t deserve it and acts in grace to provide salvation and hope for the future. Our attempts at righteous deeds play no part in aiding our salvation, but the truth of our salvation impacts our motivation for doing good deeds. We need a solid understanding of God and His ways in order to live our lives the way He wants for us. And that is the purpose of knowing theology (which is the scholarly term for the knowledge of God and His ways). We can trust this summary theological statement “so that” we will “be careful to engage in good deeds.” Our security in God’s gracious salvation gives us the only reliable and reasonable motivation for doing good deeds. We are free now to do good deeds without fear of punishment, but rather with all hope, confidently.

Lord, I commit to doing good deeds because of what You have done for me.