Titus 2. Day 192 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Titus 2 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Sound Doctrine That Shapes Our Lives. Grace That Trains Us. Living in Hope of Christ's Return.

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age." — Titus 2:11–12

Titus 2 shows us that what we believe should shape the way we live. Paul instructs Titus to teach sound doctrine, then immediately explains what that looks like in everyday relationships. Older men and women are called to model maturity and faithfulness. Younger believers are to grow in self-control, integrity, and good works. Even in difficult circumstances, Christians are called to live in ways that honor God and make the gospel attractive to others. Sound doctrine is not simply information we agree with on Sunday. It should be visible in our attitudes, relationships, decisions, and conduct throughout the week.

Then Paul brings everything back to the foundation of the Christian life: the grace of God. Grace does more than forgive our sins. It teaches us to turn away from ungodliness and live differently. That is an important distinction. We do not pursue holiness to earn salvation. We pursue holiness because God's grace has already come to us through Jesus Christ. The same Savior who gave Himself to redeem us is also working to purify us as a people who belong to Him and are eager to do what is good. Grace does not leave us where it found us. It changes what we love, what we pursue, and how we live.

Paul closes this section by pointing us toward "the blessed hope," the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We live between two great moments: Christ has already appeared to bring salvation, and He will appear again in glory. That future hope should shape our present lives. Titus 2 reminds us that following Jesus is not about merely avoiding what is wrong. It is about becoming people who reflect His goodness while we wait for His return. We have been saved by grace, we are being trained by grace, and we are living in hope of seeing the One who gave Himself for us.

Titus 3. Day 193 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Titus 3 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Living as People of Grace. Saved by Mercy, Not Works. Devoted to What Is Good.

"He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy." — Titus 3:5

Titus 3 brings Paul's letter to a close by showing us how the gospel should shape the way we live in the world. Paul reminds believers to respect governing authorities, be ready for every good work, avoid slander and unnecessary quarrels, and show gentleness toward everyone. Then he reminds us why humility matters: we were not always who we are today. Before Christ, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by sinful desires. That memory should keep us from looking down on others. We are not people who made ourselves better. We are people who have been rescued by grace.

At the heart of the chapter is one of the clearest explanations of salvation in Scripture. "But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us." Paul makes it unmistakably clear that salvation is not something we achieve through righteous works. It is something God gives according to His mercy. Through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, God gives us new life, pouring out His Spirit through Jesus Christ our Savior. We are justified by His grace and made heirs with the hope of eternal life. The Christian life begins not with what we have done for God, but with what God has done for us in Christ.

Paul then brings everything back to good works. Those who have believed God should be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. That is not a contradiction. Good works are not the cause of our salvation; they are the fruit of it. Paul also warns against foolish controversies and divisive arguments that distract from the mission of the church. Titus 3 leaves us with a beautiful picture of what grace produces: humble people, renewed hearts, peaceful relationships, and lives devoted to serving others. We are not saved because we are good. We do good because God, in His mercy, has saved us. Let that truth keep you humble, grateful, and ready to reflect the kindness of Christ wherever He places you.

1 John 1. Day 194 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 John 1 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

The Word of Life. Walking in the Light. The Faithfulness of God's Forgiveness.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9

First John opens with a beautiful reminder that Christianity is rooted in a real person, not simply a collection of religious ideas. John writes about Jesus as the Word of life, the One he had heard, seen with his own eyes, and touched with his own hands. The eternal Son of God had entered human history, and John was an eyewitness. He shares this testimony so that others might experience fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. At the heart of the Christian faith is an invitation into a real relationship with the living God, and John says that this fellowship brings complete joy.

John then introduces one of the central themes of his letter: "God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him." Because God is perfectly holy, those who belong to Him cannot claim fellowship with Him while deliberately walking in darkness. Walking in the light does not mean we never struggle with sin. It means we are no longer trying to hide from God or pretend that our sin does not matter. We bring our lives into His light, allow His truth to expose what needs to change, and continue depending on the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Genuine fellowship with God changes the way we live and the way we relate to one another.

The chapter closes with one of the most encouraging promises in Scripture. John says that claiming to be without sin is self-deception, but confessing our sin opens the way to forgiveness and cleansing. We do not have to cover up what Christ came to forgive. God's faithfulness and righteousness are the foundation of His promise, and the sacrifice of Jesus is what makes that forgiveness possible. First John 1 reminds us that the Christian life is not about pretending to be perfect. It is about living honestly before a holy and gracious God. Stop hiding what Jesus already died to forgive. Walk in the light, confess what needs to be confessed, and rest in the faithful mercy of the God who cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 John 2 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Jesus Our Advocate. Walking as Jesus Walked. Abiding in the Truth.

"The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked." — 1 John 2:6

First John 2 begins with one of the most comforting truths in Scripture. John tells believers that he is writing so they will not sin, but he immediately reminds us what happens when we do: "We have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one." Jesus does not abandon us when we stumble. He stands as our righteous advocate, and His sacrifice is the basis of our forgiveness. Grace is never permission to continue in sin, but it is the assurance that our hope rests in Christ rather than our ability to live perfectly. John then makes it clear that genuinely knowing Jesus should produce a growing desire to obey Him. We cannot separate loving Christ from following Christ.

John continues by bringing that obedience into our relationships. The command to love one another is not new, yet it takes on new depth through the life and example of Jesus. Anyone who claims to walk in the light while hating a brother or sister is still walking in darkness. Our love for God must become visible in how we treat people. John also warns us not to love the world or the things in it. He is not telling us to stop loving people or enjoying God's creation. He is warning against a worldly system built around sinful desires, pride, and values that compete with devotion to the Father. The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

The chapter closes with a warning about false teachers who deny the truth about Jesus. John calls believers to remain in what they heard from the beginning rather than chasing every new spiritual claim. The truth of the gospel does not need to be improved upon. We have been given the Son, and in Him we have fellowship with the Father and the promise of eternal life. First John 2 challenges us to examine both our beliefs and our lives. Are we walking as Jesus walked? Are we loving as He loved? Are we remaining in the truth He revealed? The Christian life is not about simply knowing the right answers. It is about knowing Christ, remaining in Him, and allowing His truth and love to shape the way we live every day.

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 John 3 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Children of God. A Life Transformed by Christ. Love That Moves Beyond Words.

"See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children—and we are!" — 1 John 3:1

First John 3 opens with a remarkable reminder of our identity in Christ. We are not merely forgiven sinners. We are children of God! And when Christ appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. That future hope should shape the way we live today. John explains that those who have been born of God cannot remain comfortable in a settled pattern of sin. He is not suggesting that believers never stumble, but that genuine faith produces a changed direction. Jesus came to take away our sins and destroy the works of the devil. Grace does not simply change our standing before God. It changes the way we live.

John then brings everything back to love. He points to the cross as the ultimate definition of love: "He laid down his life for us." If Christ loved us sacrificially, our love for others must become more than words. John challenges believers to respond when they see a brother or sister in need rather than closing their hearts. Love is not merely something we feel or say. It is something we do. First John 3 reminds us that our identity as God's children should be visible in both holiness and love. We do not love others to become children of God. We love because we are His children, and His love is transforming us from the inside out.

1 John 5. Day 198 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 John 5 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Faith That Overcomes. Confidence in Eternal Life. Confidence in Prayer.

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." — 1 John 5:11

First John 5 closes the letter by bringing together faith, obedience, love, and assurance. John says that everyone who believes Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and that faith is what overcomes the world. Our confidence is not found in our own strength, but in the Son of God. John makes the message unmistakably clear: eternal life is found in Jesus Christ. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son does not have life. John writes so that believers can know, not merely hope, that they have eternal life.

John also gives us confidence in prayer. "If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." Prayer is not a way of forcing God to follow our plans. It is learning to bring our desires under His will and trusting that He hears us as a loving Father. The chapter ends with a simple but serious command: "Guard yourselves from idols." Anything that takes the place in our hearts that belongs to Christ can become an idol. First John 5 leaves us with a strong foundation: believe in the Son, rest in the eternal life He gives, pray with confidence, and keep Jesus at the center of everything.

3 John 1. Day 200 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 3 John 1 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

Walking in Truth. Faithful Hospitality. Imitating What Is Good.

"I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth." — 3 John 1:4

Third John is a short and personal letter to a believer named Gaius, whom John praises for faithfully walking in the truth. His faith was not just something he believed privately. It was visible in the way he treated others, especially traveling believers who were serving the gospel. John celebrates Gaius because his hospitality and generosity were helping advance the work of Christ. It is a good reminder that supporting ministry is itself a form of ministry. We may not all preach, travel, or lead publicly, but we can all use what God has given us to strengthen those who are faithfully serving Him.

John also gives a warning through the example of Diotrephes, a man who loved to have first place and refused godly authority. Pride had turned leadership into control. In contrast, John points to Demetrius as someone with a good testimony. The lesson is simple: "Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good." Third John challenges us to ask what our lives are helping multiply. Are we making ministry harder through pride and selfishness, or are we encouraging faithfulness through generosity, humility, and truth? Walk in the truth, support what is good, and use your influence to help others follow Christ faithfully.

1 Peter 1. Day 201 - Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: 1 Peter 1 (CSB) Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan Contact Sean: seanbailey1985@gmail.com Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

A Living Hope. Faith Refined Through Trials. Called to Be Holy.

"Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." — 1 Peter 1:3

First Peter opens by reminding believers that our hope is rooted in something far more secure than our circumstances. Through the resurrection of Jesus, we have been given a living hope and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. Peter is writing to Christians who are facing hardship, and he does not minimize their suffering. Instead, he shows them that trials can refine genuine faith like fire refines gold. Our pain is real, but it is not pointless. God can use even difficult seasons to deepen our trust in Him and prepare us for the glory that will one day be revealed.

Peter then calls believers to live differently because they have been redeemed at such a great cost. We are to prepare our minds, set our hope fully on God's grace, and live as obedient children rather than returning to old patterns. "Be holy, because I am holy." Holiness is not about becoming impressive or earning God's love. It is the response of people who have been rescued by the precious blood of Christ. First Peter 1 reminds us that we have a secure hope, a faith worth refining, and a Savior worth following. When life feels uncertain, hold tightly to the hope that is alive because Jesus is alive.