Titus chapter 3

vs 1

Paul doesn't always mean some sort of demonic force when he's talking about authorities and rulers (as some people think). The context here makes it fairly obvious he's talking about your regular garden-variety kind of human political and legal rulers. The call to obedience is separate from that, so we could assume that it is more to do with obedience to God. It's probably more in line with the idea of not causing trouble and making people think ill of Christians.

More pro-actively, we must be ready to do what is good when the opportunity arises. Ready in this sense probably also includes a willingness as much as a physical preparedness or alertness.

vs 2

It very much sounds like Christians should be model citizens. They shouldn't be causing strife, and the entire Christian community should be a peaceable one and humble. It's not always easy to be humble in our society, especially since we don't really respect those who allow others to walk over them. I think we could stand to have a better understanding of humility than the simple definition we usually give it. Studies on Jesus' humility would be very worthwhile.

vs 3

It's just not a good way to live. You read those verses, and you think "Did I really live like that?" Some of us still do in parts, but can look at the work the Spirit has done and how far he has brought us, and that is greatly comforting.

vs 4

Do the physical descriptions of God's qualities revealing themselves always refer to Christ? I'm not sure, but I would say that this is what the incarnation is all about. Paul's description of it this way makes that point all the more powerful.

vs 5

Do we focus on God's grace more than his mercy? I wonder. The Holy Spirit is vitally involved in our salvation as well as our transformation. It gives rebirth and renewal. Worth remembering.

vs 6

And of course our access to the Holy Spirit is only through Jesus Christ. I don't know if that means the Holy Spirit never works on people who don't have Christ. That would require a more systematic theological approach. But for the purposes outlined here, that seems to be what it says.

vs 7

The purpose of our justification and of God's grace is that we might be heirs of eternal life and hope. These two things can't really be separated - our hope only exists because of our inheritance.

vs 8

If we are to focus on these things, then it should make us careful to devote ourselves to doing good. Paul cannot praise these ideas enough, they are excellent and profitable. The orthopraxical link between understanding God's grace and mercy to us through Christ and the Holy Spirit, along with our attitude towards government and authority and society are all worthwhile pursuits for discussion, contemplation, and teaching.