9. Who Then Is Our Saviour, God Or Jesus? – (Titus 2:13)
The Great God and our Savior Jesus
(Titus 2:13)
The answer to this question is not actually that difficult or confusing. God has always been our savior (1 Timothy 1:1, 2:3, 4:10), in that God alone created the means whereby man could be saved, that is to say whereby man could, (both before and after the fall of Adam), obtain “eternal life” (Titus 1:2-4). It is however important to understand that it was always God’s plan (will) that Jesus would be the propitiation (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2, 4:10), sent forth to shed his blood for our sins (Hebrews 9:22-28) thus becoming the redeemer (Galatians 4:5-7; Titus 2:14) and savior of the world (1 John 4:14). Jesus was always God’s redemptive plan for man’s salvation which was made before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). It was God’s plan alone that gave man this second opportunity to obtain “salvation” (which is eternal life with God the Father) made possible through the obedience of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 5:8; John 5:19, 8:28-29, 12:49-50, 15:10), being deemed an acceptable sacrifice, in that he was tempted but did not (without) sin (Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5; ) and gave his life humbly as a “lamb of God” sacrifice (John 1:29, 4:42, 6:68-69; 1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8).
Unless you were to somehow overlook all of Paul’s writings, we can easily prove that Paul never claimed Jesus to be God (the Almighty). Some have pointed to the book of (Titus 2:13), which speaks of Jesus and the Great God, who is also referenced in this same passage. The church again is neglecting several facts:
Here again, we need to first start at the beginning of this writing (Chapter 1) to prove that Paul is speaking about two different individuals.
Here in (Titus 1:3-4) Paul clearly identifies and distinguishes God from Jesus yet they are both called by the same title “Saviour”. However, Paul calls God the Father, and Jesus is called Christ (Christ is a title given to only one “man” and God is NEVER called or referred to as “the Christ”).
Titus 1:3-4 (KJV) “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 4To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour“.
I find that in (Titus Chp. 2 and 3) both God and Jesus are called Saviour apart from each other.
(Titus 2:10) “Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things”
(Titus 2:13) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Here the conjunction “and” separates God from Jesus the Christ)
(Titus 3:4) “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared”
(Titus 3:6) “Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”
An additional point to note; Paul also says:
(Hebrews 9:24) “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”