BECAUSE GRACE HAS APPEARED
Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Paul was constantly having to deal with opposition. Some of the opposition was against him personally, and he suffered some serious physical challenges. What seems to be the most troubling opposition that Paul faced had to do with wrong doctrine, teachings, that would confuse or collapse the faith of new believers. As Paul is writing to Titus, he makes clear that grace is not a license to live however a person wants. Rather, grace teaches us how to live in the ways that honor God.
Grace that brings salvation has appeared. Paul was referencing the grace of God that was given to mankind and brings salvation to all who believe. But grace does more than bring salvation. God’s grace teaches and instructs believers to live differently. I like the NLT wording in verse twelve, “And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,” So grace is not the freedom to do what we want but the ability to live for God and deny the ways of this evil world that does not honor or acknowledge the living God, the Creator of the heavens and earth. Paul had to constantly counter the false teachers who taught grace with no boundaries. Yes, grace means we can not earn our salvation or work our way to God. But grace also means that we have received the wonderful gift of salvation, and now we are different people.
Grace has us looking for the return of Jesus. He is our great God and Savior. It was Jesus who gave Himself for us. To provide salvation and redeem, buy us back, from a lifestyle that was not honoring to God. Going back to the frankness of the NLT in verse fourteen, “He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” I love this! Grace, that came through Jesus Christ, has freed us from every kind of sin. So now we live as free people. Jesus cleansed us so we no longer have to feel the shame of sin and guilt. We are now His very own people, free, clean, and committed to doing good. It is by doing good that we show a testimony, a witness, to the dark world around us that we are different people because of what grace has done.
APPLICATION
Trying to be good is extremely difficult if we try in our own strength. Living free from sin is seemingly an impossible task unless we take grace into account. When we focus on our feelings and our tendencies, we easily lose sight of grace. But when we embrace the marvelous work Jesus accomplished for us. When we acknowledge we are changed, cleansed, and empowered by grace, then living differently with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God becomes much more obtainable. We have to acknowledge grace to live empowered by it. And by acknowledging the grace that came through Jesus, we magnify what has been done in us more than what has been done to us. We honor what Jesus has done more than our own shortcomings. Grace has appeared and is pointing the way to a different, devoted kind of life.
PRAYER
Thank You, Jesus, for what You did for me. I am changed, cleansed, and empowered to live as one of Your people. And I am committed to honoring You by doing good.