How Grace Teaches and Transforms
Read Titus 2:11-12- “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”
“Grace! What is it good for?” — Depending on how you read that line, you might shout “absolutely nothin’!” Or if you know your Bible, you might say, “It’s the offer of salvation.” While that last statement is true, what if grace is good for so much more?
Some people might ask, “If grace is absolutely free, doesn’t that give Christians a license to sin?” Or, “If we’ve already been given salvation and eternal life, what motivates us to live rightly?” Does the power of grace cease after we are saved? In other words, does grace only get us in the door (justification), or does it also empower us to grow (sanctification)?
In his letter to Titus, Paul is mentoring a young leader in how to shepherd a new church in Crete. Much of the letter includes moral instruction and character qualifications for leaders. But in the middle of it all, we find one of the clearest pictures of the power of grace (Titus 2:11–12). Paul speaks of the appearance of God’s grace—not just as an abstract idea, but as a person named Jesus Christ.
The Greek word for “appeared” is epephane, the root of our word “epiphany”. This paints a picture of grace breaking through people’s ignorance and spiritually dead state. Humanity could never have formed an adequate concept of God’s grace apart from its personal manifestation in Christ and His atonement. And what does the grace of God do besides bring salvation? Verse 12 instructs us to “deny ungodliness and worldly desires” and moves us to “live[ing] sensibly, righteously, and godly”. Wow! God’s grace is effectual for both salvation AND sanctification. God’s grace has us covered. It is sufficient for everything! (See 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Romans 6:14).
So does God’s absolute free grace provide license to sin? Does it encourage ungodliness? This may come as a surprise, but I can’t say I know one person who has experienced a true epiphany of God’s absolutely free grace and used it as an excuse for ungodliness. Maybe they’re out there, but I think they’re a myth. God’s grace is not a loophole — it’s a launchpad! It ignites love and thankfulness, and moves us toward “living sensibly, righteously, and godly”. I encourage you to reflect deeply on the grace of God and see if it doesn’t light a fire inside of you!
Let me ask again: grace, what is good for? Absolutely everything. Say it again.
Some people might ask, “If grace is absolutely free, doesn’t that give Christians a license to sin?” Or, “If we’ve already been given salvation and eternal life, what motivates us to live rightly?” Does the power of grace cease after we are saved? In other words, does grace only get us in the door (justification), or does it also empower us to grow (sanctification)?
In his letter to Titus, Paul is mentoring a young leader in how to shepherd a new church in Crete. Much of the letter includes moral instruction and character qualifications for leaders. But in the middle of it all, we find one of the clearest pictures of the power of grace (Titus 2:11–12). Paul speaks of the appearance of God’s grace—not just as an abstract idea, but as a person named Jesus Christ.
The Greek word for “appeared” is epephane, the root of our word “epiphany”. This paints a picture of grace breaking through people’s ignorance and spiritually dead state. Humanity could never have formed an adequate concept of God’s grace apart from its personal manifestation in Christ and His atonement. And what does the grace of God do besides bring salvation? Verse 12 instructs us to “deny ungodliness and worldly desires” and moves us to “live[ing] sensibly, righteously, and godly”. Wow! God’s grace is effectual for both salvation AND sanctification. God’s grace has us covered. It is sufficient for everything! (See 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Romans 6:14).
So does God’s absolute free grace provide license to sin? Does it encourage ungodliness? This may come as a surprise, but I can’t say I know one person who has experienced a true epiphany of God’s absolutely free grace and used it as an excuse for ungodliness. Maybe they’re out there, but I think they’re a myth. God’s grace is not a loophole — it’s a launchpad! It ignites love and thankfulness, and moves us toward “living sensibly, righteously, and godly”. I encourage you to reflect deeply on the grace of God and see if it doesn’t light a fire inside of you!
Let me ask again: grace, what is good for? Absolutely everything. Say it again.
Reflection Questions:
- Has reflecting on God’s grace ever given you an overwhelming sense of love and thankfulness for Him?
- What do you think your life would look like if you were in a continuous state of gratitude for His grace gift toward you?
Posted in Free- by the Grace of God
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