For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
- Titus 2:11-14
Paul’s words to Titus here are a great summary of the gospel. God’s grace is not only about forgiveness but also about transformation. Grace appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Grace teaches us how to live. Grace shapes us into a people eager for good works. In today’s society, it is easy to reduce grace to a ticket to heaven or to sentimental comfort. Yet Paul insists that grace is power. It redeems, purifies, and trains.
Paul begins in verse 11 with a declaration: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Grace is not an abstract idea but a historical event. The “appearing” points to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. When Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again, grace became visible. The invisible mercy of God took on flesh and blood. Our faith is not built on concepts or feelings but on God’s decisive action in history. Grace is embodied in Jesus.
Grace brings salvation “to all people.” This does not mean everyone will automatically be saved, but that the offer of salvation is extended to all. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free—all have access. Grace demolishes dividing walls and invites all to participate.
Then Paul goes further by saying that grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (verse 12). Grace is not just for the forgiveness of our sins, but it also instructs. The word “teaches” carries the sense of discipline and training. Grace is like a coach shaping us into maturity. We are not saved by our own effort, nor does this mean we can live however we want.
Grace enables us to reject ungodliness and worldly passions. Ungodliness means living as though God does not exist. Worldly passions include greed, lust, envy, and the relentless pursuit of pleasure and status – all things that go against God. Through following God, we get trained to resist these temptations.
Not only are we trained against the negative things through grace, but also toward the positive things. We learn self-control, upright behavior, and how to walk with God in our daily lives. Our whole person should be shaped by the grace that we have received from God.
Paul continues in verse 13: “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Christian living is forward-looking. We live in “this present age,” but our eyes are on the next. We are focused on our present situations, but we need to maintain an eternal perspective as well. The “blessed hope” is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation that Christ will return in glory. Paul calls Jesus “our great God and Savior,” which is one of the clearest affirmations of Christ’s divinity in the New Testament. The One who appeared and brought us grace will appear again in glory.
Our modern church often loses sight of eternity. We tend to focus on the short-term of building programs, social influence, or personal success. Yet Paul reminds us that the ultimate hope is not in cultural relevance or political victories but in Christ’s ultimate return. Churches must cultivate an eternal perspective. Preaching should remind believers that this world is temporary. Worship should point forward to the second coming of Christ and His eternal victory. Pastoral care should anchor people’s hope not in circumstances but in Christ’s promised coming.
Finally, Paul explains why Christ came: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (verse 14). The cross of Christ is not only about forgiveness of guilt but deliverance from slavery. Christ gave himself to free us from the power of sin. This means the church cannot settle for superficial Christianity. Salvation is not just a ticket to heaven but liberation from our captivity to sin.
Grace should not produce passive Christians but zealous ones. The natural response to redemption should be eagerness to glorify the God who redeemed us. For believers today, this means discipleship must overflow into mission. A grace-shaped community cannot be apathetic. We must be eager to serve God and embody what He calls us to do in every sphere of life.
Churches must avoid reducing grace to mere comfort or forgiveness. Grace is past (Christ appeared), present (training us), and future (Christ’s return). Grace trains us, but training requires intentionality. Churches must build structures for spiritual growth: mentoring, Bible study, accountability groups, and spiritual disciplines. We need communities where believers are equipped to resist worldly passions.
Holiness matters. In an age of compromise, the church must be marked by purity, love, and humility. This is not about moral superiority but about belonging to Christ. Good works are not optional extras. They are the fruit of redemption. Whether through acts of compassion, integrity in business, or sacrificial service, followers of Christ must be known for doing good as a result of God’s grace.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
0 comments:
Post a Comment