“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 this present world. 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Titus was God’s man to preach the gospel to the people on the Island of Crete. Titus 2:11-13 gives us the content of the message that he was to preach to the unruly people of Crete. It was a message of God’s grace. The message of God’s grace has not changed. It is still the message that we are to give to the world. The message is, and always will be, a message of the grace of God. Grace is defined as “God’s unmerited favor.” This means that we do not deserve all that God has done for us, but He has done it, and is doing it, today. These two verses show us the essence of the profound grace that we are to share with the world. Paul reminded Titus, “for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” God’s grace is inclusive. The gospel that we preach is intended to reach all people, not just people of whom we approve, or with whom we are comfortable. There is no one who is so sinful that God’s grace cannot reach him or her. This doesn’t mean that all people will respond positively to God’s grace, but it does mean that this grace is available to them. This is why Jesus commanded His disciples, and us, to go into the entire world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why missionaries are being sent all over the world. The message of grace, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is meant to be shared with the whole world. This means that the gospel is to be carried to remote places where people are uninformed, and it is to be carried to the erudite and sophisticated people of the world as well. We should not forget that “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all (people).” Paul reminded Titus, “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” God’s grace is instructive. When people accept Jesus Christ as Savior, their lives are changed. This is what the gospel of grace instructs us to share with God’s people. The grace of God brings profound change into the lives of the people who embrace it. There is no better example of the life-changing nature of the gospel than Paul himself. He knew what it meant to be touched by the grace of God and to turn from being a hateful person to being a loving person who would share the gospel of grace all over the Roman Empire, and thus to the world. It was said of the people of Crete, that they “are always liars, evil beasts…” (Titus 1:12) Titus was to take the profound message of grace to even the “liars” and “evil beasts” of Crete. The grace of God could transform their lives as well as the most amiable of people. Grace teaches us that we are to deny ungodliness and to shun worldly lusts, and that we are to live “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” Grace still teaches this truth today. Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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