'God's marvelous grace.." - Titus 2:11-13 (TPT)

God laid out his grace in the form of a baby, which shows us that grace has nothing to do with our effort to be better or different, it was His unmerited favor which He extended to us in the first person. 

We are made “worthy” because of His kindness and love, which was shown to us in such an incredible way. God’s love is unconditional, unmerited, and most certainly indescribable. It is His favor He has extended to us that is beyond all reckoning, it is overwhelming and never-ending.

I have heard it said that Jesus died for the elect, the ones He chose before the beginning of the creation of the world; this is called pre-destination. The only problem with pre-destination is we can’t put ourselves in a position of judging in a concept that segregates those saved from unsaved, or “us and them,” for only God is the only one who knows the answer to who is determined to be saved or not. 

This passage is Titus 2 says clearly that God’s marvelous grace has been extended to everyone, not just a select few. All of God’s creation belongs to Him and Him alone, the only determining factor is if He draws us unto Himself by His redeeming grace. 

There is a misconception in Evangelical Christian circles that we make a choice (or a decision) for Christ, in actuality, it is the opposite, Jesus has already made His decision for us and paid for our Salvation, lock, stock, and barrel. Jesus already decided to save us; our response is not to decide to accept Him as our Savior but to receive Him and this free gift He gives to everyone.

Paul goes on to say that it is “this same grace teaches us how to live each day,” it is no longer about living with a self-righteous attitude thinking somehow I am better than everyone else because I am a special child of God or that He loves me better than others. It recognizes that God loves and equips us all (everyone) with the same love and grace and to realize that we are complete in Him, but at the same time, we need each other to speak into our lives through the collective mind of Christ. 

Here is the beauty of how Jesus set up the Church to operate as a loose collective of believers who hear Jesus speak and are committed to the benefit of seeing His bride (the Church) come together in unity.

Paul continues this thought of how to live as a believer, “we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles.” 

Paul  leaves no room for the imagination here; he makes it clear that now that grace has penetrated our lives and we have tasted the glorious gift of salvation in Christ, we turn away (now by decision) from anything that does not look like the love of Jesus.

“For enough time in the past has been spent doing the will of the unbelievers, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.” 1 Peter 4:3 (NHEB)

It is a passion of Paul that we live lives worthy of the grace we have been given, and not to spurn or diminish our testimony by an indulgent lifestyle which detracts from the life of Christ.

By making this decision, “it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.” 

There is no doubt that his present age is fixated on destruction; as a culture, the more we move away from Godly behavior and esteem a lifestyle that is focused on personal gain rather than the love of others, we too are on the wide path of destruction. 

God does give us the desire to live lives that reflect His character of love; in fact, it was Jesus who gave us the first example.

 “But if you will listen, I say to you, love your enemies and do something wonderful for them in return for their hatred. When someone curses you, bless that person in return. When you are mistreated and harassed by others, accept it as your mission to pray for them. To those who despise you, continue to serve them and minister to them. If someone takes away your coat, give him as a gift your shirt as well. When someone comes to beg from you, give to that person what you have. When things are wrongly taken from you, do not demand they be given back. However, you wish to be treated by others is how you should treat everyone else.” Luke 6:27-31 (TPT)

Paul’s attention was focused on the “joyful fulfillment of our hope in the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior.”   

The words translated “dawning splendor” is the Greek word is epiphaneia (or epiphany) which is a verb that means “a brightness shining all around.” It was through epiphaneia, the beautiful appearing of Christ as a baby.  

How much more the light of Christ appearing in us as we are changed (transformed) into His likeness as He comes to us and His light is shining through us.

The fulfillment Paul is speaking of here is when we become like Him in every way so that we are fully consumed with Christ, that is the mystery, and that is the hope of glory.

“Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!” Colossians 1:27 (TPT)

Be Blessed;

Stephen Barnett