Introduction
Welcome to this edition of “My Thoughts with Dale Van De Bogart.” I would like to welcome all of our faithful and new watchers to the broadcast. As a reminder, all notes are in PDF, and located on our website, vdbm.org. Click on My Thoughts Video Series, scroll down on the page to choose the series, and download our notes.
In this week’s segment, “The Wondrous Grace of God” I will discuss these verses as they give us the clearest statement of the grace of God in the New Testament. Open your Bible to the Book of Titus 2:11-14.
What is the Grace of God?
The word “grace” has many different meanings depending on how it is used. Used as a noun, it means, “simple elegance or refinement of movement.” It can also mean, “an extended period granted as a special favor.” Used as a verb, it means, “do honor or credit to” or “be an attractive presence in or on.”
In Christian belief, grace (charis) is the free and unmerited favor of God. It cannot be earned, but God gives it freely thanks to what Jesus did on the cross. Grace gives us salvation. It also reconciles us to God, redeems us from the curse, forgives us from our sins, and gives us healing, prosperity, peace, love, and joy.
Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas pointed out that grace may be viewed from three standpoints:
- What grace is in God: It is God’s mercy comforting, wisdom planning, power preparing, and love providing. God’s grace stretches from Eden to Calvary.
- What grace is in Christ: It is saving, sanctifying, sovereign, and satisfying by the Lord Jesus Christ.
- What grace is in the believer: We will find out in out in our segment today.
Paul was able to say that he was what he was “by the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Another definition worthy of note is, “God’s grace is His active favor bestowing the greatest gift upon those who have deserved the greatest punishment.” Paul has been giving Titus instructions on how to teach various classes of people. It shows us again the connection between belief and behavior, creed and conduct.
We will learn today how God’s grace brought, taught, wrought, or made, and sought for each of us to enjoy peace and joy thanks to what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross.
Passage Text – Titus 2:11-14
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 this present world,
13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our 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.
First – What Grace Brought – Titus 2:11
What did grace bring? Grace brought salvation. Only the grace of God brings salvation. Notice what cannot bring salvation:
- The law did not do it.
- Science does not do it.
- Psychology cannot do it.
- Humanism will not do it.
- Philosophy is unable to do it.
None of these can bring you saving grace. Only through the Lord Jesus Christ can you ever achieve saving grace. Grace of God evolved a method of saving men and women. Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Notice four things about the salvation that grace has brought:
Salvation is Embodied in a Person
The Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. The name “Jesus” means “Savior.” In verse 11 there is a reference to the “incarnation” meaning “God in the flesh.” Let us take a good look at these verses
Matthew 1:21, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Luke 2:27-30, “So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.’”
These verses emphasize that salvation can only be in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a Full and Free Salvation
If grace provides it, it must be so. It means salvation is altogether of God’s providing, and therefore it is entirely free for the taking.
This is the Meaning of “Grace”
Again, let us refer back to Ephesians 2:8-10. We are saved, through faith, by grace and grace alone! Nothing else can save us, no matter what you have heard, been taught, or believe. Without accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you cannot merit any favor from God. We do not deserve it; we cannot earn it in any way. It is given to us by a good and merciful God who loves us so much that He gave up His Son, so we have an opportunity and a choice to live with Him forever. We call it “eternal life.”
It is Available to All People, Everywhere
This is the significance of the words “all men” means all of mankind, male and female. This salvation is universal in its scope. It does not mean when Jesus came to everyone who saw Him appear; it means He came to make salvation available to everyone, thank God! Romans 10:12-13, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Second – What Grace Taught – Titus 2:12
Notice ‘It teaches us…’ which means that grace trains us or disciplines us. Many people think that salvation means only having our sins forgiven and receiving a new life, but it is much more than this. The grace that saves us goes on to sanctify us in two ways:
Negatively
In verse 12, Paul states, “denying to ungodliness and worldly lusts.” The word “denying” is used in the place of “NO.” So, Paul is saying to Titus that grace teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly lust.
The word “ungodliness” refers to all that is unlike God and “worldly lusts”, or “passions” refer to any unspiritual desires as we can compare Romans 1:18-32 to both of these. The scriptural usage of the word “passions” or “lusts” may include, inordinate sexual desire, excessive alcohol use, excessive yearning for material possessions, longing for pleasure, power, or self-pleasing (1 John 2:16; Titus 3:3).
Positively
We should live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. To be saved is not just to receive a ticket to heaven; it is to be “self-controlled” (our self-ward attitude), “upright” (our man-ward attitude), and “godly” (our God-ward attitude). How do you fit into this picture?
Third – What Grace Wrought – Titus 2:13
The word “wrought” means to be worked or made. Another word used in place of wrought is “brought.” The fact that the grace of God has brought salvation means we have “blessed hope”. What is the Christian’s “blessed hope?” It is our faith in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word “hope” (elpis) means to anticipate or to have an expectation. It does not imply uncertainty; it means “a confident expectation.” The hope of Jesus’ coming is blessed indeed. Think of the One who is coming, see how He is described in verse 13, and think how He is coming:
- First to rapture the Church into His presence. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.”
- Second, to reign in great glory. Matthew 25:31, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.”
We as Christians are to live looking up! Do we live like this? Where do we look? At the world, its upsets, unrest, and sins, or are we looking for Him.
Fourth – What Grace Sought – Titus 2:14
Here are two questions to ponder. What did God’s grace seek? What was the great objective of the Incarnation? The answer is “to purify for himself a people.” It means a “different” people, a people “of His very own.” This is marvelous that the Lord should seek us because He wanted us for Himself!
This is why Jesus died:
- First, “to redeem us from all wickedness.”
- Second, “to purify for himself a people…eager to do what is good.”
Here, then, we have a description of the kind of people that Grace seeks:
- A Redeemed people – a Saved people.
- A Cleansed people – a Sanctified people.
- An Eager people – a Serving people.
In case we have emphasized grace to the exclusion of works, Paul’s paragraph closes on the note of good works. We do not work to be saved, but when we are saved, then we work with great eagerness for the glory of God.
Conclusion
To conclude our study on the “Wonderous Grace of God” today, the entire emphasis is on grace! God’s lavish favor on undeserving sinners. The apostle Paul pointed out to Titus three wonderful ministries of the grace of God along with what we learned today:
- Grace Redeems Us: We cannot save ourselves. God’s grace brings salvation to a lost people. Salvation was not discovered by sinners; it appeared to them via the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Grace Reforms Us: Salvation is not only a change in position, but it is also a change in attitude, appetite, ambition, and action. The same grace that redeems us also reforms our lives and makes us godly.
- Grace Rewards Us: We are looking for Jesus Christ to return; this is our only hope and glory. Believers should always be expecting His return and live like those who will see Him face-to-face.
This purification is a process, often called “sanctification.” We are not only free from the sentence of death for our sin, but we are also purified from sin’s influence as we grow in Jesus. His redemption took care of the past; his purification makes the present and future an exciting and challenging prospect. As people who are cleansed and restored and who understand the awesome price paid on our behalf, we should thank God, Amen!
I am Dale Van De Bogart and I fully agree on God’s Word!
If you are reading this and never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for? Click on FREE GIFT and make Jesus the Lord of your life TODAY! Remember, read your Bible daily, it’s good food! Like and follow us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and watch this and other My Thoughts videos.
© 2024 – Van De Bogart Ministries – Bunnlevel, NC 28323
