The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness

Titus 2 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But as for you, proclaim the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, ¹² instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds.

¹⁵ These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. No one is to disregard you.

Today’s text says: The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds.  Ephesians 2:8-10 says:  By grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.  God’s grace not only brings us salvation, grace also instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age. If we deny the instruction of God’s grace, we also deny its salvation. We are not saved by our good works, but doing the good works of God now in the present age must be our response to His grace as we are looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.  Christ Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. If we do not walk with Him now in redemption, why should we expect that we will live with Him in His eternal resurrection?

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”  We are saved by God’s grace, believing and receiving redemption through the finished work of the cross.   Philippians 1:6 says: He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.  We are redeemed through the finished work of the cross. Our works add nothing to our salvation. Redemption though, is not the finished work of Christ in us. By grace He also purifies us. Our sanctification is the work He is completing in us until the day of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28-30 says:  We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.  God doesn’t cause the bad and difficult things that happen to us. Those are a result of our actions and decisions, or the actions and decisions of other people, or simply the result of living in a fallen world that has been impacted by sin. If though, in the midst of the difficult times, we will continue to love God and seek His will, He will cause all things, both the good things that He has done and the bad things, to work together for our good. He will purify us, sanctify us and conform us to the image of Christ. We will be glorified in Him.

In Genesis 1:26-28 it says:  Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  We are redeemed through the finished work of the cross by God’s grace. We are purified; sanctified through the instruction of His grace to walk in the good works He prepared for us. We are glorified, restored to the image and likeness of God to rule and have authority over the earth. Romans 8:19-21 says: The eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Jesus taught us to pray saying: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.We are not only to pray that prayer, but rather as those who have been redeemed, purified and glorified, restored to God’s original plan for us, we are to be those who bring the realities of heaven to earth. We are to be those who set creation free from the slavery and corruption of sin. In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus says:  “These signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  In John 14:12-15 Jesus says: “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.