The Saving Grace 

Scriptures: Titus 2:11-14

^“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ 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.  

During my early years as born-again Christian, attending bible study group I heard once one of our youth Pastor, when asked about “What is the difference between Christian living in Old Testament times and New Testament”? He did explain a lot, but one particular truth that he mentioned that helps me in understanding about Old Testament is about God’s dispensation of laws and the New Testament is about God’s dispensation of grace. Growing up in my faith, and in my personal studies and walk with God, I have learned that both God’s laws and grace works both ways in the Old and New. God laws is about His Holy decrees and commandments, the do’s and don’t! the blessings if you do and the curses if you don’t.

But when we talk about God’s Grace, it is not something that we can simply and specifically define, such deep and profound truth that cannot be simply understood by mere knowledge and information but also by going through it by wisdom and experiences as if grasping and holding such intangible truth. The word “grace” can be found first in the book of Genesis 6:8 “ Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”  Lastly in the book of Revelation 22:21 “ The grace of our lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen!

What is God’s Grace?

These are several and common definitions we have heard and known. Unmerited Favor, God’s Richness At Christ Expense but if you go through the Scriptures Grace is more than that, it is all written in the Scriptures, it is all significant, encompassing circumstances part of our lives, that even those who does not acknowledge God are also given grace. In Matthew 5:45 “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”

^“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. – JESUS

(John 14:6 ; Acts 4:12)

• Generous Gift of God —“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it isthe gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the ^[gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Redemptive Life of Jesus Christ — “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Romans 5:18-19 “⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness.

• Act of Justice and Mercy — The Lordsaw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:5-8

• Cornerstone of our Faith-Isaiah 28:16 “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.’”

Hebrews 12:2 “ Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

• Enabling power of God by His Spirit in us. —1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which waswith me.

“My grace is sufficient for you for My power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Saved by Grace – What does it mean? How does it work?

At first, we have to understand, what are we saved from? Or saved from what? The Bible does not simply says saved from hell, because it was not intended for us in the first place, God did not send anyone to hell, rather it is the end-place for those who rejected  and rebel against  God.  (Revelation 20:10-15 ¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are…..And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)

Rather, Man’s greatest need is to be saved from perishing (John 3:16) eternal death—wages of sin! To be saved by grace is not just a moment or a thing in the past but a lifetime process.

Saved from the penalty of sin – judgment and the wrath of God (Justified/Justification)  

Saved from the power of sin – Consequences/ Condemnation (Sanctification)

Saved from the presence of sin- Death (Glorification)

The Works /Process of Saving Grace – continual manifestation of resurrected life of Jesus in us.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions. Romans 6:1-11

A person whose life is given to Christ need not to struggle to sin over in our lives for he/she is considered dead to sin. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be ^[a]done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Likewise you also, ^[c]reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. To live self-controlled , upright and godly lives in this present age. Romans 6:12-14

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as ^[d]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

They do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God 1 Peter 4:2

3. We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christto purify for himself a people that are his very own

Waiting upon the Lord does is not passive but active, remaining steadfast in faith and obedience, with anticipation that He is coming back soon! Watching and vigilant, ready and prepared! (Parable of the ten virgins Matthew 25)

2 Thessalonians 3:11: “For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

2 Corinthians 7:1 “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

4. Eager to do what is good.  

Ephesians 2:10 “⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen! 1 Peter 4-10-11