Grace

For Wednesday, Oct 8

(#906, Imperial, no date)

Read Titus 2:11-13.

Grace is one of the sweetest words in Scripture.  It is defined as "pure favor", "unrecompensed kindness".  It is the...
unmerited, abounding provision of the unrestrained operation of God's infinite love through Jesus Christ on behalf of man, especially those who depend on Him.

In this passage grace has a 3-fold scope: salvation, conduct, and the future.

Salvation.
This grace has appeared to all men.  IN other words, it is within the reach of all (v11).  One may receive it or reject it.

Conduct.
When the gospel is believed the believer becomes teachable so that grace proceeds to instruct him concerning his manner of life.  It teaches 4 things...
To deny.  He is taught to renounce ungodliness and worldly lusts, to have nothing more to do with the former manner of living.
To live soberly.  This is not to live sadly, for the Christian life is one of joy.  But it means to live discreetly, moderately, sanely.
To live righteously.  He takes on the breastplate of righteousness.
To live Godly.  He is taught to be God-like.  He becomes conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29).

The Future.
Grace also causes the believer to look for that blessed hope.  Grace will bring us to this day.
(Note that in this passage, "grace" is virtually synonymous with "Christ".  Christ is God's grace personified Who appeared to all men, Who teaches us by His life,  and Who is the "Blessed Hope".)
God's grace is all sufficient to meet every need of our lives.  Let us receive it/Him.