Titus 2:11-12; Acts 13:43

Ø Grace brings salvation through the PERSON of grace, the WORKS of grace, WORDS of grace and ENABLING grace.  And now consider …

Ø Grace brings salvation through SANCTIFYING grace.

By sanctifying grace we are referring to the idea in Titus 2:12 that grace teaches us how to live in this present age.  Grace was on Jesus; He lived by God’s favor (Luke 2:40).  Remember that our salvation is seen as a finished condition (we are saved by grace) but then it is a present condition (we are working out our salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2:13).  Grace not only enables us to believe; it enables us to change in this life, to grow into the likeness of Christ.  Sanctification deals with this present condition and thus we refer to this as sanctifying grace.  Grace, which brought us to repentance, teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; grace, which convinced us that we needed the righteousness of Christ, teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.

How does grace teach us?  The word for teach is the one that refers to training through discipline, the kind of training a father gives his child (Heb. 12:6,7,10).  God loved us enough to save us from the penalty of sin; but He also loves us enough not to let us remain in a life of sin during these days that we eagerly await the completion of our transformation into Christ-likeness (1 John 3:1-3).  Whom the Lord loves He chastens (Prov. 3:11; Heb. 12:6).

For us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) there are several helpful truths from the Scriptures.  One is to consider what Paul told the new believers in Antioch: continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43).  We begin our new life by grace; we live our new life by the same grace.  Consider how Paul’s letter to the Galatians emphasizes this:

·        We must continue in the PERSON of grace (Gal. 2:20).  Paul says I am crucified with Christ; this is done.  Yet he says, Christ lives in me.  As Jesus said in John 15, we must abide in Him to do anything.

·        We must continue in the WORKS of grace (Gal. 1:4; 5:24f; 6:14).  The forgiveness and freedom from sin’s penalty is key to daily victory over sin.  We must reckon the work of Christ to be true day by day (Rom. 6:11).

·        We must continue in the WORD of grace (Gal. 1:6-9).  Paul warned the Galatian churches not to opt for a different gospel as they continued on.

·        We must continue in ENABLING grace (Gal. 3:3; 5:16-18,25).  Having begun in the Spirit we do not revert to the fleshly efforts of the best “I” can do to become mature.  If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit.

As grace is always received by faith, this means we live by/walk in faith.  The very principle that brought us to Christ is the principle of daily life.  Let us continue in the grace of God.