Titus 2:11-15

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.  Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

All the maturity and self-control that men, women, and slaves are to demonstrate can never be achieved through human effort.  Godliness is a supernatural gift that is the result of God’s grace as proclaimed in the Gospel.  The only hope of transforming a lost and dying world is the Gospel.  He graciously transforms us and equips us to be able to do all the things commanded in Scripture.  

SALVATION IS BY GOD’S GRACE: We must live into the maturity to which God has called us because the grace of God is available to all people.  We have benefited from His grace that has made our salvation possible and now we are called to be instruments of His grace in the lives of other people.  As we turn from a life of sin and the passions of this world to live a life in submission to God’s Word, we make an impact on the lives of other people.  The grace we experience should be evident to others and attract them to the grace of God as well.  

SALVATION IS FOR GOOD WORKS: Salvation is not by works but it certainly is for the purpose of works. God is transforming us from being slave to sin to being servants of the King.  We are waiting patiently and expectantly in a sinful world for His return, but we are not idle as we wait.  We are to make sure out hope for the future translates into holiness in the present.  God has called us to be zealous in our practice of good works; not to earn salvation, but as a result of our salvation and passion to see the name of the Lord glorified and the fame of Jesus spread to all nations.

SALVATION IS TO BE PROCLAIMED: This message of God’s grace and the transformation that salvation brings is to be proclaimed throughout the entire world.  We are to sue the Word of God to confront ungodliness, promote self-control, and point people to grace available in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  People may ignore or even persecute us for preaching the Gospel, but it is our job to be faithful, not necessarily effective.  Salvation and transformation are the result of God’s grace and supernatural power.  Our only job is to proclaim the truth to others and wait for the Lord to do His work.

APPLICATION: Understand that salvation is always only and ever the work of God’s grace.  We cannot earn it or produce the transformation it brings in our own power.  Wait with hope for the return of Christ but have zeal to live a Christlike life as we wait.  Boldly proclaim the message of salvation and correct those who claim the name of Christ but don’t demonstrate the character of Christ.

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