The DRIVING FORCE of SAVING GRACE-I—Titus 2:11—3:8
Need:
Paul revealed that God’s Saving Grace was the impetus/driving force behind a life yielded to God.
God’s Saving Grace is the driving force behind a life yielded to God.
Why/How is God’s saving grace the driving force behind a life yielded to God?
The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings with it...
1—The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
SAVING Power(:11)
Explanation:(:11)
:11—“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,”
“For”
The previous truths(2:1-10) hold sway because of the grace of God has appeared.
We discovered that bare Christian doctrine is adorned by those holding to it.
& Adornments suited to Christian doctrine are Godly...
1— Older Men(:2)
2— Older Women(:3-4)
3— Younger Women(:4-5)
4— Younger Men(:6-8)
5— Bondservants/Employees(:9-10)
“For the grace of God that brings salvation...”
OR
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,”(NASB)
It is solely by God’s gracious heart & His acting on that desire, that we even have salvation offered us.
Jn. 1:16-17—“And of His fullness we have all received, & grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace & truth came through Jesus Christ.”
“Appeared”(See :13)—epifainw—V.—1) To show to or upon—1a) To bring to light; 2) To appear, become visible—2a) Of stars; 3) To become clearly known, to show one’s self. Strong—To shine upon, i.e. become (literally) visible or (figuratively) known:-- Appear, give light.
“...Has appeared to all men...”
“... bringing salvation to all men,”(NASB)
“Appeared”—Manifested in a manner previously unanticipated/unseen.
Rom. 3:23—“for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God,”
Mankind is stuck ‘between a rock & a hard place’ as-it-were...
...because:
Rom. 6:23—“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Rom. 4:4-8—“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.””
For the person who works his way to heaven depending on the acceptance of said work, God owes that person heaven—BUT there is no such person nor will there ever be!(Rom. 3:23)
BUT God’s grace has acted upon us giving us a Savior—Jesus Christ—who took the penalty for our sin! Thus we are justified by faith in Christ’s work on the Cross.
2Cor. 5:21—“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jn. 1:4-13—“In Him was life, & the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, & the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, & the world was made through Him, & the world did not know Him. He came to His own, & His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The Man in charge of his own destiny, deserves his destiny—Hell!
Likewise, the man allowing God to take charge of his own destiny, deserves his destiny—Heaven!
Argumentation:
Lk. 2:28-30—“he[Simeon] took Him[Jesus] up in his arms & blessed God & said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation.”
Simeon knew, that Jesus was the answer of God’s grace, to meet man’s need for salvation.
Eph. 2:4-9—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Illustration:
Eternal Life Tract:
The Bible says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Application:
? Your life been Yielded to God’s SAVING Power?
?Your life Yielded to God?
2— The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
TEACHING Power(:12)
Explanation:(:12)
:12—“teaching us that, denying ungodliness & worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, & godly in the present age,”
“Teaching us that...”
This grace “that brings salvation” “teaches” us(Christians) that in our choices reside important indicators of grace’s presence. Those choices include some general categories of denial & acceptance on the part of our flesh & spirit.
*“Teaching/Instructing”—paideuw—1) To train children; 2) To chastise. Strong—To train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment):-- Chasten(-ise), instruct, learn, teach.
—Focus is upon the teaching of adults personified as children. This highlights our weakness, ignorance, & dependence. God’s grace brought us the instruction we needed.
1Cor. 1:21—“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
“Denying ungodliness & worldly lusts”
Christians are to actively deny themselves any part with “ungodliness” along with the fleshly appetites & cravings/desires which are normal with the world(“worldly lusts”).
1Cor. 6:9-10—“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Mat. 16:24-26—“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross, & follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, & loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
“Ungodliness”—asebeia—Want of reverence towards God, impiety, ungodliness. Positive & active irreligion, a condition of direct opposition to God. Negation of —sebomai—To revere or worship.
“Worldly”—kosmikov—Of or belonging to the world.
“Lusts/Desires/Passions”(See 3:3)—epiyumia—Desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust. Desire which is evil. The active side of vice. Strong—A longing (especially for what is forbidden):-- Concupiscence, desire, lust (after).
—Lust is Not simply sexual desire, but is any craving outside of God’s will!
“We should live soberly, righteously, & godly in the present age,”
Conversely they are to actively approach life with the clear-headedness, righteousness & godliness in this current age of the church.
“Soberly/Sensibly/Self-controlled”—swfronwv—With sound mind, soberly, temperately, discreetly. ‘Saved Mind’
“Righteously/Upright”—dikaiwv—1) Just, agreeably to right; 2) Properly, as is right; 3) Uprightly, agreeable to the law of rectitude.
“Age”—aiwn—1) For ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity; 2) The worlds, universe; 3) Period of time, age. Strong—Properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity (also past); by implication, the world; Specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future):-- Age, course, eternal.
Argumentation:
Mt 28:19-20—“Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
1Jn. 2:26-27—“These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, & you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, & is true, & is not a lie, & just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
John is concerned that we heed the Holy Spirit who lives within the Christian. His ministry is to teach us the difference between God’s truth & a lie. And He will...if we allow Him to confirm or disprove what we physically hear, read or experience.
Illustration:
2Tim. 3:10, 14-15—Incorporating & Exemplifying a life of godliness to your own.
Think of the teacher from whom you learned the most.They had qualities you respected & sought after yourself.
Application:
? Your life Yielded to God’s TEACHING Power?
?Your life Yielded to God?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
The Driving Force(grace) behind a yielded life brings...
1—SAVING Power(:11)
2—TEACHING Power(:12)
Presented 05/23/2010am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
