Taught By Grace

Taught By Grace

06/14/09 AM

Reading: Titus 2:11-14

Introduction

B. Read Titus 2:11-14

1. "The Grace of God"--free favor and good-will of God, not merit

2. "Brings Salvation"--salvation from sin and wrath, from death & hell

3. "has appeared"--in the form of Jesus in his life, death, burial, resurrection.

4. "…to all men"-- the glory of God appeared at mount Sinai to that particular people, but gospel grace is open to all!

#1 Lessons of Grace

A. "instructing us..."

1. Christ is the great teacher; and men, in order to learn, must become his disciples—must put themselves under his tuition, and learn of him.

a. “Teaching” in the Gk. is the word for training or disciplining.

b. We are instructed by grace. Believers who honestly understand the grace of God will not want to live in sin. They will turn from ungodliness and worldly desires; they will live serious, clean, dedicated lives in this present world.

B. " to deny ungodliness and worldly desires"

1. Romans 6:12 - 14 (NASB) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

2. Ungodliness

a. Ungodliness means lack of love or total disregard for God (Romans 1:1-28). We live in an age when many totally reject God’s influence in any area of life. Christians must renounce that attitude.

b. It means all things contrary to God; whatever would lead us to doubt his being, deny any of his essential attributes; his providence or government of the world, and his influence on the souls of men.

c. Every thing, also, which is opposed to his true worship.

3. Worldly desires

a. The phrase “worldly desires” refers to all improper desires pertaining to this life, the desire of wealth, pleasure, honor, sensual indulgence.

Read Colossians 3:5-11

b. Such desires, affections, and appetites, as men are governed by who have their portion in this life, and live without God in the world. Gluttony, drunkenness, lasciviousness, anger, malice, and revenge; together with the immoderate love of riches, power, and fame.

#2 "Teaching us to live"

A. Not simply LEARNING, but LIVING for Christ!

1. Soberly

c. It means that we should exercise a due restraint on our passions and propensities.

d. Having every temper, appetite, and desire, under the government of reason, and reason itself under the government of the Spirit of God.

2. Righteously (Justly)

a. 1 Corinthians 6:9a (NASB) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Read Colossians 3:12-17

3. And Godly

a. Just the reverse of what is implied in ungodliness. See above.

4. In this present world

a. The Jewish people contrasted the present world with the world to come.

5. Not supposing that any thing will be purified in the world to come that is not cleansed in this. The three words above evidently include our duty to ourselves, others, and to God.

#3 In anticipation

A. Grace teaches us to look for Jesus' return.

1. God’s glory dwelt here on earth in the person of Christ but went back to heaven when He ascended (Acts 1:9). His glory now abides in the believer (1 Cor. 6:19-20). When Christ returns, we shall see His glory and share His glory.

2. Paul brings out two aspects of Christian living that must be stressed today: waiting with anticipation and hoping for Christ’s glorious appearing.

a. Both are essential to our Christian walk in this present evil age. The waiting is good for us: it builds our character, endurance, and perseverance.

b. The hoping makes the waiting bearable. We live hopefully while we wait, anticipating three great benefits of Christ’s return:

1) Christ’s personal presence: we look forward to being with our Redeemer.

2) Redemption from our sinful nature: we long for the end of the battle with sin and our perfection in Christ.

3) Restoration of creation: we anticipate the complete rule of grace when the image of God will be fully realized in people and when the created order will be restored.

3. Read 2 Peter 3:10-14

4. Paul and Peter give us wonderful motivations for righteous living, believers are waiting for a hope that is already a certainty: the second coming (or appearing) of Jesus Christ. We can look forward to Christ’s wonderful return with eager expectation and hope.

#4 Doing good works

B. Grace teaches us to "do" something

1. We are not created to sin but created for Good works.

2. Ephesians 2:10--For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works