What grace teaches us

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14

Did you know that grace is a teacher? It is, and according to the apostle Paul it teaches its pupils - those to whom God has brought salvation - three very important and wonderful lessons.

First, it teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. In other words, grace doesn't teach us to be easy on the sin in our lives but to mortify and kill it. Grace produces in us a truer view of sin, so that we are enabled to hate it, loathe it, and despise it. Those who know the grace of God will therefore work to root out the sin in their lives. Grace doesn't teach us to be comfortable in our sin, for when grace comes to us, it makes sin feel like a shirt of camel's hair rubbing up against the skin of the soul.

Second, it teaches us to live lives of self control, righteousness, and godliness. In other words, grace not only teaches us to repent of sin but to pursue sanctification. It not only teaches us to put off the old man, but it also teaches us to put on the new man. It encourages us to apply the commands of God to our lives and to grow in godliness.

Third, it teaches us to look for the blessed hope, which is the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. It does not teach us to hang on to this life or to the comforts of the world but to look and long for the Second Coming of our Lord. It does not teach us to be like Lot's wife who looked back, nor to be like Lot himself who dilly-dallied over the command to leave Sodom when the warning was so urgent. Rather, it teaches us to be like the Thessalonians who turned from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven (1 These. 1:9-10).

This effective instruction is not given to anyone because they have placed into the school of Christ by their own merit, for all their scores and their debts would have forever precluded them from this school. But their scores are overlooked and their fees and tuition are freely and fully paid by the Lord himself, who gave himself for them to redeem them from sin and all its effects. Grace puts us in the school in the first place and then brings us through to a successful conclusion until we graduate into glory.

Let us test ourselves by these things, and ask ourselves whether or not we have sat under the tutelage of grace. Do we deny ungodliness and pursue godliness? Do we look and long for the coming of Christ our Lord? If you do not and have not, beware of claiming grace as your teacher. But if you have and do, thank God, for it is not because you were smarter or better than others, but because God had mercy on you through his Son Jesus Christ.

Thanks be unto God for the grace of Jesus Christ which teaches, saves, keeps, redeems, purifies, and brings to glory!