Daily Devotional – Tuesday, September 6, 2022
…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
Titus 2:12 (NKJV)
A common definition of ‘grace’ is unmerited favour. A good example Paul’s profound statement in Ephesians 2:8-9, where he states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
From the foregoing, many people would not expect ‘grace’ to have a connotation of toughness. The term appears to express a softer attribute of God as opposed to words such as ‘justice’.
In the Tough School of Grace
Interestingly, Paul presents a ‘harsher’ aspect of grace when he writes to Titus, saying, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11-12).
In the school of grace, we learn tough lessons like denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. For people living in a world full of temptations to rebel against God, this is not easy. However, there is enough power in God’s grace to help us live soberly and righteously.
Tough Lessons in the School of Grace
Contrary to popular teachings that Christians are not obligated to obey God’s commandments after salvation, Paul emphasizes that grace transforms the person who accepts it. The most powerful testimony of God’s grace is a transformed human being.
Grace teaches us to be different from the world. It reminds us that God has called us to be holy like He is. Grace demands separation from sin. We cannot be recipients of grace and love worldly pleasures at the same time. Those are tough but essential lessons from the school of grace.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, make me a faithful student of grace.
