One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Titus 2:11-15 which regards the marvelous grace of our loving Lord. Paul tells Titus: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
It is because of who God is (i.e., holy beyond compare, Leviticus 11:44-45) and because of what we’ve done (i.e., sinned against God, Romans 3:23 and Genesis 39:9), we have separated ourselves from God (Isaiah 59:2) and made ourselves subject to His wrath (Jeremiah 10:10; Proverbs 11:23; Romans 1:18; Colossians 3:5-6).
Yet, because of the Lord’s great love (1 John 4:16), He had compassion on us and showed mercy to us (Lamentations 3:22) by extending His grace in the form of “Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23), the Son of the living God (John 3:16), Jesus the Christ (Titus 2:13). And, Jesus showed His great love for us all by willingly sacrificing Himself on the cross in order to atone for our sins (1 John 4:9-11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:1-10; 5:2) while we were in our sins and enemies against God (Romans 5:6-11). He did this so that, through His precious shed blood, we might be REDEEMED (1 Peter 1:18-19). The debt we incurred by sinning against God was paid by Jesus on the cross (Mark 10:45).
Now, it is important to note that while that free and indescribable gift (Romans 5:18; 2 Corinthians 9:15) is salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), we must have that “payment” personally applied to our “account,” as it were. We must come in contact with His blood in order to be washed and cleansed (Revelation 1:5). This means that we must be baptized (i.e., full-body immersion, submergence, & emergence into water) in His name because we believe in His power & willingness to save for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27). This is the only way someone can be redeemed, have their sins forgiven, and be saved (Acts 4:12). If one does not obey the commandment of the Lord and does not come in contact with His blood, then that one is not redeemed and not saved (Hebrews 5:8).
The grace of God is truly amazing. And, those who take advantage of it are truly blessed beyond measure. However, let us understand that there is a personal responsibility inherent in accepting His grace: hopeful reformation. When we are baptized and have our sins washed away, we are to rise up to walk in a different way, that is, a zealously righteous/godly/sinless way (Titus 2:11-14; Romans 6:6-23; Titus 3:4-8; Colossians 3:1-17), a way which worships Him in our spirits and in the truth (John 4:23-24), looking forward to and hastening the Day when Jesus will return to call us all to the Judgment and the faithful Home to the Father in Heaven (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:8-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Therefore, let us trust in the Lord with all of our being (Proverbs 3:5-6) and be redeemed back to life, living like it every single day in every single way until the End (Revelation 2:10). And, may all of God’s people say “Amen!” (Nehemiah 5:13).
~Curtis Carwile
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