Grace Personified |
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Elder
Mark D. Rowell |
Titus
2:11 “For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”
While the
teaching of the context of this verse, coupled with the
conclusion of the sentence in verse 12, is more along the
lines of what the grace of God teaches us, which
undoubtedly is of the utmost importance in our efforts to
live “soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world”, let us not overlook the source of that teaching but
rather come to a better understanding of what this
grace is.
This grace
both bringeth (salvation) and appeared (to all men). It is
no accident that one verb is present-perfect tense while the
other is past tense. As a quick reminder, present-perfect
tense indicates an action that begins sometime in the past,
continues in the present, and proceeds to some point in the
future. So, this grace has brought, is bringing, and
continues to bring salvation. However, this grace appeared
once, in the past. While we might be able to identify when
grace was delivered to us in a vital way in the New Birth,
the text says grace appeared to all men, not just one.
If we look at
corresponding scripture regarding the word appeared, one
stands out the most in my mind:
“For then must
he have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now
once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26) manifest
through daily activities, tough times remind us of just how
special our citizenship of heaven really is. The truth
makes us free, and there is great liberty in the Spirit of
God. Yet, fallen creatures as we are many times have to be
reminded of this to re-focus and align priorities again.
The greatest commonality to this great spiritual dearth that
grips so many of God's people goes back to a statement I
heard often in my youth, "It's hard to comfort people who
are too comfortable to be comforted."
The message
that Paul preached is the only thing that can bring long
lasting reconciliation to the child of God. The
ever-changing circumstances of this old world will never
yield lasting peace. Any faith and hope in the shifting
sands of life's experiences will bring nothing but a life
filled with disappointments. Life changes. Hope in
changing things is easily dashed on the rocks of sorrow.
Hope in the eternal, unchanging God does not disappoint as
it endures no matter the circumstances. (Romans 5:5) The
message of Christ's work endures no matter what happens here
below.
The great
comfort of the gospel to me is that the Lord is reconciled
to us no matter what. Nothing can change that. Knowing the
fallible man that I am, I rest in knowing His greatness
supersedes my weakness. When next we meet together with
fellow pilgrims and strangers in this world, may we consider
that we are standing on heaven's borderland. It is the home
soil of that country to which we are going. When we hear
the message come forth in power, may we receive it as though
God Himself was speaking it. As a minister, that phrase
from our study verse (as though God did beseech you by us)
is one of the most awesome and humbling to me in the work
that I have been called into. When I read the word of God,
it is as though God said it personally to me, and when a
gospel message is declared, it should be received as though
God spoke it. Awesome! Truly awesome! Friends, as a
lifelong churchgoer, I freely confess that there are times
that I do not frame this experience as I should. I am
meeting heaven's citizens on heaven's soil to hear a message
from home as though the King Himself gave it. As the
closing line of an old hymn lovingly states, "My soul
shall pray for Zion still, while life or breath remains;
There my best friends my kindred dwell, there God my Saviour
reigns!”
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