All People - Living in the Rhythm of Grace
OK, so Paul has addressed the older men and women, younger men and women, slaves or employees. And lastly, verses 11 to 14, he says these beautiful words: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled”—there's that word again—“upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself up for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His own, who are eager to do what is good.”
Grace Brings Salvation
What wonderful words. “The grace of God has appeared and offered salvation to all people.” What amazing grace it is!
I've heard someone use the word grace as an acronym: God's Riches At Christ’s Expense or God's Redemption At Christ’s Expense. In other words, grace is us being redeemed and blessed by God—not because of what we've done, but because of what Jesus did. He paid with His life so that we could be redeemed and blessed by the wonderful God of the universe.
Grace. Hold that word in your mind all day!
Grace Enables Us
Paul here mentions two great benefits of God's grace. It offers salvation to all people—salvation from death and to eternal life. But more than that, Paul says that “the grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled and godly lives.” Grace is not only to save us, but it’s to enable us. Grace enables us to live the lives of holiness God desires.
This is important. We've spoken this week about all these expectations of us—that we live like Jesus, that we avoid slander and indulgence, that we mentor other Christians, that we work in such a way that God is honored. Well, we need God’s grace to do all of this! How we need His grace poured into our lives to achieve any of it!
And so please remember, friends, that the grace of God not only saves us, but it also enables us. Or to use theological terms: it not only justifies us, it sanctifies us.
Living in the Rhythm of Grace
Oh, we can sing Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound because of what God’s grace means in our lives. Maybe when this devotion is finished, you’ll go onto YouTube and listen to a song about grace.
I actually quite like a song by the Gaither Vocal Band. It’s called Living in the Rhythm of Grace. And it says this: “When I finally let go of what I was holding on to, everything fell into place. Now I’m living in the rhythm, living in the rhythm of grace.” Are you living in the rhythm of grace today? It’s all a matter of faith.
Believe with all your heart that He’s loved you, that He died for you, and has bought eternal life for you. And then believe with all your heart that He’s with you to help you, and you’ll be living in the rhythm of grace. Not fighting to do it all by yourself, but walking with Jesus in the rhythm of grace.
