We live in a time when evil is promoted and glorified. Godliness is shunned and frowned upon as a backward idea and the idea of salvation in Jesus Christ is increasingly becoming more of a notion than reality. At a time when technology has advanced and knowledge has increased in the world, I would dare say that now more than ever, this world needs a saviour, a compass to direct us to the true North especially because everyone has an opinion on what life is all about. How then can a young man keep his way pure in this generation? But this is not just about a young man. It is about you and I. Those that have subscribed to the gospel of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. It is by His grace we shall make overcome.
Titus 2:11 is a scripture that encourages us that there is GRACE. More often people mistake grace as condonement of bad behaviour. This is not a foreign idea because it happened during the times of Paul when he retorted, ‘Shall we sin that may grace may abound?’ Romans 6:1.
The word grace is the Greek word, ‘Charis’ and this is the original translation. It means acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy). It is a gift from God essentially. It is freedom. Yesterday, we looked at struggling with sin and how much it feels like bondage. Here today we see that God has given us a gift. The gift of freedom. We are free from the shackles of sin. The other meaning is joy. Psalm 16:11 is a favorite scripture that speaks of joy in His presence. This is the grace I am talking about. The kind that comes from being in His presence. It goes on to say that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthian 12:9) and has appeared to all men. Very important to note. This grace is not measured or selective. It is given to all. Everyone has access. There is no one who is superior in this. This grace teaches us to say No. Let’s dissect a bit that word, teach’. The original Greek word is paideuo that means to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication), discipline (by punishment):--chasten(-ise), instruct, learn, teach. This does not merely mean a one-off Bible Seminar and that is it. The Greek word implies a training. An education. Time. Discipline by punishment. Hebrews 12:5, the verses we looked at yesterday speaks of how God disciplines the one He loves and chastens everyone He accepts as His son (NIV). This is teaching.
So this grace that is freely available to everyone and is a gift, trains us, disciplines us to say no to ungodliness. Matt 5:37 Jesus told us to simply let our yes be yes and no be no. I want to submit to you friends that it takes absolute training -military training to say no in a puff. This is not as simple as it sounds. We are hard pressed at every side (2 Cor 4:8) and only training can help us endure and push back the evil that surrounds us. To resist those passions that were once ruling us as Titus 3:3 says, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another”.
When we undergo this training through discipline, chastening by the Lord we develop the internal resistance to say no to worldly passions. Psalm 119:71, David confesses that it is God’s affliction that taught him the statutes of God. Friends, this is what grace leads us to. A season of affliction, God's school of hard knocks!. His grace being sufficient helps us get through training and graduate to be able to have the skills to live in this present age. Let’s take those difficult moments that we go through as training to learn His statutes. Gaining an education to say No to ungodliness and in so doing we will be self-controlled, upright and look forward to doing good.
No comments:
Post a Comment