Titus 2:11-14
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
Today's Prayer Focus
- For the grace of God to bring salvation to friends and family.
- For the grace of God to transform our hearts in new ways.
- For the grace of God to strengthen our hearts for good works.
“The Lifelong School of Grace”
Mike Glodo
Every Christian has a teacher and her name is “Grace.” Titus 2:11-14 tells us that “the grace of God has appeared ... training [teaching] us…” The “school of Grace” has three grade levels, but it is a school we attend our whole life long.
Grace past: Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (v. 14). By faith in Jesus Christ, all is forgiven. Grace past makes us God’s own. The freshman lesson in the school of grace is one that must remembered and believed our whole lives, for it’s easy to forget or doubt God’s grace past.
Grace future: The senior year in the school of grace is grace future, for God’s grace teaches us to wait “for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 13). The world is not yet the way God will make it one day. Neither are we. Living in the Christian hope means believing that Christ will return and transform this broken world into one of peace, justice and joy. The vales of tears and death will become spring-watered gardens (Rev 21; Rom 8:18-25). Living in Christian hope turns life’s deepest disappointments into homework, teaching us that this world will one day be more than we can imagine and everything we could desire.
Grace now: The middle year in the school of grace depends upon the prerequisites of grace past and grace future. Grace has appeared, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passion, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age” (v 12). Grace has redeemed us “from all lawlessness” and purified us to become people “who are zealous for good works” (v 14). Grace past frees us from sin and grace future gives us a reason to live for God so that grace transforms our lives in the present.
I spent many hours as a child hanging laundry on the clothesline for my mother. She had a good, stout, clothesline strung between metal poles, anchored by concrete. Therefore it could bear the weight of new-washed clothes, to dry them in the bright sunlight. God has given us two stout poles between which to live grace-transformed lives. Christ has come. Christ will come again. Therefore, by God’s grace, we will live for Him now.
Rev. Michael J. Glodo teaches Old and New Testament courses as well as courses in practical theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Oviedo, FL. The diversity of the courses Professor Glodo teaches reflects his diverse research and ministry interests. He is passionate about Old and New Testament studies and ministry philosophy, particularly regarding worship and liturgy. In addition to serving six years as the Stated Clerk for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, he also served in pastoral roles at churches in the St. Louis region. He and his wife, Vicki, have a daughter, Rachel, and son, Samuel.