By Roberto Badenas. Director of Education, Euro-Africa Division

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV).

This short hymn to the grace of God may be one of the most beautiful summaries of the gospel in the New Testament. In a context that emphasizes the practical aspects of the Christian life, this text presents a theological foundation on which the transforming power of God’s grace is revealed in Christ.

Grace as Undeserved Favor
When we humans depart from God, we depart from the source of life. But we remain under the power and influence of all the other laws of the universe. The laws acting on our moral and spiritual fall can be compared with the law of gravity. Unless there is force to prevent it, whatever is exposed to the force of gravity falls all the way down.

Similarly, only the power of grace can counteract the downward pull of a moral fall. Sin, like gravity, pulls us down; grace lifts us up.

After giving a list of instructions for different people in the church, Paul recalls that the theological basis for godly living is “the grace of God.” Nothing more, nothing less. The entire plan of redemption is rooted in God’s grace.

In our text the adjective soterios, found only here in the New Testament, defines grace as “saving.” The goal of grace is to bring salvation, to restore fallen humanity to a new life of never-ending communion and friendship with God.

God’s grace, like the heavens, embraces the wide world, providing a free offer of salvation for all humanity. Although God’s grace has been manifested in all His actions, grace appeared personified in the revelation of Jesus Christ (John 1:17). If God is the source of grace, and salvation is its goal, Christ is the greatest agent of God’s grace.

In the four Gospels, Jesus never used the word “grace.” But He always spoke and acted with grace. His person, His whole life, was grace in action. From the first two disciples whom Jesus met in the Jordan valley at the beginning of His ministry, until the thief who died beside Him on Calvary, Jesus spent His life revealing God’s grace to those around him. The leper, the adulterous woman, Matthew, Zacchaeus–all were accepted without condition and transformed by His grace.

John and Andrew, the Samaritan woman, and many others all became successful missionaries, sharing the gospel with their relatives, neighbors, and friends (John 1:35-42). Even the repentant criminal hanging on the cross, surprised by grace, became a channel of grace for his colleague (Luke 23:39-43).

Transformed Through Grace
The grace of God is often presented as an amazing divine disposition favorable toward humankind. Titus 2:11-14 describes grace as the action of a committed teacher.

I have worked in education in Europe for about 40 years, and I have often desired to transform the circumstances or the lives of my students. Like many educators, I have visited the Italian town of Collodi in beautiful Tuscany. In this town visitors take photographs of a monument to a toy, the famous Pinocchio. Created by Carlo Collodi (pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini, 1826-1890), it is actually a parable for adults about the ultimate goal of education.

The tale speaks of a craftsman who made a fine puppet boy out of wood, which he called Pinocchio. He dreamed that the toy might one day become a real boy. In this story the dream comes true.

Although this is fiction, the best educators dream of being miracle workers. Remember the story of Anne Sullivan, about whom the movie The Miracle Worker was made? This famous story tells the remarkable experience of a young teacher who helped a wild deaf and blind child named Helen Keller become a highly educated thinker, a role model for millions. What an amazing miracle!

Our text says that grace teaches us how to live. The theology of grace is a theology of change. But not in a magical way, independent of ourselves. The verb paideuo used here means “to train, to instruct, to educate.” If the law had a pedagogical function of leading us to Christ (Gal. 3:24), grace goes much further, producing a new creation, transforming us on the inside by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).

This transforming task of grace produces a decisive break with the past. Grace makes a converted life a liberated life. Grace not only teaches us to renounce the evil; it gives us the power to live victoriously.

Three adverbs describe the positive transforming action of grace in three dimensions of our existence: (1) sophronos (soberly)–grace working inwardly, toward a right relationship with one self; (2) dikaios (righteously)–grace working outwardly, toward a right relationship with others; and (3) eusebos (godly)–grace working upwardly, toward a right relationship with God.

These three changes produced by grace include the three most highly prized virtues in Greek education (self-control, justice, and piety). The gospel fulfills the highest aspirations of the best ethics of this world. But contrary to worldly philosophies, which look for power within oneself, the ethics of the gospel looks for power from God.

Looking to the Future
The third action of grace consists of uplifting our hearts for a glorious future.

“The blessed hope and glorious appearing” (NKJV wording) in our text are two subjects under a single article because they refer to the same event viewed from two sides. For believers the second coming of Christ is the consummation of our hope (1 Tim. 1:1). For Christ Himself this awaited appearing marks the culmination of His salvation mission.

The transforming action of grace is encompassed here as a process from grace to glory, from redemption to sanctification, from the past (verse 12) to the future (verse 13). The phrase “who gave himself for us” alludes to Christ’s sacrifice and ministry (Heb. 9:11-14), expressing both representation and solidarity.

From Christ’s ministry on our behalf three main actions are mentioned: to “redeem” us from all evil, to “purify” us from sin, and to qualify and motivate us for good works. The results of humanity’s covenant with God, from the Exodus to the end of times, are always the same: redemption, purification, and constitution of a new partnership with God (Eze. 37:23).

The words “to redeem us from all iniquity” make explicit that the effect of grace is not merely deliverance from the penalty of sin, but also from its power and consequences.

To “purify,” indicates that the goal of grace is spiritual restoration of the believers to God’s likeness, to His friendship, and to His service. God liberates His people so He can be their God (Ex. 6:6). Saving, justifying grace leads to sanctifying grace. The grace of God is the ground of all sanctification. True conversion includes discipleship.

The expected result is a “chosen, special, dedicated people” (periousios), “zealous of good works” (KJV). The remnant people of God are a committed people who combine watching and doing. The blessed hope makes them watch as they work until the Lord comes.

In fact, it is divine grace expressed in the quality of all our human relationships that will be the most effective witness of the church to the character of God’s saving purpose. Dispensing grace was the central mission of Jesus. Dispensing grace is the central mission of the church. Theology and ethics belong together. A correct understanding of God’s will produces a coherent obedience to His commandments. There is an inseparable connection between conviction and conduct, between faith and facts, between belief and behavior.

The results of the Fall–sin, guilt, condemnation, fear, anger, and a multitude of negative, self-centered emotions–destroy the beauty we were created to exhibit. But the transforming power of God’s grace makes of us finally the wonderful people God created us to be. Through Christ, transformed by His grace, our future is bright.

Source:  adventistreview.org