“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Titus 2:11-14
For the longest time, I believed that the grace of God that teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness is empowering grace. I thought that there will be an increase of willpower and boldness when it comes to facing temptation.
But when I really took a look at the verse, this grace is the saving grace in Jesus Christ, the gospel. When temptation comes, it is by running to Christ and focusing on His grace as revealed in the gospel that enables me to say ‘No’ to sin. It is not by “feeling” empowering grace and then resisting the sin head on. When I see Him crucified for my sins and forgiving all of my sins, past, present and future, that very sin that I am being tempted to do this very moment, even this very sin if I give in to it now, it breaks my heart and gives me a love for Him. When I see how much He loves me and accepts me, my spirit inside of me shouts, “No! How can I do such a thing and sin against my God who loved me in spite of all my failures”. It’s like a bucket of cold water has been poured on me and I lose the desire to give in to temptation.
As Tim Keller has said, “The gospel is not the ABC’s of Christianity; it is the A to Z.” The gospel is not just the starting point of our Christian life. The gospel, personified in Jesus Christ, is our Life. Much, if not all, of empowering grace comes from saving grace. The gospel is as involved in our sanctification (growing in Christ-likeness) as it is in our justification (forgiveness and being declared righteous).
“Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see”
From Amazing Grace by John Newton
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Difficulty in forgiving?
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ALL OUT Series Week 2: No Chains
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Ernie Aragon, Jr. 