The Abundant Grace Of God: Call To Holy Living

Read Titus 2:11-14

INTRODUCTION

Every Christmas season we have the privilege to be reminded about The Abundant Grace of God.

Through the focus on the incarnation… God taking on human flesh and being born in the most humble of circumstances, we see The Abundant Grace of God has appeared.

As we recognize that this baby is the only baby who was born with the purpose of dying, we see The Abundant Grace of God brings salvation for all people.

In a world that is consumed by hopelessness and despair, we truly are a privileged group of people.

Many people have never heard about Jesus Christ

Many people believe that this world is all there is to experience… so they “follow their heart” to “happiness”

On the other hand, God has:

called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved, (Ephesians 2:5).

We were buried… with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4).

Warren Wiersbe But it is not enough simply to die to the old life; there must also be resurrection and the manifestation of the new life. We put off the “grave clothes” of the old life and put on the “grace clothes” of the new life

This truth is revealed to us in Titus 2:12, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

The Abundant Grace of God is expressed through a Call To Holy Living

Turn to Ephesians 4 as a complimentary passage that expounds on this very matter.

Renounce Ungodliness and Worldly Passions

(Grave Clothes)

Read Ephesians 4:17-22

Futile in thinking (v. 17)

walk – includes all the manifestations of life, inward & outward, seen & unseen. Not just the outward conduct but also the inward life of which the outward conduct is the manifestation.

Gentiles term that represents all ungodly, unregenerate people

The unregenerate man plans and resolves everything on the basis of his own thinking; causing him to become his own ultimate authority and following his thoughts to the ultimate outcome of futility and meaninglessness.

Darkened in understanding (v.18)

We live at a time in our country where education and higher learning are heavily pushed on the people. Just like in ancient Greece, we pride ourselves in our science, technology, literature, art, and other achievements of the mind.

The Apostle Paul is making a connection that ignorance and sin are inseparable. In writing to Timothy, he says that ungodly men are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth,” (2 Timothy 3:7)

Romans 1:21–22 they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.

The heart of one who continually chooses to sin becomes hardened and insensitive to the things of God.

Callous in morality (v. 19)

The immoral ways of the ungodly amount to idolatry Colossians 3:5, Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

5th century BC Greek philosopher, Heraclitus (an unbeliever), referred to Ephesus as “the darkness of vileness. The morals were lower than animals and the inhabitants of Ephesus were fit only to be drowned.”

In their rejection of God, people knowingly sin and encourage others to do the same

Read Romans 1:28-32

Stop this behavior! (v. 20-21)

“To hear him” is not merely to perceive with the outward ear but to receive with understanding in the heart

Knowledge of God is inconsistent with a life of sin, because knowledge implies love, and God is holy. To know Him, therefore, is to love holiness

Truth and holiness are united as light and heat in the same ray. There cannot be one without the other.

John MacArthur Because man’s sinfulness flows out of his reprobate mind, the transformation must begin with the mind. Christianity is cognitive before it is experiential.

Live Self-Controlled, Upright, and Godly Lives

(Grace Clothes)

Read Ephesians 4:23-24

Renew your mind (v. 22-23)

“Being renewed” points to progressive sanctification

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed [renovated] to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Holy in your morality (v. 24)

MacArthur A changed nature demands a changed behavior.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Our old self has been crucified with Christ, it is dead. We now live in the power of Christ to a new life!

Romans 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

CONCLUSION

MacArthur When a person is genuinely saved there is a transformation not only of nature but of living. It is not possible to be saved from the penalty of sin and not be saved from its power and dominion.

We must be hearers of the Word of God and seek out the things pertaining to righteousness in this book.

However, we must also put feet to the words and flesh it out in our lives.