“Intolerant” Grace

How To Live (2:11-12)

God’s grace, revealed in Jesus, not only saves us but also trains us to live godly lives, guiding us like a lighthouse through the storms of sin and shaping us into His likeness.

Interpretation:

Paul connects his instruction in these verses to what he previously said about being an example and learning from one another. He continues the idea of maturity by saying, “For the grace of God has appeared” (v.11).

Any discussion about the Christian life begins with grace. This is God’s freely given good will, His favor that is completely unearned, given as a gift. It’s a reminder that our lives are less about following certain rules and more about being humbled by grace.

Here, grace is synonymous with Jesus. Notice that this grace has appeared. It’s not an abstract idea. Rather, the essence of grace is wrapped up in Jesus. This grace, as we begin to trace its work in our passage, does at least two things: First, it brings “salvation for all people.” Without grace, we are not saved. But because of grace, we have eternal life.

Jonathan Edwards, speaking on grace, says: “Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.” He’s emphasizing that grace is necessary from the beginning to the end of salvation.

Second, it trains us “to renounce ungodliness…” Grace goes beyond granting us access to God. It actually becomes our teacher. When we give our lives to Jesus and commit to following Him, we enter into His school of living, learning to line up our priorities with His desires and directions. It teaches us to how to say “No.” This is why we call it “intolerable” grace. It teaches us how live with some type of control over our appetites. It gives us the wisdom to know what to say “Yes” to. Spurgeon says:

“Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.” — C.H. Spurgeon

Grace cultivates virtue and strengthens us to refuse sin so that we can live “godly lives in the present age” (v.12b). God is absolutely changing our lives through His glorious grace in this life.

Illustration:

Imagine a lighthouse on a dark and stormy night. A ship, lost at sea, struggles against the waves, unable to find its way to safety. Then, suddenly, a beam of light appears, cutting through the darkness. The light is not just an idea or a distant hope; it is real, visible, and life-saving.

In the same way, Paul says that “grace has appeared”—not as an abstract concept but as Jesus Christ Himself, guiding us out of the storm of sin and into salvation. But the lighthouse does more than just reveal the way to safety; it continues to guide the ship, keeping it on course and away from danger. Similarly, grace does not just save us—it *trains* us, teaching us to reject ungodliness and follow the path that leads to life.

Just as a sailor learns to trust and follow the lighthouse, we, as believers, learn to follow the grace of God, allowing it to shape our choices and transform our lives.

Where To Look (2:13)

The promise of Jesus’ return gives Christians hope and endurance, reminding us to live faithfully as we look forward to His coming, when He will make all things new and reign forever.

Interpretation:

Verse 13 says, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of…Jesus.” Christians wait with hope and patience for Jesus to return, knowing that He will surely come in glory to rule forever. Paul teaches that this promise should help us live in a good and faithful way because Jesus, our great God and Savior, will keep His promises and make everything new.

So where do we look? Eternity. We’re waiting for Jesus to return. Or, if we go before that, we’re ready to go and be with Christ. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about being with Him forever.

When Jesus comes back, it will mark the end of this “present age” (vs.12) we’re living in, and it will start the beginning of something new. The idea of “appearing,” the word means more than just something becoming visible. It refers to a divine appearance, when a deity becomes visible or comes into sight. I felt like a broken record when we studied through Revelation, but the point of the book was the point of the book: there is coming a day when Jesus returns and makes all things right again.

Revelation 21:4 ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Listen to what Tertullian had to say about this hope we have in eternity: “Where will you find adversities in the presence of God? What weakness after their renewed strength? What risk and danger after their salvation?” - Tertullian

When Christ returns, gone forever are the hardships of this life. When Christ reigns in eternity, gone forever is the weakness of our flesh. When Christ sits on His glorious and eternal throne, sin will no longer pose a risk to us for every enemy of Christ will be nothing more than His footstool!

Illustration:

Imagine you find yourself in a grueling marathon. Halfway through, exhaustion sets in, and every step feels heavier. You can see the finish line in your mind—the cheering crowd, the medal, the sense of accomplishment, and the vision fuels you. You strain forward, the hope of finish and victory giving you the strength to push past the pain and keep running.

Application:

In the same way, hope for the future strengthens us in the present. When we have the unshakable confidence that Jesus wins, makes all things right, and gone are the struggles of living in this sin-sick world, it gives us endurance to face each and every day with eyes fixed on Jesus. Hope shifts our focus from immediate struggles to the bigger picture, making challenges feel more bearable and motivating us to keep going.

Who Is Lord (2:14)

Jesus redeemed us from sin, not just to set us free, but to make us His own, purifying us and calling us to passionately live for Him through good works.

Interpretation:

Jesus has redeemed “us from all lawlessness” so that He could “purify for Himself a people for His own possession,” people “who are zealous for good works” (v.14)

He redeems us. His sacrifice on the cross paid the price of sin, a debt beyond our ability to pay, setting us free from sin that we might live for Him. His death is the ultimate expression of God’s grace. Knowing that we could not deal with the penalty of sin ourselves, Christ willingly gave Himself as our substitute, bearing our punishment in Himself, literally taking our sin upon Himself. By doing this, we who were literally slaves to sin, captives bound with no escape, were set free to live once again under the rule of a loving and gracious God.

Our previous life was characterized by lawlessness. I mean, we lived in open defiance to the good rule of our great King.

“Grace is God’s love for us even when we are unlovable.” - John Wesley

But now, Christ’s death purifies us and sets us apart for His purpose. His cleansing work purifies us, purging us of evil. Now, we belong to Jesus. Paul is using OT imagery here, drawing on Exodus 19:5.

Exodus 19:5 ESV

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

But, notice the beauty of grace. Whereas the first covenant said, obey…and you will be mine, Jesus now says I have redeemed you, I have purified you, now go and be zealous for good deeds. That idea of zealous means that we are enthusiastic about it…we are fervent, even militant…you might would say dogmatic over good deeds. They become non-negotiables for those who belong to Christ. I will serve You, no mater what. What other choice do I have? So, what does this service look like? Again, John Wesley hits the nail on the head:

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” - John Wesley

Illustration:

This seems to be the only right response to make to Jesus. It’s like a prisoner who has spent years in a dungeon, sentenced for a debt he could never repay. One day, a kind and powerful king visits the prison, sees his condition, and—out of sheer mercy—pays the full price for his freedom. The chains are unlocked, the heavy doors swing open, and the prisoner steps into the sunlight of freedom.

But, instead of running off to live for himself, he turns back to the king and says, “You have given me a new life—I want to serve you with it.” No longer a prisoner, but now a devoted servant, he willingly follows the one who rescued him, not out of obligation, but out of love and gratitude.

Application:

This mirrors how Christ sets us free from sin—not so we can go our own way, but so we can joyfully serve the One who redeemed us.

What To Learn (2:15)

Paul emphasizes the importance of declaring God’s transformative grace, exhorting what is right, rebuking what is wrong, and living in such a way that others cannot disregard our example.

Interpretation:

Lastly, Paul says, “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke,” letting “no one disregard you” (v.15). Implied in this is what we as God’s people must learn.

First, declare or speak. It’s the same word Paul used earlier for teach, the word that usually means speak and emphasizes all of life being an opportunity to instruct.

Second, these things. What things? All that we’ve been discussing, namely, that God’s grace saves us and takes us where we are, but it doesn’t leave us there. It changes us and transforms us.

Third, exhort. This means to encourage and support the things that are right and true and good.

Fourth, rebuke. This is the flip side of the coin. If exhorting is encourage, rebuking is correcting unrighteous actions.

Exhortation and rebuke rests on authority, the right to give orders or make decisions. The one place we look to as a rule for all thought and life is the word of God. It’s a good thing His Word is true and useful for rebuking and training in righteousness.

Finally, the last call is to not be disregarded. We must make sure our lives reflect the holiness we’re encouraging in others.

I like the way Dr. Akin packages this in his commentary. He says:

Learn Doctrine. We must continually be students of sound doctrine, focusing on a right understanding of God and His Word.

Learn Duty. Godly living should be encouraged and strengthened all the more.

Learn Discernment. Just because we’re dedicated to living for Christ and serving Him, it doesn’t mean that temptation goes away. We must learn to discern those things that are displeasing to the Lord so that we can get rid of them.

Learn Dedication. We remain faithful, even when it’s difficult, even in the face of opposition, so that no one will be able to despise us.

Illustration:

The Scriptures are not like any other book. When Paul writes to Timothy, he says they are literally the breath of God. They are the means by which God speaks to His people, not only to teach but to transform them. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy, these words are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

The Scriptures prepare us, as they prepared the saints before us, to perform good works. They show us how to grow in salvation, how to walk in the fullness of life that Christ offers. We must study them diligently, for without proper understanding, we may miss their true meaning.

As we read the Scriptures daily, they will begin to transform our lives. The more we read, the more we will meditate and think deeply on God’s Word, its implications about who He is, and how we must live lives that reflect His beauty and goodness in the world. Reflecting on how God works through His word, Edwards says,

“The Word of God is the means by which God communicates Himself to us, to form us in His image, and to give us a holy, spiritual life.” — Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections

In the end, our lives will become a testimony to the power of the Scriptures, for we will have been shaped and guided by the very breath of God Himself.

You know, it might seem strange to call grace intolerant. After all, that would imply that grace is unwilling to accept those who initially disagree, especially when we talk about it in a religious, church-type context. And, that’s not what we’re saying. Grace indeed takes us where we are.

Maybe you’re broken and in the gutter, wasting life on worthless whims. Or, you’re bound in the pride of holier-than-thou self righteousness. Or, perhaps you’re worn out from trying your best to please God just to feel like finally…maybe He will welcome you. Friends, Grace meets you there and welcomes you in. But, in intolerable love, grace refuses to leave us there.

Think of a child in a dense forest wandering lost and afraid. Every direction seems uncertain, fear gripping the child’s heart. But then, from the distance, a gentle voice calls out, reassuring the child that someone was there. A guide who knows the wilderness well reaches out with hands of compassion. He doesn’t simply offer a promise of safety from afar; he takes the child’s hand and leads them and shows them the way through the thickest parts of the woods.

Just like that guide, grace finds us in the wilderness of our rebellion, when we’re lost in sin and unable to find our own way out. It doesn’t leave us to wander aimlessly or helplessly. Instead, it gently corrects us, showing us the path forward, transforming our lives step by step. It guides us out of sin and shapes us into Christ’s image. It gives us hope to sustain us on the long and difficult journey. It tells us to whom our true allegiances lie, and it instructs us on how to live from here on out. Grace is more than just a greeter at the gates of glory, it is our guide that guarantees our safe arrival. Through grace, we are not abandoned to our own devices but are steadily drawn out of the wilderness and toward the promise of redemption. It is the constant, guiding light that ensures we will reach our destination safely. Like a guide who knows the terrain and the dangers ahead, grace helps us navigate life in a broken world every single step of every single day.

Just when we think we have grace all figured out, here it comes again as an overwhelming flood, humbling us once more. Aren’t you thankful for intolerant grace today?