The Marks of Grace

Title: The Marks of Grace

Text: Titus 2:11-15

Into:

Today, I would like to preach on this subject “The Marks of Grace.” In the text you will see that the Apostle Paul expanded the meaning of “Saviour” by explaining what was involved in this salvation that we now have through Jesus Christ our Lord. The emphasis is on grace–God’s lavish favor on undeserving sinners. I believe that God’s grace still calls people to salvation, to reject ungodliness, worldly lust, to live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present world, to anticipate Christ’s return, and for people to be set-apart for His work. In the text Paul pointed out three Marks of Grace.

Grace Produces Salvation (v.11,14)

God’s grace has appeared to all, because “all have sinned and came short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23).

Billy Graham once said, “sin is a disease that affects the mind, the will and the emotions, every part of our being is affected by this disease.” Billy Graham was correct with saying this statement. Not only is our heart affected by sin but our mind and every part of this earthly body is affected by what Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Nobody in this world could ever escape this disease called sin because Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and came short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23). Nothing that we can ever do can set us free from this disease called sin. The grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men. Not just a select few but to ALL men. The Bible says, that “whosoever shall call upon the name of Lord Jesus Christ SHALL (not maybe but SHALL) be saved.

But God in His grace sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die upon the cross that ‘he might redeem us from all iniquity”

I believe this was the main purpose for the Lord Jesus Chrst coming down for the Kingdom of heaven that “He might redeem us from all iniquity.”

Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 KJV). Even at the time of Jesus’ birth an angel told Joseph in a dream, “thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21 KJV). Jesus was and is still the saving business.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only person that can set a man free from their sins. Jesus' death is the cure of the disease called sin. There is no other cure but the blood of Christ. We cannot do anything to work for it or even buy it. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV). We are saved by grace through faith not by anything that we have done. The reason I say that we are saved by grace is because God in His divine grace sent His only begotten son into the world to save sinners, to give His life down for them. God gave His son to die upon the cross so that we may live a life that is free from the power of Satan and the eternal consequence of sin. What is the eternal consequence of sin? The Bible gives us this answer in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death” the verse doesn’t stop there it goes on to say, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV). And all of this was God’s unmerited favor; we didn't deserve any of this, we deserved the cross and we deserved hell, but God in His mercy and His grace sent the Lord Jesus Christ to take our place. We should thank God for this!!!

II. Grace Produces Separation (v.12)

Salvation is not only a change in position (we’ve been redeemed) but it is also a change of attitude, appetite, ambition, and action. This same grace that produces salvation and redemption also reforms the way that we as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ should walk upon this earth. Notice in the text it says,

We as Christians should deny “ungodliness and worldly lust”

More than ever before, we as followers of Christ, need to live set apart from this evil world. Putting off the old man and putting on the new man. We should deny or turn away from the things that oppose the work of God and everything that is unlike God. You may say, “Well, Blake, I am worried about what people would say if I stop doing what I've been doing for so long and people judging me.” Can I tell you something? You shouldn’t worry about people judging you or what others’ opinions are about you. Instead, you should worry about what God will say to you when you pass on from this world. Would He say “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” or would He say, “Depart from me you worker of Iniquity, I never knew you”?

We should live “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” I believe people should know that you are a child of God just by the way you walk. Can they see that today?

The word “Soberly” is our familiar word for “self-contal, prudence, restraint.” This emphasizes the believer's relationship with himself. If we are to live the Christian life effectively we must resist somethings that come like temptations and we must always be striving to have the mind of Christ.

The word “righteously” has to deal with your relationships with other human beings. We as Christians should walk righteously in the sight of others because the unsaved individual is watching the Christian and not reading the Bible. Let me tell you this quick story, one time my aunt Louise missed church one Sunday morning because she wasn’t feeling well and she is the only one on her road that goes to church and one of her neighbors called her asking her if everything was okay. It is often said, the unbeliever doesn't read the Bible they read you.

The word “Godly” speaks of the Christian’s relationship to the Lord. We need to be devoted to doing what the Lord has us doing for Him and nothing else.

Yes, certainly, Christians live in the "present world” but they do not live like it or for it. Christ has redeemed us from the evil world, and must not be conformed to it. Neither should we walk in the lust of this present world. We as Christians should be set apart for the Gospel.

III. Grace Produces Anticipation (v.13)

We as Christians should be looking for the “Blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God our Savior”

I believe this with all my heart that we are closer to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ then we have ever been before! If you just look around at what’s going on you will see that. But I am not going to say that Jesus is coming tomorrow because “of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36 KJV). Hopefully, you can say “I am looking for Christ’s return on this earth” because the truth of the matter is that it is our only hope. Paul said that Jesus is our only hope (1st Timothy 1:1).

Now this verse tells something about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Look in the text please. Paul says “The blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God our Savior” This verse here affirms as well as other verses within the New Testament that the Lord Jesus Christ is in fact God.

This will be the first time when we see Jesus (If we are still alive when the rapture takes place.)

This will be the first time when we live will see the Lord face to face. Listen, It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! No matter how much heartache we may face upon this earth all of which will vanish when we see the face of our Lord. So let me encourage you if you are going through something in your life keep pushing forward because it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

We will all be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1st Cor. 15:52 KJV). We will get glorified bodies like Christ. What a day that will be!!

Many people in this world are going through sickness and pains but one of these days for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ there is coming day when we will give up this old earthly body that is subjected to decaying and we are going to on put our glorified bodies that will be like the Lord Jesus’ body. What a day that will be!!!!

Conclusion:

You see today, The Marks of Grace

Grace Produces Salvation (v.11,14)

God’s grace has appeared to all, because “all have sinned and came short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23).

God in His grace sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die upon the cross that ‘he might redeem us from all iniquity”

II. Grace Produces Separation (v.12)

We as Christians should deny “ungodliness and worldly lust”

We should live “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” I believe people should know that you are a child of God just by the way you walk. Can they see that today?

III. Grace Produces Anticipation (v.13)

We as Christians should be looking for the “Blessed hope and the glorious appearing”

This will be the first time when we see Jesus (If we are still alive when the rapture takes place.

We will all be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1st Cor. 15:52 KJV). We will get glorified bodies like Christ. What a day that will be!!

Grace reforms us because God purifies us and makes us His own special people. This process of purification is called “sanctification,” and its goal is to make the believer more like Christ each and every day. Sanctification is not only the separation from sin, but it's also devotion to God the Father. Let me ask you, are you rejecting ungodliness, worldly lust, are you living righteously before God and other people? If not, you need to be doing so today. Maybe today, you are unsaved. Can I tell you something? It doesn’t matter what you've done, God's grace is still calling you home. You may say, “you don’t know me,” God can never forgive me. That’s not true. The Bible says that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2nd Peter 3:9 KJV). Would you come and accept His grace today?