Core Value 3: Grace Driven Effort

1, 2 Timothy, Titus 2. The Theological Basis for Christian Behavior (2:11–15)

Rather, throughout his letters Paul indicated that God’s grace continues to operate in the sanctification process of the Christian’s life. God’s grace is active and powerful. It sustains in time of need (2 Cor 12:9), it provides strength (1 Cor 15:10; 2 Tim 2:1), it produces thanksgiving and glory to God (2 Cor 4:15), it affects our conversations (Col 4:6), and it enables believers to live holy and godly lives (2 Cor 1:12).

The Message of 1 Timothy and Titus a. The Epiphany of Grace (2:11–12)

What then does grace teach? Two main lessons. First, and negatively, it teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions (12a). Secondly, and positively, it teaches us … to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (12b). Thus grace disciplines us to ‘renounce’ (REB) our old life and to live a new one, to turn from ungodliness to godliness, from self-centredness to self-control, from the world’s devious ways to fair dealing with each other.

If you climb Mount Everest and you get to the top and you sit down and relax – what happens then? You’ll freeze to death. So now is the time to push on and go again.

God’s grace offers to rescue us from hell and to renew us into the image of Christ.

1 Peter 4:11 - whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

From Kevin DeYoung (Hole in our Holiness) - The same Spirit who was present at creation and caused you to be born again is at work to empower your inner person (your will or heart) so that you might resist sins you couldn’t resist before and do the good things which would otherwise be impossible. Defeatist Christians who do not fight against sins becuase they figure they were “born this way” or “will ever change” or “don’t have enough faith” are not being humble. They dishonor the Holy Spirit who strengthens us with supernatural power.

---> TRUST DOES NOT PUT AN END TO TRYING

Goes along with Proverbs 4:18 - But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. — God saves people to honor Him with their lifestyle, he doesn’t save you to get you to begrudgingly follow him and live for him.

Are you:

Reluctant?

Hesitant?

Unwilling?

Excuse-making?

Titus 2:11-14 shows us that God’s grace teaches us the negative and positive ways to live for Christ. First, the things we are to leave alone. Second, the way we are to live. Sober-minded has to do with handling our own lives. Righteously (upright) deals with how we interact with other people. Godly, deals with our relationship with God.

God’s grace causes us to be peculiar people in relation to the world around us because we don’t belong to the world we belong to Christ. It causes us to be zealous for good works, seeking to bring God glory with the way we live.