(GRACE IN SERVICE (ACTION) - Day 1 of 7)
“(11) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (12) instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, (13) looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; (14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14
1) “appeared” ἐπιφαίνω - epiphainō (Gr) - 4x: to make to appear, to display; pass. to be manifested, revealed, Tit_2:11; Tit_3:4; intrans. to give light, shine, Luk_1:79; Act_27:20. (Mounce) - You may notice the Greek word appears similar/related to the English word “epiphany”. Grace doesn’t just “show up” but “reveals”, as in, “shining light upon something to make known”.
2) “brings salvation” - (sōtērios - Gr). Old adjective from sōtēr (Saviour), here alone in N.T. except to sōtērion (salvation, “the saving act”) in Luk_2:30; Luk_3:6; Eph_6:17. (Robertson’s Word Pictures) This carries with it the idea of “deliverance”. What does grace deliver and save from but the penalty of sin and the wrath of a holy God against such?
3) “instructs” - παιδεύω - paideúō (Gr); fut. paideúsō, from país (G3816), child. Originally to bring up a child, to educate, used of activity directed toward the moral and spiritual nurture and training of the child, to influence conscious will and action. To instruct, particularly a child or youth (Act_7:22; Act_22:3; 2Ti_2:25 [cf. Tit_2:12]) (Word Study)
“Deny” - As with any good disciplining of a child, to instruct them unto maturity, denial/rejection of following passions, lusts, desires, temptations is a must. To never prohibit the negative which is dangerous and harmful is irresponsible. The grace of God instructs us to deny.
“Live” - But as is the case with any and all proper disciplining, the proper balance must be present. In this case, not just teaching what to deny, but how to live according to the standard of the grace of God in all sensibility, righteousness, godliness and holiness.
“Look for” - Grace teaches us hope and the optimism of looking forward because we have something to look forward to. Where only judgment and condemnation exist, where there is no mercy or love or forgiveness or grace, there is no hope and nothing to look forward to.
4) “redeem” - λυτρόω - lutroō (Gr); from G3089; to release by paying a ransom, to redeem. (NAESC) “deliver us from bondage by paying the price of His precious blood.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) This is the grace of Christ, that He paid what He did not have to, in suffering and anguish, that we might be redeemed from our sin and the penalty thereof.
5) “purify” - καθαρίζω - katharizō (Gr) - kath-ar-id'-zo From G2513; to cleanse (literally or figuratively) Again, you may recognize this greek word related to our English word of the same meaning “cathartic”. God’s grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ takes sinfully stained and unclean people and cleanses us through the gospel of grace. It purifies a people that become useful through this grace.
6) produces - though this word does not appear in the text, the culmination of all that is said about grace is that it produces a people of God “zealous for good deeds”. The grace of God is not just an object or idea to be admired or desired, it is a transforming work of God upon those who receive it in truth and action. Grace is functional, in many ways, it is living. Like faith, without action/work it is dead. May the grace of God ever live in us, and teach us, and produce within us the purpose it was sown to produce.
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