For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11–14

Grace has often been described as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” This is a helpful way to remember the meaning of grace. But here in Titus 2, the apostle Paul gives us a clear description of what grace is and what it does.

First, Paul informs us that “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” This implies that since we cannot save ourselves, God, in His great grace, has provided salvation for us in the person and work of His beloved Son. His death, burial, and resurrection have made a way for each of us to be redeemed to God. Paul reminds us that the Lord Jesus “gave Himself for us.”

This is the redeeming grace that Paul experienced in his own life and spoke of many times. He wrote to Timothy:
“And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (1 Timothy 1:14–16).

Paul went on to say:
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:3–6).

Peter expressed this truth in these words:
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

In these verses, we learn not only about the redeeming aspect of grace, but also about the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death—the just for the unjust. We see the justifying aspect of His sacrifice—“Christ also suffered once for sins.”And we see the reconciling work of His death—“that He might bring us to God.”

This grace that brings salvation has appeared.
Have you received it into your life?

Anchor For Today:
In the Lord we have redemption, Full remission in His blood,
From the curse entire exemption, From the curse pronounced by God:
What a Saviour Jesus is! O what grace, what love is His!
~ Thomas Kelly