To Live is Christ — with constant new beginnings

Part of the “good news” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that salvation is available to everyone. No sin is too great because the blood of Christ covers all sin. No sinner is too awful or too far gone that the mercy and grace of God cannot reach him.

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. (Titus 2:11–12)

The first part of this passage affirms that all of humanity is included. It does not say that all humanity is saved. (The Bible is clear that salvation belongs to those who respond to grace by faith and are given new life in Christ.) But it does use that word “all.” Christianity is not an exclusive faith in the sense it is only for white people, or only for a certain social group. Christ appeared for all so that all might have the opportunity of forgiveness and the victory described in the second part.

This morning before reading this, I read a section of Old Testament Law in Deuteronomy and hung my head. No one could keep this Law perfectly, least of all me. The high standard of the Law made me feel condemned and ashamed, at least for a few moments until my mind turned to the reality of Jesus Christ. Apart from Him and from the grace that brought salvation to me from Him, I would have no hope at all.

Yet He brought salvation, and in this I rejoice. I am forgiven! However, as the passage in Titus says, I continue to need the grace of God. Grace enables God’s people to live out this wonderful salvation that is ours.

The passage says grace teaches me to deny ungodliness and my sinful desires that are like those that fill the world. This denial is not something that I know by myself nor can do by myself. Grace teaches me how to recognize sin and say no to it.

Grace also teaches me how to live soberly. The word means self-controlled, or as I like to say it, “self under the control of the Holy Spirit.” I can nor more control myself than fly to Mars. This is a God thing, a product of grace. It comes from Jesus, not from me.

It goes without saying that my life is not righteous nor godly either — apart from grace. I need Jesus, plain and simple.

Today is a new day, the beginning of a new week and a new month. I sense the “start fresh” that goes with that, but in my spirit, and because of the grace of God, this is an encouragement that He gives every day. His grace forgives sin, conquers strongholds, renews hope, and blesses me in so many ways that again I hang my head, this time not with shame but with amazed gratitude.