GOD'S GRACE REVEALED

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-13).

In our study we spoke of the awful backslidings and God-dishonoring actions of Abraham, the father of all who believe, which gives us a better understanding of the unexplainable departures of God's dear children from God's ways of righteousness. We start to understand a little more of what it means to be the children of Abraham. It teaches us the inner corruption of the heart and how that if you and I are left to ourselves, by nature we will only work out our own destruction. We could come so close to heaven as to have our hand on the doorknob and still fall if it were not for the grace of God, who would intervene in all our backsliding and in all of our foolish actions and again restore us in grace.

In Titus 3:3 we read: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another."

It is like being in a house of glass. The first stone you throw you knock out your own windows. We do not have any stones to throw at Abraham. We do not have any stones to throw at any person regardless of what degree of sin we see him fall into. The seeds of that same corruption are in our hearts, and but for the grace of God we would all destroy ourselves and that for all eternity We are indeed the children of Abraham.

Let each of us put our hands into our own bosom and pull them out and see how much leprosy is upon them. Can we deny that there were times when we were serving diverse lusts and pleasures, that we were living in malice, bitterness and hatred. If the Lord had left us to ourselves we would have been just like Abraham. We would have never returned from this pit of corruption we had fallen into, but we were caught in these things because indeed we are the
children of Abraham.

Then the Apostle Paul goes on to show how that by the grace of God, through the love of the Father in giving and revealing His Son, the Holy Spirit amends our lives by His divine influence upon our hearts. Everything is rooted and
grounded in the love of God the Father. All of our salvation is grounded in that love of God, that love of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit amends our lives by the work of regeneration, Christ formed in you. This is not by anything we have done. It is all of God.

Jonah said when he was in the pit of hell, when he was in the whale's belly: Salvation is of the Lord. This is what we learn if we understand the doctrines of grace, if we understand the grace of God. If we see a brother taken in a
fault, we do not have any stones to throw. Our hearts go out to them. We become intercessors like Abraham was for Lot. We intercede that God would change them. That man will never change himself. When we are taken in a fault,
we will never be able to change ourselves. It takes the grace of God. The Father gives His Son and reveals Him in us that the Holy Spirit amends our lives by His divine influence on our hearts.

Look at Titus 3:4-6: "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour."

This happens when the Holy Spirit reveals that precious love of God in our hearts, and the love of God is made manifest to us. The renewing of the Holy Spirit spared Abraham from destroying the whole plan of salvation by giving
his wife to Abimelech. It is by the Holy Spirit that our salvation is not spoiled every time we turn around. The Holy Spirit reveals the love of God in our hearts. Like He did with Peter, he sees that look of love from God. That
melted his rebellion.

Our text says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." Now we are back into the debate about regeneration for the whole world, universal regeneration. No, this does not teach any such thing.

As we attempt to enter this deep mine of inexpressible treasures, the first door to a right knowledge of what is contained herein is the Greek dictionary, where the key words of our text will unlock the meaning of our text. Our text begins with the connecting word for, so in the first instance we must understand that the expression, "the grace of God," must be seen in the context of the proceeding verses.

The expression "the grace of God" comes from the Greek word charis (khar'-ece), which means "in a spiritual sense, the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life, including gratitude."

When I say that I have the grace of God in my heart, this means that I have received the divine influence of the Holy Spirit upon my heart, which is reflected in my life. If a man tells me that he has had rich experiences and that he is rich in the grace of God, but he is still living in hatred and bitterness, he has not received grace. We cannot profess to have received grace and have hearts of bitterness. Grace is reflected in our lives. That is
the meaning of the word. It pertains to our walk of life.

Now as I just pointed out from Titus 3:5, our salvation is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." It is that
divine influence that comes upon our hearts. Our heart is influenced by that great love. Nothing will melt a hard and stony heart like the love of God. That is what the Holy Spirit uses to work in us to change our lives. When we
truly learn to understand that love of God there is no room for hatred. All hatred has to be dispelled by the blessed revelation and the appearing of the love of God. You cannot have that love of God dwelling in your heart and
harbor hatred or bitterness against your fellow man. Christ formed in you is revealed in your walk of life. That is what the word grace means.

Yet our text says, "For the grace of God [that is, the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life, is] that [which] bringeth salvation [and it] hath appeared to all men." Does this teach universal regeneration?
Many teach that it does. There is only one way to know, and that is to take these words back into the original and find out what they say.

I have pointed so often before that if the whole world cannot see the divine influence of the Spirit of Christ upon our heart, and its reflection in our walk of life, we have no right to claim God's grace in our soul.

I want to show you how this text brings that out. In Matthew 5:13 we read: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out,
and to be trodden under foot of men."

If our walk of life does not reflect the divine influence of the Holy Spirit upon our heart, how are we a deterrent to the sin of the world? How are we the salt of the earth? The salt of the earth is a deterrent against sin. How can you be a deterrent against sin to the world if the influence of the Holy Spirit upon your heart is not reflected in your walk of life, in the spirit in which you deal with your fellow man?

Verse 14 says: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." If that influence is not reflected, the salt has lost its savor. It loses its deterrent effect. Your life does not reflect Christ in you. It is garbage if it has lost its savor. The divine influence of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts has to influence the world. All men have to be able to see it. It has to appear to all men.

We read in verses 15 and 16: "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Grace is for the glory of God. When the grace of God is in my heart, that divine influence of Christ in me, is the influence that reflects in my life. That love of God melts our hearts,and my love for my fellow man heaps coals of fire on his head. That vehement flame of love cannot be quenched with many waters. That is how we win them over to repent. That is how the Father is glorified by our walk of life. We were sometimes hateful and bitter and envying one another, but now the grace of God has appeared, and they should never see these evil attitudes reflected in our character because we have the Spirit of Christ. We have the divine influence of the Spirit of Christ upon our  lives.

Our text goes on to say, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." This
is how the grace of God appears to all men. They see that we are denying ungodliness. We no longer live in it. We live soberly, righteously and godly. Again, it is utterly important to understand the true meaning of this word teaching to understand how the grace of God brings this divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life. Salvation is that divine influence reflected in our lives. This phrase "teaching us that" comes from the Greek word paideuo, which means to train up a child, that is, to educate or discipline by punishment. God reveals His grace in His people by the reflection in their walk of life, and it becomes revealed to the whole world Our walk of life is a reflection of God's grace in our hearts. He does this by teaching us"as a father brings up his child. He educates us and disciplines us by punishment. He deals with us with His chastening hand. He takes the hatred and rebellion out of us.

So how does the God of all grace train up His dear children, and educate them "that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world"?

We read in Hebrews 12:4: "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."So, what does He do? He says, I am going to teach you.

We read in verse 5: "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him"

This is how we deny ungodliness, because the Lord takes it out of us. If you and I have a child we love, and we see rebellion in their hearts, we do not let it stay there. By means of a chastening hand, we rebuke that stubbornness,
and we take that child, and we spank them, and we discipline them. Then when they have come to surrender, they get on our laps, put their arms around our necks and say, Daddy, I want love. Their rebellion is broken.

Do you see the love of a father? Do you see where the father's love is manifest? Do you see how the love of God is revealed? He does not allow us to go on and destroy ourselves, but He takes us in His chastening hands, and He
rebukes that rebellion until it is broken.

Verse 6 tells us: "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

In His tender fatherly love our heavenly Father brings His divine influence upon the heart, by teaching us that His grace must be seen by all the world through its reflection in our walk of life. You and I can be as rebellious as we want to, but He influences us. Some will teach, Well, if you decide not to accept Jesus, there is nothing God can do. That is not what my Bible teaches. He will bring His divine influence upon our hearts, and it will be revealed in our lives because He deals with us as sons. He deals with us as dear children, teaching us that His grace must be seen by all the world. When you and I become salt that has lost its savour then He comes with His chastening hand,and He brings us into circumstances where He will put us in the furnace, and He will take away the dross and make us instruments fit for His service. He teaches us that we might be seen by the whole world, and it is reflected in
our walk of life.

In Hebrews 12:11 we read: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Righteousness means a right attitude toward our neighbor. When He gets done dealing with our stubbornness and rebellion, He changes our attitudes. He gives us a little attitude adjustment.

When our Heavenly Father brings salvation that appears "to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," then these are the "peaceable
fruits of righteousness" that the world will see us do.

He does not ask us if we want salvation or if we are willing to accept it, and if not He is helpless. No, He brings it. He sends His influence on the heart by the working of regeneration of the Holy Spirit. He gives us to see the
bitterness of sin. He teaches us like He did Jacob. When Jacob's sons told him that Joseph was still alive, can you imagine how Jacob understood the bitterness of sin? For 20 years his own children deceived him. It was the Lord
teaching him. The Lord knows how to change our attitudes. He knows how to come with His divine influence on our souls, and how to work grace in our hearts. grace is that change of attitude seen by the whole world.

He weans us from sin by teaching us the bitterness of sin. There is no better way to learn the bitterness of sin than the way Abraham learned it. He learned it from his own children. When Abraham's herdsmen strove with Lot's herdsmen, he could separate them. They could each go their way. However, when that  strife came out of his own house, and that strife came from his own wife, he could not run from it, and he lived in it 13 years. The Lord gave him to see the bitterness of having given up his headship of the household. The Lord will put us in circumstances we cannot run from. He will put us in circumstances so we will see that the bitterness of that sin is grievous and how it grieves the love of God. Then He gives us to see that we will be delivered from that ungodliness, and these peaceable fruits of righteousness will now be seen by the whole world.

We see those peaceable fruits of righteousness in Hebrews 12:12-14: "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let
it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

Our hearts now go out with a loving spirit to our fellow man. We reach out to our fellow man and help him. We are not critical. We do not heap judgment on one who needs help. We lift up those feeble hands. By our example we make
straight paths for our own feet, so that by our example we do not cause those who are lame to stumble by seeing us do things we ought not.

See the peaceable fruits of righteousness. We follow after holiness. Grace is the influence of the Holy Spirit: Christ formed in you, revealed to the whole world.

When any one fails this test, they fail of the grace of God. I do not care how rich you may claim to be in grace, if you fail this test, you fail the grace of God. I want to show you this in verse 15: "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; [How is that done?] lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

When a root of bitterness springs up in your soul, you are failing the grace of God. You are no longer a reflection to the world of the divine influence upon your soul by the love of God. You no longer reflect the love of God in your life.

You do not realize how a little leaven leavens the whole lump. When one person in the assembly starts generating bitterness, that destroys the peace of God in the whole lot. If one person starts being bitter, hateful and spiteful, it
will defile many. Then there are those who have special grace who can respond in love to one who comes against them in bitterness. We have to watch that we not fail the grace of God and no longer reflect to the world that Spirit of Christ.

As we see our text in its context, we learn to realize that our Saviour's very purpose in coming was to redeem us from all iniquity, that we no longer live in sin, and that His Heavenly Father might be glorified by our good works. The purpose of His coming was for the glory of God. Did you know that the God of heaven, the God of love, can only be glorified with a response of love, with our good works, with us showing love.

I want you to see Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works."

How do we have the grace of God? It is when the grace of God has redeemed us from all iniquity, that we no longer live in sin. We are delivered from sin. The divine influence of the Holy Spirit on our hearts is revealed in our walk
of life, in our attitudes, in who we are.

Have you ever heard of a man being zealous? Some are so zealous they give themselves away to accomplish something for someone else. What are we zealous for? We should be zealous for good works, for doing that which is pleasing to the Father.

This being redeemed from all iniquity, and purified unto our Saviour as His"peculiar people, zealous of good works" unto the glory of the Father becomes the good news of the gospel! There is redemption from iniquity. There is
redemption from sin. There is this thing called reconciliation with God, that the God of love can be in oneness and in total harmony of reconciliation with you and me by us being redeemed from iniquity. You and I can never claim a
state of reconciliation with God and live in bitterness and hatred.

See what the apostle says in the next verse. We read in Titus 2:15: "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee." These things refer to becoming a peculiar people, redeemed from all
iniquity, zealous of good works, unto the glory of God. This becomes the good news of the gospel. That is grace. That is the divine influence of the Holy Spirit upon the heart, which is seen by the whole world.

Now let us go back to the emphasis on the connecting word with which our text begins. Titus 2:11 says: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." As the Apostle Paul concluded this chapter, he said,
"These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority," so what things was he speaking of? Jesus said in Matthew 28:18: All authority is given to me. How do you and I rebuke with all authority? We do so with the authority
of the Word of God.

See the verses just before our text, to which our text is connected with this word for, and see what things we are admonished to "speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority."

We read in Titus 2:7-10: "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech,that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed,
having no evil thing to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not  purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of
God our Saviour in all things."

These things are seen by the world. "Purloining" is to appropriate to ourselves that which has been committed to our trust, or embezzling. He is talking about servants. A servant may not take to himself that which has been entrusted to him to use in the service of his master. Did you know that you can commit that in a spiritual sense? We can be so selfish that we appropriate all the love of God to ourselves and do not use it in His service. It was given us to serve Him.

Next thing you know we are so bound up with such a selfish religion that all we want is a pardon, and all we concerned about is going to heaven. God gave us His Saviour and His love that we might be the salt of the earth, that we might be the reflectors of His character to the world. When we fail to do this, we are guilty of purloining. We are His servants, and we are not serving Him with that which was entrusted to us. We call this embezzling, stealing that which is not ours.

We can be guilty of purloining if we take advantage of any person who places confidence in our honesty. In the business community, you can get into a business transaction and not really tell a lie, but you would not want the
other person to do it to you. This is especially wrong if that confidence is based upon our profession of the grace of God, believing you live by the golden rule.

How many televangelists have not gone out and gotten widows to take the groceries off their tables so they can drive a Jaguar and live with a prostitute? This is purloining: getting from others entrusted to your service for the purpose of serving God, and instead appropriating it to your own use.They have broken the Golden Rule, which others have entrusted them with.

In Matthew 7:12 we read: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." You may see a person in business, and everyone says: If it is not right, he will make it right. We can trust him. The world sees that we have not been dishonest. The grace of God is seen by the whole world.

Our text says, we must abstain from the very appearance of evil: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,righteously, and godly, in this present world."

This word appeareth as it is used in our text comes from the Greek word epiphaino (ep-ee-fah'-ee-no), which means "to become literally visible."

Christ appears to His church, but the world does not see it. Paul saw the light, but his friends did not see it.

Sometimes the church cannot see the grace of God in you. Maybe it is because they live a little too close to you. Sometimes they may question whether the grace of God is in you, but ask the world: They can see it.

Jehu was not sure. When he brought in all the servants of Baal, he was not sure if some of the servants of God might have slipped in. We read in 2 Kings 10:23: "And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of
Baal, and said unto the worshipers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshipers of Baal only."

Jehu knew he would not be killing one of the servants of the Lord if he let the worshipers of Baal be the judges. They could detect the Spirit of God because it is made manifest to the world. The Lord, like Jehu, uses the world to identify His true servants. When God's influence of grace is in your soul,the world can see it. It becomes literally visible to all men, which means the whole human race. If the world cannot see the divine influence of God upon your heart, and its reflection in your life, it is not there. Then we have failed of the grace of God.

The blessed effect of this is what Jesus taught in Luke 6:22: "Blessed are ye,when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company,and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's
sake."

This verse is one of the Beatitudes. This is how the Lord separates you from the world. When men can see the influence of the Spirit of God in your heart they will hate you.

It is our nature to like lots of friends, but Jesus said in Luke 6:26: "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets,” to the men-pleasers.

Even if we are cast out of their company, we must beware of the attitude they see in us toward them for doing so. You can get thrown out by the world and feel that you are suffering persecution for the cause of Christ. You can reflect this with bitterness and hatred back in response to them for casting you out, and you have failed of the grace of God.

We read in Hebrews 12:14-15: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby many be defiled."

If we turn bitter and hateful for being put out of their company, we have failed of the grace of God. If we truly have the divine influence upon our heart, they will see its reflection in our attitude and walk of life"after we have been put out of their company. I want to show you this in 1 Peter 2:20: "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

"Patiently" means cheerfully enduring. You respond with a cheerful spirit, not with reviling, bickering, biting and defending yourself.

Continuing in verses 21 to 23 we read: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."

When someone says slanderous things about you and to you, can you respond with love? If we respond with defensiveness and bitterness, in that instance we have failed of the grace of God. The grace of God would be that we respond with love. If we are walking in Jesus' footsteps, the world will see that instead of reviling and threatening, we are taking it patiently, that is cheerfully suffering.

We read in Hebrews 10:32-34: "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions, Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions;
and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring
substance."

When Jesus was being stripped of His clothing to hang naked before the world on the cross, He made no attempt to defend His rights. Can we walk in His footsteps? He reviled not again.

The Lord puts us in circumstances where our faith is tried. Do we really possess grace? Sometimes we fail of the grace of God, and then we have to turn like Peter and weep bitterly. It brings us back into a repentant spirit.

Continuing in verse 35 we read: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward." When we fail we must not cast away our confidence but turn back in repentance.

Verse 36 tells us: "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Salvation is after you have done the will of God. That is what grace is all about. He brings salvation by
teaching you and by the influence of the love of Christ in our hearts. He teaches us by His leading us these 40 years in the wilderness Is that not in effect what Jesus said in His beatitudes? We read in Luke 6:22-23: "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."  "

When was the last time you came home and told your family what a blessed day you had? Oh, what happened? You reply: Someone put me out of his company. Can you rejoice over that? That is the response the world must see. The world must see that when they revile and persecute you unjustly, you rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. That is the grace of God being revealed to the world. They put the prophets out too.

This is the patience of those who have "the divine influence upon the heart"and its reflection in the life that has become literally visible to the whole human race.

Titus 2:11-13 tells us: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world [while
we patiently wait God's time]; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

The Lord brings us into circumstances to teach us these things. Once Satan got a hold of me and tried to drag me into a destructive situation. A waitress wanted me to buy her a beer, and she told me she was getting off at 11o'clock. The thought of it was obnoxious to me, but at 11 o'clock that evening I happened to be driving right past that restaurant, and old Satan just took a hold of me. You do not have to bother her. Just buy her a beer. As I approached that driveway the power of hell so took a hold of me that with all my might I tried to keep from turning that steering wheel, but I was unable to do it. My car started turning in. I cried out loud, Lord, help me, and instantly the power was broken, and the Lord spoke so powerfully to my soul You shall not tempt the Lord your God. I was not to listen to those temptations of Satan.

We learn by the Lord's teachings to deny ungodliness. We cannot submit to it Our whole being must come against it. The Lord gave me by the Holy Spirit the power to deny this ungodliness. We cannot do this in our own strength.

We must live in this valley of tears. We must live in these trials and temptations. We must live in this wilderness, while we are looking for "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." That is the reward.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

We read about faith in Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

For this hope we endure these trials. We patiently wait. We patiently endure all these tribulations and all this suffering and all this rejection of the world"because the love of Christ has influenced our heart.

That divine influence is now seen by the world because we have again become the reflectors of God's love. They see Christ in you, the hope of glory. That blessed love of Christ, that blessed love of God the Father, is now reflected in our walk of life, in how we treat our fellow man.