Titus 2:11–14 (LSB)
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.”
Devotional
Grace is not only how we begin the Christian life. It is how we continue.
Paul reminds Titus that grace is not an idea we admire from a distance. Grace appeared. Christ came. He is the living gift of God to sinners.
Paul also says grace instructs. The word pictures a parent who trains a child. Grace is not a soft permission slip; it is a patient teacher. It points us away from what dishonors God and leads us toward a quiet, sturdy obedience.
We often meet grace at our lowest point, and that is true. Yet grace also meets us as we grow. It is not content to leave us where it found us. The same grace that pardons also purifies. It frees us from the penalty of sin and trains us to resist its power.
All of this happens in the present age. Not later. Not when life settles down. Right now. Grace works in the ordinary places of your life: at the table, on the road, in the late hours when you are tired and tempted to give up.
Paul lifts our eyes as well. We live between two appearances. Christ came in humility and He will come again in glory. Grace anchors us to what He has done and teaches us to wait with hope for what He will do.
When obedience feels heavy, remember this: grace is not only your pardon; it is your power. The One who saved you is the One who is changing you. Walk today with that confidence. God’s grace is at work, even in the small things you will face before the day is over.
Study Note
The word translated “instructing” (paideuousa) means to train or discipline as a child. Grace does not merely inform the mind; it shapes the heart over time.
Reflection
- How is grace teaching you right now?
- Where might grace change your response this week at home or at work?
- How does the hope of Christ’s return steady your steps today?
Scripture quotations are from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation and The Three Sixteen Publishing, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.