Grace has been defined as unmerited favor. The letters in the word can stand for God’s riches at Christ’s expense. It is an interesting study to consider the various things associated with grace. Let us consider just a few in one passage.

Paul wrote, “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.” (Titus 2:11–14.) This passage demands more time and space that we can allot now; but let us note some things.

God’s grace of salvation is clearly visible, having been made known to all men. This does not mean universal salvation with no conditions. This passage does teach us that Calvinism is false. God did not arbitrarily determine before the foundation of the world that specific persons would be saved, and that a certain number would be lost and that those numbers could not be diminished. Jesus died for all men (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2). The Great Commission was executed in the first century (Matt. 28:18-20; Col 1:23). And since the Lord’s apostles were commanded to teach the disciples to observe all things he had commanded, then the Great Commission is still the church’s marching orders today. We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15-16).

God’s grace teaches. It instructs. One cannot learn of God’s grace through osmosis. One cannot enjoy salvation if he has not been taught. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. It must be a beacon of truth both near and far. Thus, it is duty-bound to tell the good news of Jesus, to uphold the right, and reprove the wrong. God’s grace is restrictive. There are limitations. God’s grace teaches us that there are ways in which we must not live, and there are ways in which we must live. We are to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. We are to live soberly, righteously and godly in this world.

We are to look for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. “Looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” is associated with the grace of God. If the appearance of Jesus the second time occurred in A.D. 70, then where is our hope? Paul wrote: “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” (Romans 8:24.) If a woman hopes for a certain new dress, that means she does not have it. She hopes for it. If she has the dress, her hope has been satisfied. She no longer has hope for that new dress. There is no hope in the Realized Eschatology theory, that is that the second coming of Christ, the end of the world, the resurrection and the judgment have taken place. It is twisted thinking gone to seed.

The grace of God teaches us that our Savior Jesus Christ gave himself for us. He gave himself on our behalf, for our sake’s. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us, buy us back, from all iniquity. He gave himself for us in order to purify us unto himself a peculiar people. Jesus did not come to make a name for himself; he did not come for his own pleasure or enjoyment. He came to die for us. Paul wrote, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” (Romans 15:3.) Frances R. Havergal wrote in 1859 the following poem:

I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,

That thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv’n for Me?

My Father’s house of light, My glory circled throne,

I left for earthly night, For wanderings sad and lone;

I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?

And I have brought to thee, Down from My home above,

Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love

I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?

The grace of God also instructs us that we are a peculiar people. But in what way are we to be a peculiar people, according to the context? Yes, we are peculiar because we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. However, in the context, we are a peculiar people, because we are zealous of good works. (bfv)