Calvin Robinson
Moderator Christian Forum
I have taken this from J. Vernon McGee's book THRU THE BIBLE volume 5 and have edited it slightly only to shorten it a little.
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN (Titus 2:11)
The grace of God is the way that God saves us. The gospel is not good advice - it is good news. It is even more than that;it is the power of God unto salvation. There is absolutely no excuse for any Christian to live a life of defeat and failure - "for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."
"Hath appeared" means it shines forth - it is the epiphany. What The Lord Jesus Christ did for us when he came more than nineteen hundred years ago is the gospel,the good news. He died for us,and He rose again. God doesn't save us by His love,and he doesn't save us by His mercy. Ephesians tells us:"For by grace ye are saved and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"(Eph. 2:8). Mercy is the compassion of God that prompted Him to send a Savior to mankind. If one man could be saved by the mercy of God,all mankind would be saved. It wouldn't have been necessary for Christ to die; the cross would have been circumvented.
God loved men,but he didn't save us by his love. Love is the divine motive,but God is not only love,He is righteous and holy and just. The holy demands of God,His just claims,and His righteous standard had to be met. The love of God may long to save us,but the immutable law of justice makes love powerless to do so. Therefore,Christ,by dying for our sins,met the holy demands of God's justice,and He can now save us by grace. How wonderful it is to be saved by the grace of God! When we were guilty,Christ paid the penalty. Grace is not complicated or implicated with human effort. God doesn't ask for your cooperation;He doesn't ask for your conduct or character in order to save you. God only ask men to believe Him,to trust Him,and to accept Christ. God's way is the best way,and it is the only way.
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN (Titus 2:11)
The grace of God is the way that God saves us. The gospel is not good advice - it is good news. It is even more than that;it is the power of God unto salvation. There is absolutely no excuse for any Christian to live a life of defeat and failure - "for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."
"Hath appeared" means it shines forth - it is the epiphany. What The Lord Jesus Christ did for us when he came more than nineteen hundred years ago is the gospel,the good news. He died for us,and He rose again. God doesn't save us by His love,and he doesn't save us by His mercy. Ephesians tells us:"For by grace ye are saved and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God"(Eph. 2:8). Mercy is the compassion of God that prompted Him to send a Savior to mankind. If one man could be saved by the mercy of God,all mankind would be saved. It wouldn't have been necessary for Christ to die; the cross would have been circumvented.
God loved men,but he didn't save us by his love. Love is the divine motive,but God is not only love,He is righteous and holy and just. The holy demands of God,His just claims,and His righteous standard had to be met. The love of God may long to save us,but the immutable law of justice makes love powerless to do so. Therefore,Christ,by dying for our sins,met the holy demands of God's justice,and He can now save us by grace. How wonderful it is to be saved by the grace of God! When we were guilty,Christ paid the penalty. Grace is not complicated or implicated with human effort. God doesn't ask for your cooperation;He doesn't ask for your conduct or character in order to save you. God only ask men to believe Him,to trust Him,and to accept Christ. God's way is the best way,and it is the only way.
