Titus 2:11-13, “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.” LSB
God’s mercy and His saving grace has been on my mind this past week, due to studying Titus 2:11-13. Hebrews 4:16 tells us we are to pray for mercy and Galatians 6:16 states we are to ask for mercy for one another. There are no selected persons or non-selected persons when it comes to the availability of finding the saving grace of God. Jesus Christ has brought salvation to “all.” All have the opportunity to receive and accept it. There is one gospel for all people (Titus 2:11, ESV). Adam Clarke’s Commentary states (who was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar), “There is a beauty and energy in the word epiphaino, hath shined out, that is rarely noted; it seems to be a metaphor taken from the sun. As by his rising in the east and shining out, he enlightens, successively, the whole world; so the Lord Jesus who is called the Sun of righteousness, Malachi 4:2, arises on the whole human race with healing in his wings.”
David Guzik’s Commentary explains further by stating, “The light and warmth of the sun is for the whole earth: but it does not shine upon the earth all at the same time, nor in the same intensity from place to place.” I find his statement so precisely and clearly explaining the truth of Titus 2:11-13.
Paul stresses to Titus that in the lives of the saved, we need to live out before others our integrity and strong ethical and moral principles that should be more critical than achieving any dreams or goals of accumulating material possessions due to having received God’s mercy and grace of salvation. We need to be grounded in the Word of God to live “sensibly, righteously, and godly.” So how do I introduce ideas into conversations that move the other person one step closer to God? I want to help those I am in contact with to connect the dots of God’s saving grace that has appeared to them at some point in their lives. If I can remember the truth of Titus 2:11-13, doesn’t that take the fear away of rejection and causes me to pray that more earnestly for their salvation? Yes, it does.
So, when you look up at the sun in the sky, from now on, think about its position in the morning verses the afternoon and evening. Was today cloudy part of the time or full sunshine throughout the day? What about its intensity? So, the question I must ask myself is, how did my light shine for Christ today? Was it fully illuminating Christ by my compassion, reliability, and love for others in remembering that Christ has brought salvation, by his grace, to each person I am in contact with today whether they have accepted Him yet or not? For those on my prayer list for salvation, I wonder how God revealed Himself to them recently?
The Message states Titus 2:11-13 this way, “God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears.” May I so live today in being a right example in my words and deeds, because I believe Jesus is coming soon; and now when I look up at the sun, it will remind me of Titus 2:11-13 and the Greek word, epiphainó. As Christ has appeared, like the sun in the sky, to all men everywhere, bringing salvation by the grace of God, for all.
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