Saturday, December 5, 2015

Grace Teaches Us to Expect Good Things

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who 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)

The grace of God, brought to us in person through Christ Jesus, does not just teach us to reject sin, or to live godly lives, but teaches us to look forward to good things to come.

God our Father is all about hope for us, and this hope we find in Christ, and all that He is and does for us!

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"  (Colossians 1: 27)

and

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;" (1 Timothy 1: 1)

and

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1 Peter 1: 3)

Notice that these messengers of the Grace of God announced Jesus as their hope.

Let us not think that hope as defined by the Bible is something fantastic or unsure:

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5: 5)

With Christ Jesus, we become prisoners of hope, unable to escape His blessings!

"Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declarethat I will render double unto thee;" (Zechariah 9: 12)

The grace of God teaches us to expect good things from God, because He loves us so much, delivering His Son to us for our sins, and with Him we receive all things (Romans 8: 31-32)

1 comment: