How should we approach the change we want to see in others and ourselves? Telling someone “don’t do that,” then immediately saying “do this” isn’t the best way to start a conversation about change.
When we don’t understand how change really happens, we naturally turn inward for solutions. We try to fix ourselves, but those efforts rarely produce lasting change.
Searching for Lasting Change
Kumi was searching for lasting change that made life worth living. Fun times with her friends didn’t last. Her search for change came from a desire to be genuinely cared for. But, it was the patient care and acceptance shown by local Christians during Kumi’s hardships that changed her willingness to learn about the God they believed in.
Slowly, she felt a deep guilt in her heart over the gap between her behavior and her belief. While listening to a message about Jesus showing grace to a sinful woman, Kumi was overwhelmed by God’s grace and that completely changed her life. Her story is here. In our search for lasting change, consider the following:
Since I am worse than I remember, God’s grace must change me.
God’s Grace does this in three ways:
1. God’s grace trains me.
2. God’s grace prepares me.
3. God’s grace reveals his mercy through Christ.
Titus 2:11 – 3:1-8
11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
3 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”
1. God’s grace trains me [to deny evil and live for him]
In Titus chapter two and verse 12 above we see that it is God’s grace that trains us to deny evil and live for him. Grace is the unearned favor of God and it also trains us by instructing us and empowering us to say no to evil, which we can’t do on our own. God’s grace trains us to say no to evil and yes to godly living.
Next Level Training
Hans Troyer is a young man who takes training to another level. He denied himself the comforts of home by living in a tiny R.V. in the woods away from his wife and friends to focus on training for an 161 km ultra marathon race called the Western States Endurance Run. He said “yes” to the risks of extreme training in hopes of being remembered as the best endurance runner ever.
Despite all of all his training and efforts, while running the Black Canyon 100K, his body said “no” to his hopes in a big way. His kidneys shut down at mile 40 during the race. This caused so much damage to his body during the race, that he remained in the hospital for 12 days. Here’s how Hans’ story turned out.
Pursuing the Right Thing the Wrong Way
Is it possible to pursue the right thing the wrong way? Consider the good works God has for you. To walk in the works God has for you, start where you are by considering your context.
Many of us spend the majority of our weeks in some sort of job or working capacity. It’s important to see the people God has sovereignly placed around us. Yet, oftentimes in the busyness of our work we overlook the truth that God uses those works to touch the lives of people He is drawing to Himself through the gospel. How can we best serve people we interact with in word and deed? Grace adorns us with the doctrine of our Savior.
Grace trains us. There is no fail-proof system or tried and true approach we can leverage to deny evil and live godly lives now so that others see the lovingkindness and goodness of our God. If you are looking for a sermon, series, or study to complete your training, you may be disappointed because that is what God’s grace does.
The Slippery Slope: Starting with Works
Starting with what we need to do or be like, without understanding how God’s grace carries out his works through believers can lead to a form of works based righteousness that relies on incremental improvements, rather than on God’s grace. If we slide down this slippery slope, we get credit for initiating the change or concluding that our actions caused the change. It feels good and can even look good, but does it glorify God or draw attention to ourselves?
Remember, God’s grace trains us. Trust him to prepare you for the works that impact the people He puts in your path. That way, good works become refreshing rather than required. We are doing them not because we have to, but because grace picks our heads up to hope in seeing Christ’s glory.
2. God’s grace prepares me.
God’s grace prepares me [for Christ’s glorious appearing].
In Titus 2: 13-14 below, we see that God’s grace prepares us to look forward to Christ’s glorious appearing with anticipation.
“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works”
The appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear in a striking way. Beyond what we can see, hear or imagine, God will bless us with himself. It will be like a lightening bolt that divides the night sky; joyful anticipation at Christ’s second coming or dread at the thought facing his coming judgment. Christians are trained through this waiting for our Savior’s return. It is our blessed hope that prepares us for joy unspeakable!
Raw Hope
When Mel Gibson’s the Passion of the Christ appeared in theatres in 2004, it struck people with a portrayal of the last 12 hours of Christ’s life. Director Mel Gibson’s approach to marketing the film appeared very different from a traditional Hollywood distribution.
He prepared private screenings with pastors and church groups. The film was a lightning strike of suffering so severe that anticipation for Christ’s glorious appearing from death has kept fans looking for the sequels for years, finally set to release in 2027.
Prep School
Grace is the school of God that prepares believers for works that never started with us. In fact, these works extend far beyond us.
God’s grace prepares us by way of reminder. Jesus paid the bloody price of redemption for lawless rebels who not only shook our fists at God, raging against his divine law, but rejected it by our very nature.
Kumi’s Story of Lasting Change
We learned of Kumi’s story, but Kumi actually recognized her hypocrisy [the gap between her belief and behavior] through sins that are not always obvious like lying and hurting others. Her sin was revealed through the Bible. Sins we have all committed. Christians, we were much worse than we know.
But, Jesus cleansed us by grace. His grace initiated his work in our lives and fulfills the life of a Christian. Jesus answers our brokenness by breaking himself so that we could be with him forever.
If we could fix ourselves, there would be no need for Jesus to have paid such a horrible price purchasing deliverance through his death and resurrection. You don’t need to believe in Jesus to know that we can’t fix ourselves. But, by grace, Jesus gave himself for his people.
3. God’s grace reveals his mercy through Christ.
We need God’s grace. Grace not only trains us–it saves us. God saves me in his mercy and declares me right with God by grace.
We see that in Titus chapter three verses four through seven that when God our Saviour appeared, he saved us by grace. Not only did he save us by grace, but we were declared right with God by grace.
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
God Gets a People for Himself
Through the cross, Jesus takes us from wrong to right by his actions, not ours. God’s grace saves and trains a people zealous for good works for Himself. God’s grace causes us to hope ahead, even when we are impatient. When we lack self control … when we sin and don’t live upright and godly lives in the present age. When these things happen, shame can weigh us down. It’s easy to look to and at ourselves rather than to the grace that has already appeared at Christ’s first coming.
However, God’s grace lifts our heads, hands and hearts heavenward–towards the appearing of Jesus’ glorious return. Like a lightning strike, our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ causes us to hope in him. His glorious grace reminds us that we are far worse than we imagine, but our great God and Savior Jesus Christ gave himself for us to possesses a people for himself. A people zealous for good works. None of that happens without grace.
Grace Saves and Delivers
We are far worse than we know and we can’t fix ourselves no matter how hard we work at it. Our motives, our thoughts, our actions, apart from God’s grace, are all broken. Christians, remember that not only we have been saved by grace, but it’s that same grace that trains us to live for him. Not programs, nor people’s praise; it’s something only God’s grace produces in us.
God purifies a people for himself that are zealous for good works. And that zeal does not come from us. Neither can we sustain it. It is only by God’s grace. God’s grace trains us, prepares us and reveals his mercy through Christ.
