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Roberto Badenas
Director of Education,
Euro-Africa Division
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation
to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present
age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait
for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem
us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous
for good deeds" (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV).
This short hymn to the grace of God may be one of the most beautiful
summaries of the gospel in the New Testament. In a context that emphasizes the
practical aspects of the Christian life, this text presents a theological foundation
on which the transforming power of God's grace is revealed in Christ.
Grace as Undeserved Favor
When we humans depart from God, we depart from the source of life. But we remain
under the power and influence of all the other laws of the universe. The laws
acting on our moral and spiritual fall can be compared with the law of gravity.
Unless there is force to prevent it, whatever is exposed to the force of gravity
falls all the way down.
 Similarly, only the power of grace can counteract the downward
pull of a moral fall. Sin, like gravity, pulls us down; grace lifts us up.
After giving a list of instructions for different people in
the church, Paul recalls that the theological basis for godly living is "the
grace of God." Nothing more, nothing less. The entire plan of redemption
is rooted in God's grace.
In our text the adjective soterios, found only here in
the New Testament, defines grace as "saving." The goal of grace is
to bring salvation, to restore fallen humanity to a new life of never-ending
communion and friendship with God.
God's grace, like the heavens, embraces the wide world, providing
a free offer of salvation for all humanity. Although God's grace has been manifested
in all His actions, grace appeared personified in the revelation of Jesus Christ
(John 1:17). If God is the source of grace, and salvation is its goal, Christ
is the greatest agent of God's grace.
In the four Gospels, Jesus never used the word "grace."
But He always spoke and acted with grace. His person, His whole life, was grace
in action. From the first two disciples whom Jesus met in the Jordan valley
at the beginning of His ministry, until the thief who died beside Him on Calvary,
Jesus spent His life revealing God's grace to those around him. The leper, the
adulterous woman, Matthew, Zacchaeus--all were accepted without condition and
transformed by His grace.
 John and Andrew, the Samaritan woman, and many others all became
successful missionaries, sharing the gospel with their relatives, neighbors,
and friends (John 1:35-42). Even the repentant criminal hanging on the cross,
surprised by grace, became a channel of grace for his colleague (Luke 23:39-43).
Transformed Through Grace
The grace of God is often presented as an amazing divine disposition favorable
toward humankind. Titus 2:11-14 describes grace as the action of a committed
teacher.
I have worked in education in Europe for about 40 years, and
I have often desired to transform the circumstances or the lives of my students.
Like many educators, I have visited the Italian town of Collodi in beautiful
Tuscany. In this town visitors take photographs of a monument to a toy, the
famous Pinocchio. Created by Carlo Collodi (pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini, 1826-1890),
it is actually a parable for adults about the ultimate goal of education.
The tale speaks of a craftsman who made a fine puppet boy out
of wood, which he called Pinocchio. He dreamed that the toy might one day become
a real boy. In this story the dream comes true.
Although this is fiction, the best educators dream of being
miracle workers. Remember the story of Anne Sullivan, about whom the movie The
Miracle Worker was made? This famous story tells the remarkable experience
of a young teacher who helped a wild deaf and blind child named Helen Keller
become a highly educated thinker, a role model for millions. What an amazing
miracle!
Our text says that grace teaches us how to live. The theology
of grace is a theology of change. But not in a magical way, independent of ourselves.
The verb paideuo used here means "to train, to instruct, to educate."
If the law had a pedagogical function of leading us to Christ (Gal. 3:24), grace
goes much further, producing a new creation, transforming us on the inside by
the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).
This transforming task of grace produces a decisive break with
the past. Grace makes a converted life a liberated life. Grace not only teaches
us to renounce the evil; it gives us the power to live victoriously.
Three adverbs describe the positive transforming action of grace
in three dimensions of our existence: (1) sophronos (soberly)--grace
working inwardly, toward a right relationship with one self; (2) dikaios
(righteously)--grace working outwardly, toward a right relationship with others;
and (3) eusebos (godly)--grace working upwardly, toward a right relationship
with God.
These three changes produced by grace include the three most
highly prized virtues in Greek education (self-control, justice, and piety).
The gospel fulfills the highest aspirations of the best ethics of this world.
But contrary to worldly philosophies, which look for power within oneself, the
ethics of the gospel looks for power from God.
Looking to the Future
The third action of grace consists of uplifting our hearts for a glorious future.
"The blessed hope and glorious appearing" (NKJV wording)
in our text are two subjects under a single article because they refer to the
same event viewed from two sides. For believers the second coming of Christ
is the consummation of our hope (1 Tim. 1:1). For Christ Himself this awaited
appearing marks the culmination of His salvation mission.
 The transforming action of grace is encompassed here as a process
from grace to glory, from redemption to sanctification, from the past (verse
12) to the future (verse 13). The phrase "who gave himself for us"
alludes to Christ's sacrifice and ministry (Heb. 9:11-14), expressing both representation
and solidarity.
From Christ's ministry on our behalf three main actions are
mentioned: to "redeem" us from all evil, to "purify" us
from sin, and to qualify and motivate us for good works. The results of humanity's
covenant with God, from the Exodus to the end of times, are always the same:
redemption, purification, and constitution of a new partnership with God (Eze.
37:23).
The words "to redeem us from all iniquity" make explicit
that the effect of grace is not merely deliverance from the penalty of sin,
but also from its power and consequences.
To "purify," indicates that the goal of grace is spiritual
restoration of the believers to God's likeness, to His friendship, and to His
service. God liberates His people so He can be their God (Ex. 6:6). Saving,
justifying grace leads to sanctifying grace. The grace of God is the ground
of all sanctification. True conversion includes discipleship.
The expected result is a "chosen, special, dedicated people"
(periousios), "zealous of good works" (KJV). The remnant people
of God are a committed people who combine watching and doing. The blessed hope
makes them watch as they work until the Lord comes.
In fact, it is divine grace expressed in the quality of all
our human relationships that will be the most effective witness of the church
to the character of God's saving purpose. Dispensing grace was the central mission
of Jesus. Dispensing grace is the central mission of the church. Theology and
ethics belong together. A correct understanding of God's will produces a coherent
obedience to His commandments. There is an inseparable connection between conviction
and conduct, between faith and facts, between belief and behavior.
The results of the Fall--sin, guilt, condemnation, fear, anger,
and a multitude of negative, self-centered emotions--destroy the beauty we were
created to exhibit. But the transforming power of God's grace makes of us finally
the wonderful people God created us to be. Through Christ, transformed by His
grace, our future is bright.
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