by Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered September 17, 2006

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

Review

We are studying Saving Grace. There is an old acrostic that was used to help us grasp the idea of Saving Grace –

G – God’s

R – Riches, bestowed upon undeserving sinners

A – At

C – Christ’s

E – Expense

The more theological definition of Saving Grace is the unmerited eternal salvation of God, which comes freely to the believing sinner as a gift through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:7 & 2:8-9 give a clear biblical expression of this kind of grace – Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" and Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."

In the last several weeks we looked the first two facet or aspect of God’s redemptive grace…

1. Salvation From The Penalty of Sin – v. 11b

We have seen that Christ died on the Cross of Calvary paying the price for ALL of our sins. Because of that the believer will never be condemned to Hell (see Titus 2:14 & John 5:24). Secondly we have see that God’s redemptive grace is responsible for the believers…

2. Salvation From The Power of Sin v.12

The believer has the God given power to live a godly life! He can "put off" the old man (our old sinful nature) and "put on" the new nature (our new Christ-like nature). Grace, as Titus 2:12 teaches believers to say no to ungodliness and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, righteous and godly lives before the unsaved world.

Focus For Today

"Looking for <4327> (5740) that blessed <3107> hope <1680>, and <2532> the glorious <1391> appearing <2015> of the great <3173> God <2316> and <2532> our <2257> Saviour <4990> Jesus <2424> Christ <5547>;"

The "blessed hope" and "the glorious appearing" is a reference to the Rapture.

Turn in your Bible to 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

There is a GREAT DAY coming for born-again Christians. What a day it is going to be! As 1 John 3:2 says, "when he shall appear." One day in the future, and I hope not in the too distant future, our Lord Jesus Christ will suddenly emerge from Heaven announced by the thundering voice of Michael the archangel and the trumpet of God, and all Christians dead and alive from this present Age of Grace will meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). All I can say is GREAT!

But there is more. 1 John 3:2 goes on to say, "we shall be like Him!" I believe the Rapture is the day when our Salvation will be complete. By that I mean we will be made like the Lord Jesus Christ in purity and righteousness. I remind you that Christ neither sinned nor could He sin.

1 Peter 2:22 "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:"

1 John 3:5 "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."

We shall be like Him in that we will no longer have a sinful nature. We will be transformed. Our Old Nature will at last be eradicated. That what Paul said. Turn to Philippians 3:20-21 "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

One day we will exchange our vile body for one "fashioned like His glorious body." I don’t know about you, but I am "looking for that blessed hope" as Titus 2:13 says. The word looking is a translation of the Greek word prosdecomenoi prosdechomenoi (pros-dekh'-om-e-noi), which carries the idea of longing and waiting for something that you are certain will happen, and eagerly desire to happen.

The truth is, I will be glad to exchange this vile old mortal body for an immortal glorified body like Christ’s. Let’s read about this event. Turn in your Bibles to…

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Let me clearly say, at the Rapture we will be saved from the presence of sin. The old Sin Nature will be forever removed. We will be untemptable. There will be neither a desire to sin nor the ability to sin! I say with J. Wilbur Chapman who penned the word of Our Great Savior (Hymn # 57) – "Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah! what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end."

What about you my friends? Is Jesus Christ your Savior? If not, you should repent of your sins and call upon Christ to save your soul.