The Grace of God has…APPEARED!

Salvation has arrived

The “Good News” is that heaven came down here because man could not reach up there. So, the grace of God has arrived in the person of Jesus as Savior, Christ, and Lord. He whom death could not defeat. Who alone was Holy, being without sin, and was capable of crushing sin and death under His feet…has finished His work. He proved by His resurrection from the dead to be the Son of God!

Today, do you grasp the reality of your salvation? For sin and death has been defeated. And the one who held the power of death (the devil) has been defeated. Now, “we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9). And you, child of God, died with Him, and now live with Him. And you will appear with Him in glory. Since, He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Let us take a glimpse at what exactly has appeared: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 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” (Titus 2:11-14, emphasis mine). The “grace of God” has appeared. This “grace” teaches us something. It teaches us to be set-apart from ungodliness and worldly passions. It teaches us to live godly, self-controlled lives, and to hope for something. Our hope is where? Up there. Not down here. Our hope has a name: “Savior” Jesus Christ. The One who is coming to deliver us from a lawless, evil, world. And as we await His appearing, we are to “be about our Lord’s business.”

Are you awake? Are you waiting, and expecting Someone to appear? Me too. Come Lord Jesus, come! Do you know what is a sure sign that you have received this grace of God? One sure sign is that you notice an ever-increasing difference between yourself, and the world around you. Do you know why I say this? Because godliness and lawlessness cannot dwell together. They have nothing in common. And the child of God should notice, in this late hour, that they fit in less and less as the days move forward. It is common knowledge that as Light draws nearer, the darkness hides from it. As Jesus draws nearer, and as you experience this nearness, those who reside in the dark will hide from you. There is a natural divide which happens between opposing forces. They have nothing in common. And these are the days we live in. The divide between the holy and the common is moving farther and farther apart. But those on the fringes of light, who long to KNOW this grace of God…let them come. The drug addict, the prostitute, the homeless, the lost, broken and hurting, the orphan and the widow…COME! Eat and drink freely from the grace of God! All who are thirsty and weary, drink and rest!

This is the LOVE of God: that the grace of God has appeared. Jesus who washes us, and sanctifies us, also calls us to live HOLY, set-apart lives because we have NOT…received the grace of God in vain. But we demonstrate we have received this grace through our devotion to living godly, self-controlled lives because this grace has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live separated lives unto our Savior and Lord. AND this grace of God has appeared, reaching down to the least, the rejected by society, the prostitute, and drug addict, and the homeless, and wounded and broken who are simply willing to come. Just as the verse above reminds us: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people...” So, look up. For our Salvation comes, appearing in the clouds of glory. And we will appear with Him! Now, stay awake!