Part 5 – The Blessings of the Truth in Light

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Light and Understanding.

Precious few believers are ever able to enjoy the blessings of the Christian life because they persist under the confusion of religious Law, that can’t do what grace does. Grace teaches us how to live successfully.

“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, (so) that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)

Remember, “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to ALL men, refers to the Apostle Paul’s “ALL nations” gospel. Paul is the Gentile’s Apostle (Rom. 1:5; 16:26; cf. Rom. 11:13). Yes, grace existed before Paul, but grace being offered freely to all nations (as Gentiles) when they deserved nothing but wrath, that was unheard of prior to Paul. The “dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) involves more than God in His grace offering us redemption from the penalty of sin and “the Lake of Fire.” Titus 2 (above) says grace also teaches us how to live daily and how we are able to overcome the power of sin.

Why did Jesus Christ offer Himself “a ransom for ALL” (1 Tim. 2:6), a “redemption-price paid for all”? It was to take all those who would trust Him as personal Saviour, and also give them His life and His identity “in Christ,” enabling and impelling believers to overcome sinful living. Under grace we come to see that sinning is beneath who we really are “in Christ.” Grace not only changes our eternal destiny in the future, it can change how we now conduct our lives today.

Most church members believe successful Christian living involves trying to keep the 10 Commandments, remembering the Beatitudes, and following the “Golden Rule,” etc. But, when the Holy Spirit through Paul spoke about Christian living, He said our teacher is God’s Grace, not God’s Law.

“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] … 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)

Sadly, even many “grace believers” have a shallow understanding of grace. Then, observing their misconduct causes other Christians and even lost people to cling to strict rules and regulations all the more. Grace does not save us according to how we live, but it should influence how we live.

By God’s grace we have died with Christ (Rom. 6:3) and we are now free to live righteously, even while still in our sin-laden bodies.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, (so) that the body of sin might be destroyed (of no effect upon us), that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For He That Is Dead Is Freed From (the dominion of) Sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:6-10)

“[11] Likewise reckon (count) ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, BUT (count yourself) alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members [body parts] as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: BUT yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your (body) members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

In this world of intensifying spiritual darkness that has largely permeated ‘the church at large,’ God’s Word rightly divided provides us great light. In this world of increasing obscurity, we can be blessed with greater understanding from God’s words, dispensationally understood. For us English-speaking people, the rightly divided KJV Bible is a brilliant beacon in these times of abounding uncertainty, darkness, mass confusion, and widespread ignorance in ‘the church at large.’

The Holy Spirit will teach us using the rightly divided Holy Bible, helping us to pay special attention to His words spoken through the Apostle Paul.

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, BUT which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1Cor. 2:13)

Consider what I (Paul) say; and the Lord (will) give thee understanding in all things.” (2 Tim. 2:7)

We dispensationalist, among all people should be able to say… “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” As we let God’s grace teach us, we are, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13). The earthly life we have in Christ now will continue into eternity future, in “the heavenly places.”

We will carry with us the same Pauline truths… for eternity. God the Holy Spirit illuminates us about this and other important Christian truths, as Ephesians 1 says:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: [18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” (Eph. 1:17-18)

In light of Pauline revelation, we understand that we are “the Church… the Body of Christ,” are never to be confused with the nation Israel. We are under grace, not law, thus free to walk in the victorious new identity given to us in Christ. Sin does not have to reign over us. We can enjoy Christ’s resurrection life, now and forever. So long as we respond positively to the spiritual light we have, God will honor that and give us more… light and lenses for greater sight!

Note: Portions of this study were drawn and adapted from the writings of Shawn Brasseaux