Grace that transforms
by Jordan Moore
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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 2:14).
Read Titus 2:11–15
What a fantastic reminder of what grace has done! It has brought salvation. We have the gift of everlasting life, the promise of spending eternity in right relationship with our Heavenly Father. There is nothing that could be greater than this gift, and it is right that this is the focus of preaching and teaching in our church.
But what does grace mean for the time before we die? Through God’s word, the Holy Spirit trains us to live lives that are more and more conformed to the image of Jesus. None of this is to earn or prove our salvation, but because God’s laws were given to protect the good gifts that God has given us in creation, such as marriage, property, health and relationships.
On the cross, Jesus defeated the power of sin; it no longer has a condemning hold over us. But God also loves us too much to allow us to continue in the destructive lives of sin. A quick glance at the news can show us how damaging sin is for ourselves, those around us and the world God has given us.
God is calling us to live lives of self-control, with our focus eternally minded, so that instead of focusing on ourselves and what we want, we focus on God and his kingdom and live in a way that honours him. And the best thing about it is that it’s not us doing this work! It’s all God, all his grace, working in our lives to purify us for himself.
Where is God working in your life to draw you to walk more closely with him and in accordance with his will?
Dear God, thank you that you love us enough to not only save us from the eternal consequences of our sin, but also to lead us to live more and more according to your will. Purify the areas of our lives where we are living contrary to your ways. Amen.
Jordan Moore lives in the northern suburbs of Brisbane with her husband Thomas and two young children. She is a stay-at-home mum and part-time pastoral studies student at Australian Lutheran College. In her spare time, she enjoys solving variant sudokus and doing Irish dancing.
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