The Universality of Grace
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Paul admonishes his disciple to preach on matters significant to his listeners' growth in the faith. First is the fact that God has presented His grace as a gift to all men; "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The same "all" that has fallen, the sentence goes on to say, "are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." The doctrine of justification teaches that God has gifted us with eternal life apart from any work we can manage. We may call that work: "faith, repentance, baptism, belief or acceptance," but none of it can save us. You don't have to believe it to be saved. You don't have to accept Him to be born again and you don't have to repent to be a child of God. But just as surely as you don't have to breath in order to be alive, it sure helps to prove your vitality. The true child of God will do all of the above but is saved apart from any of it. The first lesson is the futility of man's decision in comparison to the power of our Creator. Even man's sins are no longer his. Man must learn that he is not the center of the universe and God does not respond to his beckoning. If he is to be saved, he must be chosen by God. There is no other way. (Rom 3:23,24; Eph 2:8,9)
The Practicality of Grace
"It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Single people envy their married friends because of the love and companionship they share with their spouse. Married people envy their single friends because of the freedom and individuality they cling to. Both neglect to examine the impediments which accompany the advantages of both camps. God's grace is like a proposal to a world of prostituting sinners to join in holy union with Him. Those whom He weds enter a new relationship based upon the rules of their new Husband and not the freedom of individuality they once clung to. To become a recipient of the grace of God, we must not merely accept the benefits of such a gift but deny our freedoms that impede our love for Him. It is said of Jesus that "the grace of God was upon Him," not to mean that He needed the gift of forgiveness from sins, but rather that He learned obedience by denying Himself and adhering to the rules of God's kingdom. As a Son, He lived by the practical aspects of God's grace. If we are recipients of His grace, then we will live self-controlled, upright and godly lives. God gives no lenience beyond His grace. (Luke 2:40)
Return of Christ
"While we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." This is actually the reason why we live by the practicality of grace, for God will return and He will judge each of us for what we have done in the body, whether good or bad. Jesus prophesied several times about His return, usually via a parable, teaching us the events which will occur. I don't mean the ones that lead up to His arrival, but rather what occurs when He does arrive. He tells us we must be wise and prepared virgins awaiting the Bridegroom. We must invest our talents and have a return when He examines us so that we might be called good and faithful servants. We must be the sheep who lovingly care for the hungry, naked, sick and lonely. We are the landlords who must treat God's servants as we are treated by God. We are the stewards of His knowledge who will give an account of our stewardship. "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him." Preparation implies training and training demands obedience, and obedience is love for God. (Heb 9:27,28)
Sanctification
"Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." The process of sanctification, simply put, is God molding us into people He can use. God recreates us for the purpose for which we were first created. That is, sharing in a relationship with God our Father. As I put it to one lieutenant who is thinking about the faith, God has given us two testimonies: His word and His people. Te Word of God is "the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son." If we choose to reject God's revelation of truth, then we call God a liar and reject Him. But just as His word is a testimony of His grace, so also are His people. If we choose to reject them, we also reject Him. The teaching of sanctification encompasses many doctrinal teachings involving obedience, purity, and ministry. But it must be learned from both of His two testimonies. These things they both teach and woe to them if they do not. (1John 5:9)
Doctrines of Doing, not Knowing
"These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." Why should we despise our teachers? Perhaps because we are taught doctrines that we either do not want to hear or believe we do not need to obey. Many will hate their teachers because they do not "tickle their ears," but rather speak the words God has given them to say. The rest of us will hate our teachers because they do not teach what we need to know to pass the test but only what their opinion describes as most important. All that is necessary for us to learn about God's doctrines of truth are found in these four things Paul charges his disciple with teaching. Each of these doctrines demand reaction on the part of those who believe. The teacher does not merely pass information about the subjects, but encourages his listeners to adhere to the truth and rebukes them when they fail to do so. This is what we call training. When I write or speak to a group, I ask if what I am sharing fits into one of these four categories (God's grace, our obedience, God's judgment, or our mission). If it doesn't, I either keep it to myself or share it cautiously, ensuring that such deviations are the exception and not the rule. These then are the things we ought to teach.
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