Grace for the Present; An Inheritance for the Future

We have looked at many facets of grace. Today we are looking at the book of Titus. Titus 2:11 tells us that when God’s grace appears it brings salvation to all people and it teaches us to live a godly life; it brings with it self-control and the ability to live upright lives.  Paul puts it this way when he writes to Titus:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people who are truly His, who are eager to do good. So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you. Titus 2:11-15

What a gracious gift. We have been given the gift of salvation, the power to live the way God asks us to live with pure hearts, right motives, and self-controlled lives.  His motive is for our good, our freedom and God’s glory to prepare for Himself a people who are truly His own. Wait, that is not all…

But “when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,  He saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of His mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,  whom He poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.  And so, since we have been justified by His grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.” Titus 3: 4-7

Through Jesus Christ we are made sons and daughters of The Most High and we are also made heirs! Heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life. joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17) Part of our inheritance is forgiveness and eternal life. Sometimes that is as far as we get, never realizing the fullness of what our inheritance is.  When we believe, the Word says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, as a guarantee of our Inheritance.

“And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.”  (Ephesians 1:13-14)

David said this about inheritance, “Lord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who counsels me — even at night my conscience instructs me. I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely.” (Psalms 16:5-9 HCSB)

Paul said, “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength. He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens — (Ephesians 1:17-20 HCSB)

Peter tells us this, “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 HCSB)

The grace of God provides what we need for life here through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives. His grace has provided for our future and our eternal future storing up for us an inheritance in heaven. He has provided all we need to live godly, upright lives; given us access to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm; equipped us with faith, hope, mercy and love. He also gave us His greatest gift, His Son!  Blessed indeed are those who believe! Galatians 3:29 tells us if we belong to Christ then we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. In Genesis 15:1, the word of The Lord came to Abraham in a vision and said, “fear not, Abraham. I am your shield and exceedingly great reward.”  My prayer today is that our faith increase, our knowledge of His great grace abound in our lives and that we are witness to the many ways His grace flows in our lives. May He be our shield and our very great reward…to His praise and glory!