Have you ever wondered what the grace of God looks like? How would you recognize it if you saw it? In the New Testament we have a miniature picture of it. A great revival had broken out in the city o f An tioch . They sent for Barnabas. We read in Acts 11:23, “ who, when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cling unto the Lord .” What was it that Barnabas saw? Acts 11:26 tells us that “ The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” “ Christian” was a nickname given to these people. The citizens of Antioch had so recognized the teachings and practices of jesus Christ in the lives of these people that they were identified in character and conduct as those like unto Jesus Christ. What an impact the church would make upon the world today if all who are members would live “ soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” In this manner the people down the street, in the office, in the shops and in the stores, would recognize th e ir relationship and close identity with Jesus Christ. As a result, they could say, “ We have seen the grace of God in that person.” We have the perfect exavple of God’s grace in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote: “ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (II Corinthians 8 :9 ). We have a human trophy of EXAMPLE O F GRA C E
sane in his actions, and in his senses. He is one who curbs his desires and impulses so that he is self-controlled and temperate. In this same Epistle of Titus, Paul is specific as to what this means to the leaders of the church (1 :7 ,8 ). Here is an area for church officers to learn something about the grace of God in their position of leadership within the church. In Titus 2 :4 Paul speaks specifically as to what living soberly means for women. He addresses himself to the more mature that they should teach the y o u n g e r w om e n t o be sobe rm inded , to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, and so forth. Paul also instructs the believer to be tra ined in “ liv ing righteously.” The Bible has in mind two kinds of righteousness: self-righteousness and God’s righteousness. When a person receives the Lord’s grace as bringing him salvation (2:11) God at that point imputes to him an entirely new kind of righteousness which man can never know by himself. The very goodness of God will be worked out in our practical lives. The third constructive display of God’s grace in a Christian is living godly or piously. Many have memorized the catechism which states that “ The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” The godliness of the Lord is so much a part of the discipline of grace that the whole life of the Christian is in harmony with it. Only when this harmony exists can true enjoyment of godliness be experienced.
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