Disciple Of Grace

You’ve got to know your “Why.”

I was watching a health and fitness video earlier this week talking about the power of knowing your “Why.” Our motivation often determines our discipline. If you ask an Olympic athlete why they have worked so hard, their “Why” isn’t typically to “look better” or “just for fun!” No… that would seem kind of strange. Instead their why is usually backed by years of pursuit and belief. Their “Why” might be “because I’ve wanted this since I was three.” Or, maybe they’re doing it in honor of a loved one who passed. They know their WHY. They’re passionate about their WHY. Their motivation determines their discipline.

In Titus 2, Paul continues to give Titus guidance on how to guide the lost believers in Crete. The chapter starts off with instructions that require obedience and is wrapped up with the big WHY? Why should we live differently than the world says? Why should the people of Crete change their ways and avoid the many sins they’re actively engaging in?

Titus 2:11-14 tells us the answer:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

- Titus 2:11-14

Our “Why” is very clear. The grace of God shows us that something better is coming. We don’t have to be consumed by this world. We don’t have to wander from thing to thing, looking for fulfillment. Eternity is on the horizon, grace is here - we can seek the way of the Lord because we know His grace will satisfy more than anything.

As Pastor Jared often says, God doesn’t want something FROM you, He wants something FOR you. We aren’t obedient Christians because God wants perfection from us. Our “Why” isn’t to be better, look more holy, or fearfully avoid God’s disappointment. Our “Why” is GRACE. When we’re a disciple of God’s grace, obedience is obvious. When we’ve experienced the goodness of that grace, we can stop running to idols and instead seek God more deeply. Motivation determines our discipline. When our “Why” is the relentless grace of Jesus, our response is easily obedience.

Famous theologian Charles Spurgeon encapsulates the three components of the above passage: “The discipline of grace, according to the apostle, has three results – denying, living, looking. You see the three words before you” (Spurgeon).

A disciple of grace denies the passions of our world, lives in the ways of the Lord, and looks to the coming of Christ.

If you are struggling with obedience, if you feel like the people of Crete, wandering from thing to thing, always feeling like you’re missing the mark - it might be time to ask yourself, are you a disciple of grace?

Maybe, for far too long, you’ve been a disciple of shame, feeling like you were never a good enough Christian. Maybe, you’ve been a disciple of fear, terrified that someone will see the skeletons in your closet. I’m not sure where things have gotten mixed up for you, but somewhere along the way, I think most of us started following the wrong things, thinking they were God.

The Holy Spirit is ready to show up in your heart with intimate and overflowing grace. When you encounter that kind of grace, when you’re head over heels for the grace of Jesus - our “Why” is clear. Obedience is an obvious response.

Let’s stop trying to be better so we can get a contemporary Christianity gold star. Instead, let's spend time reveling in the limitless grace of God.

And from there, let’s seek obedience - because with that kind of grace, how else could you respond?

Cristina Schmitter

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