24 lines
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24 lines
4.4 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">January 31</div></div>
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<div class="main-just"><div class="pad2030"><h2>God's Grace Teaching Us</h2>
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<div class="block"><p><i>For the <b>grace of God</b> that brings salvation has appeared to all men, <b>teaching us</b> that, <b>denying ungodliness</b> and <b>worldly lusts</b>, we should live <b>soberly</b>, <b>righteously</b>, and <b>godly</b> in the present age, <b>looking for</b> the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our <b>great God</b> and <b>Savior Jesus Christ</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Tts',2,'11-13');">Titus 2:11-13</a>)</div>
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<p>Time and again, we have considered the connection between <b>grace and justification</b>. <i>"Being <b>justified</b> freely by His <b>grace</b> through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…In Him we have redemption through His blood, the <b>forgiveness</b> of sins, according to the riches of His <b>grace</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',3,'24-24');">Romans 3:24</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Eph',1,'7-7');">Ephesians 1:7</a>). Now, we have an opportunity to ponder once more the relationship between <b>grace and sanctification</b>. <i>"For the <b>grace of God</b> that brings salvation has appeared to all men."</i> It is God's grace that brings salvation to mankind. For nearly 2,000 years, that saving grace of the Lord has been offered to humanity through the preaching of the gospel. This particular verse now adds another function to the work of grace. <i>"For the <b>grace of God</b></i> [is] <i><b>teaching us</b>."</i></p>
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<p>The grace of God not only saves the souls of all who believe; it also works in believers' lives to teach and instruct them. God's grace, working through His word (<i>"The <b>word</b> of His <b>grace</b>"</i>—<a onClick="return mV('Act',20,'32-32');">Acts 20:32</a>), <b>instructs</b> and <b>shapes</b> our thinking and living: <i>"<b>Teaching us</b> that, <b>denying ungodliness</b> and <b>worldly lusts</b>, we should <b>live soberly</b>, <b>righteously</b>, and <b>godly</b> in the present age."</i> It is the will of our Heavenly Father that His children turn away from that which is worldly and spiritually compromising. He wants us to walk in godliness, in Christlikeness. <b>God</b> works this <b>into</b> our <b>hearts</b> by His <b>grace</b>.</p>
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<p>God's grace also develops expectant lives, eager to have the Lord Jesus return for His people: <i>"<b>Looking for</b> the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our <b>great God and Savior Jesus Christ</b></i>.<i>"</i></p>
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<p>The <b>grace</b> of God <b>impacting</b> our <b>hearts</b> through <b>His word</b> by <b>His Spirit</b> is His <b>divine means</b> to bring about such <b>transformation</b> in us. To view sanctification as something <b>we</b> can <b>produce</b> through our own <b>performance</b> (that is, by <b>law</b>) is akin to <b>overlooking</b> God's <b>grace</b> and <b>underestimating</b> the <b>provisions</b> of the <b>cross</b> of Christ. <i>"I do <b>not set aside</b> the <b>grace of God</b>; for if <b>righteousness</b> comes through the <b>law</b>, then <b>Christ</b> died in <b>vain</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',2,'21-21');">Galatians 2:21</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Jesus, my great God and Savior, I want to live in eager anticipation of Your return. Meanwhile, I desire to please You by growing in godliness and in applied righteousness. Thank You for Your longsuffering love, patiently teaching me by Your grace—the grace that I sometimes neglect, attempting to produce these realities by the striving of my flesh. From such vanity I turn to hope in You, Lord Jesus, Amen.</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/01/0130.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/02/0201.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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