I listened to a message recently about how we shouldn’t swear as Christians.  What the speaker was saying was 100% true.  Indeed, foul and coarse language shouldn’t be part of how we speak as Christians.  But what really struck me was the focus she brought.  She laid a strong emphasis on how we need to clean up our lives through our own efforts. However, the Bible shows us a different way.  We live godly lives because of God’s amazing grace! 

Titus 2:11-14 says, 11 “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 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.”

GOD’S GRACE HELPS US TO SAY NO TO SIN

What an incredible verse this is! God is not telling us to clean up our lives through our own efforts.  He is not telling us to make ourselves holy and pure by our own efforts.  What a blessed relief this is! The honest truth is that not one of us can clean up our lives by our own efforts.  We all fall short. Moreover, we will keep falling short of God’s mark when we try to do it on our own.

Instead, God gives us a different way.  And as we read this verse, it should fill our hearts with immense hope!  Whenever we are tempted to sin, God’s grace is there to help us say no to sin.  And as we place our weak hand in His strong hand, He helps us to turn away from sin.  When we truly understand His grace it helps us turn from sin rather than indulge in it.

SURRENDER TO GOD AND RECEIVE HIS GRACE

I have lived the reality of this in my own life.  Whenever I have tried in my own strength to stop a certain behaviour, it’s only made it stronger in my life.  Yet, when I surrendered my struggle to God, that’s when the breakthrough came.

I remember a time in my life when I struggled fiercely to forgive someone.  No matter how hard I tried to forgive and let it go, the worse it was.  Eventually, I cried out to God in surrender and asked Him to help me, and that’s when the breakthrough came, and I was able to forgive.

Let’s remember today that we are called to live holy lives that reflect and honour God.  However, God has not left us on our own to try and do this by our own paltry efforts.  Instead, He lavishly provides His grace to us that helps us to turn from sin.  Let’s surrender ourselves to God today and, by His grace, say no to sin and live lives that honour Him! 

Here is a link to an excellent article written about this.