What Grace Teaches True Believers
     "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us.....," Titus 2:11-15.  
                                                                   By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                  June 1, 2020
INTRODUCTION
     As I observe "professing Christianity" today, I am made to wonder if many who claim to be "true believers" are even bothering to listen to their "teacher"?   Well...??  
     This study is intended to be an exposition of this entire
Scripture text.  Every reader is invited; yea, urged, to join us in a careful study of this text.  Read on.......
DEFINING THE GRACE OF GOD
     "Grace" is literally the undeserved and unmeritable favor of God upon fallen, hell deserving, fallen, sinful, mankind, Romans 5:12.  A careful study of the Scriptures will reveal that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is God's GRACE extended to totally undeserving mankind on the earth.  Read John 3:16.  Would you give your child to be sacrificed to pay for the sins of those who live in total disregard of righteousness and truth?  Yet that is exactly what Father God did in sending His Son into the world, and allowing Him to become the sacrifice, whose precious shed blood would make atonement for your sins and mine.    You see, God loves mankind whom He created, and showed His love, by allowing His own Son to die at Calvary to atone for the sins of all who will believe on Him.  Read Ezekiel 18:23, 18:32, 33:11, and Ephesians 2:8-10.  The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the bodily expression of God's GRACE and love for mankind.  
THE EXTENT OF GOD'S GRACE
     Notice that our Scripture text explicitly states that God's GRACE has appeared to "all men."  Every person born into this world, at some point in their life, is confronted with the Gospel of Christ.  Each individual then has to make their own choice about believing on, or rejecting, the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior.  Be careful in making your choice.  Your choice will determine your eternal future.  
A CLEAR DISTINCTION   
     Now notice that in our Scripture text, a clear distinction is made between the whole unbelieving lost world, and those of mankind who have chosen to believe and receive Christ as their Savior.   Praise the Lord for salvation in Christ.   
     In 2:11 the inspired Word states that God's GRACE has "appeared to all men."  But in 2:12, it is just as clearly stated that God's GRACE teaches "US;" the true believers to whom Paul was writing.   The truths set forth in this Scripture text were given for the benefit of those who have truly received Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
WHY THIS DISTINCTION?  
      Because lost, unbelieving, Christ rejectors DO NOT and CAN NOT discern the truths of the Word of God.  Read it for yourself in 1 Cor. 2:14.  The message set forth in our   Scripture text was given for the benefit of God's believing  people.
      The Holy Spirt of God does not teach lost unbelievers anything, for they do not have His indwelling presence within them.  All the Holy Spirit does for lost unbelievers is to CONVICT them of their sin and unbelief, and their need of salvation, John 16:8-11.  
     So beginning in 2:12 and extending through 2:15, these four Scriptures are an exhortation to and for all true believers.  I hope that includes every reader of this study.    
WHAT GRACE TEACHES TRUE BELIEVERS
     FIRST.....Beginning in 2:12, GRACE teaches God's people that we are to deny "ungodliness and worldly lusts." Now why would true believers need such an exhortation?   Why?
     Because we presently live in a body of flesh, which retains the "sin nature" received from Adam, Romans 5:12.  After having received Christ as our Savior, the struggle begins between our fleshly "sin nature,"  and our "redeemed" soul, in which the Holy Spirit dwells, 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20.  Our redeemed soul presently lives in our body of fallen flesh.  It is our soul which is saved when we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Our body of flesh is not yet saved! Our fleshly body is simply the house in which our soul presently resides.  There is then conflict between our fallen flesh and our redeemed soul.     Our body of flesh grows old and will  some day die, but our redeemed soul is spirit, and will never die, 2 Cor. 4:16.    This is why we believers are instructed to keep our bodies under subjection, and present our bodies to the Lord as "living sacrifices," Romans 12:1 The inspired Apostle clearly stated, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing): for to will is present with me: but how to perform that which is good, I find not," Romans 7:18.  I suggest that our readers carefully study this entire inspired 7th chapter of Romans.   
     If this truth I have set forth is hard for some readers to grasp, then read 2 Cor. 5:1-5.  This passage clearly explains that every true believer has two bodies; the mortal and vile body we presently dwell in, and the spiritual and eternal body we will receive in the future, at the time of the Lord's coming, Philippians 3:20-21.   
      We can then conclude that the GRACE of God plainly teaches every true believer to subject their present mortal  body to the will of the Spirit of God, and have nothing to do with "ungodliness and wordly lusts."  Are you in submission to the Lord?  Are you listening to your TEACHER?  The GRACE of God teaches us........
     SECOND.....GRACE teaches us who are true believers to live, "soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."  We belieivers are supposed to be "witnesses" to the lost and unbelieving world, Acts 1:8.  
     This is why our conduct before others is to be sober, righteous, and godly.  The Greek word translated as "sober," literally means "serious."  This in no way means that we cannot smile, laugh, or joke on occasion,  and   enjoy our life.  But while we are doing so, we should never forget, or lose sight, of the purpose for which we are saved.   We are not here just to entertain ourselves, but rather to show forth the life of Christ, by the life we live before others.  Our daily life is our "witness!"   Therefore, there are activities we can engage in as believers, and there are activities we should never engage in.  Do we respond to what we are confronted with before others in righteousness and godlliness?  If not, then why do we expect the blessings of the Lord to be poured out upon us?   As a Christian believers, our first obligation is to faithfully "witness" of our Lord in our life before others. As true believers, there are things we just do not participate in.  The Lord will bless us for being obedient to His Word.  GRACE teaches us these truths.  Are you listening to your TEACHER?   
    THIRD.....GRACE teaches every true believer, that as we live from day to day, we are to live always "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ," 2:13.  
     Dear readers, this life that we believers presently live in this world, is only a preparation for the life the Lord has for us to live in "the ages to come," Ephesians 2:7.  
     It is very clearly stated that all of our present "works" are to be judged by fire at the BEMA throne of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13-15. This will occur at the time of the resurrection and rapture of all true believers.  Some of the rewards given to God's people in this judgment will be the privilege of ruling and reigning with Christ, Matthew 25:19-30; Luke 19:13-26; Rev. 5:8-10.
     I am sometimes made to wonder how many today, who claim to be believers, even know this Scripture is in the Bible?  Many "professing" Christians today, live as if they expect this world to continue right on, just as it has during the past 6,000 years.  They live as if they don't believe things are ever going to change, and some of them will even tell you so, as they mockingly reject your  "witness" to them about the Lord's coming.  Now read "2 Peter 3:3-7, and see for yourself what God thinks of such wicked rejection of His prophetic Word.  
     Folks, "the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ," is when true believers will receive their new "glorified" bodies, Philippans 3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-3.  It is when death will be swallowed up in victory for every true believer. 1 Cor. 15:54.  True believers will no longer grow old and die, Job 33:25.  No more sick beds!  No more funerals to attend? No more sorrow and weeping over the loss of a loved one or friend. No more seperation from our saved loved ones who have preceded us in death.  Nothing more seperating us from the visible presence of Christ Himself, our glorious Savior.  Nothing but total VICTORY for every true believer.
     And yet some who claim to be God's people have no desire for the Lord Jesus to come for us.   One of two  things is absolutely certain!  Such "professing" Christians  are either not really saved as they claim to be......or they are not listening to their teacher!  The GRACE of God teaches us.....Are our readers listening?
THE REASON CHRIST DIED.....
     Now let's notice 2:14 in our Scripture text.  This inspired Scripture tells us plainly that Christ Jesus "gave Himself for us that He might purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  
     Dear readers, Christ gave up His own life on the cruel cross at Calvary, for every person who would believe on Him as their Savior, John 10:17-18.  And yet some who claim to be "Christian believers" aren't even interested in hearing or studying about the return of Christ for His people, or even studying Bible prophecy.  If such people are true believers, then they most certainly are not listening to their teacher.  For GRACE teaches us that we are to live in this present evil world, always "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."  
    Now bluntly and plainly, I am asking, "Are you listening to your teacher?"  GRACE teaches us.....
NO APOLOGY
     Then in 2:15 the inspired Apostle plainly instructed young Titus, "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  Let no man despise thee."  
     Dear readers, young Titus was one of the Lord's preachers; a minister of God's Word.  And here the great Apostle Paul, speaking by Divine Inspiration,  instructed Titus to speak, exhort, and rebuke the church and people of God about the very subject Paul had just spoken about; THE BLESSED HOPE of the Lord's return.  Hello!
     Now I have personally been told that I emphasize the Lord's coming too much in my preaching, teaching, and writing.  Is that so?  Be very careful.  The last time I checked, Matthew 7:1-5 was still in the Bible.  
     Yes, I am guilty of setting "date" in the past, sincerely believing that the Lord was coming on some certain date.  But He didn't!  My error, not the Lord's.  However, Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible too, and I make no apology for what has happened in the past.  
THE TIMES OF REFRESHING
     The inspired Word does speak specifically of "times of refreshing" being sent upon mankind during this present dispensation. These are times when great revivals and movements of God take place in the churches and among God's people.  During these times, God stirs the hearts of some of His people to make great efforts in appealing to lost unbelievers to "repent.....and be converted," Acts 3:19.  Any reader seriously studying Christian history can find several such "times of refreshing" that have occurred  during this present dispensation, when God's people were literally stirred up by the Lord to take the Gospel of Christ to the unbelieving world.   During those times, God graciously used such men as Charles Spurgeon, D. L. Moody, Billy Graham, and others to forcefully proclaim Christ to the lost world, and as a result thousands of lost people came to receive and know the Lord as their Savior.   
    Right to this present day, I truly believe one of those "times of refreshing" occurred in 1988, during a spiritual movement which came to be called "The Rapture 88 movement."  The movement began when a dear brother in Christ, Bro. Ed Whisenant, in studying Bible prophecy, became convinced that the Lord was coming to resurrect and rapture His church and believing people on Rosh HaShanah in 1988.  He believed it so much that he had  a little booklet printed, entitled, "88 Reasons why the Lord is coming in 1988."  Now Bro. Whisenant was not a rich man, but he used his savings to print 50,000 copies of that little book, and then gave them away, sending copies to churches and missionaries all over the world.   And a great spiritual revival broke out.  
     I met Bro. Whisenant personally, and we studied some together.  As a result both of us began preaching the Gospel of Christ, and the message of His soon return on radio stations.  Bro. Whisenant even made some TV programs.  We both preached for several weeks before Rosh HaShanah, 1988.  Our preaching must have been convincing (blessed of the Lord) for many, many, lost people turned to the Lord for salvation during that time.  Today the "Rapture 88 Movement" is severely criticized by many people, but it was the greatest spiritual movement of God  I have ever been personally involved in.   Many times while preaching on KAAY in Little Rock, Ark, people would call the station wanting to tell me that they had just been saved.  
     Of course Christ did not come at that time, yet the effort made was not wasted.  Bro. Whisenant received some 5,000 letters and phone calls from people thanking and praising God for the Rapture 88 movement, because they had come to realize their own lost condition and had received Christ as their personal Savior.
     When Bro. Whisenant told me about all the people that were calling him, I decided to do a similar thing over my radio broadcast.  I asked any listener who had been saved during that movement to please call and let me know, that I might rejoice with them.  And I gave my home phone out over the program.  Folks, when I got home from the station that day my phone was ringing.  And it kept ringing.  I was on the phone for the next 12 hours.  I had more than 400 people tell me that they had received Christ during that movement of God, and they thanked God for my broadcast.  
     Oh yes, the failed "date" did create some problems.  The church I was pastoring at the time was "embarrased" to have me as their pastor any longer, so they met and fired me, without even giving me an opportunity to speak to them.  So be it!  I knew I had done the Lord's will in preaching the Gospel of Christ to so many people, even though the "date" was an error.  
     Right to this day, I HAVE NO APOLOGY TO MAKE TO ANYONE, for having taken part in the Rapture 88 Movement.  My Lord and my God, whom I serve in truth, was able to use that movement to bring thousands of lost people to Christ, Romans .  I personally had over 400 people call me just praising the Lord for saving their souls during that movment, as the Holy Spirit of God convicted them of their lost condition.  Now read Romans 8:28 again, and this time BELIEVE IT.   
DATE SETTING
     My own disappointment in 1988 showed me that "date setting" is a risky business.  Since that time, I have kept right on "watching" for our Lord's coming, exactly as He repeatedly told His people to do, but from that time forward, I have regarded "dates"  as possibilities, and not as dogmatic certainties.
CONCLUSION  
     I do believe, without apology to anyone, that this is THE YEAR of the Lord's coming for His people.  Why?  Because of the 120 warning, just as given to Noah before the flood, Genesis 7:4; 7:10; Luke 17:26.  
     The regathering of the Jews in these "last days"  began in 1897.  Three years later in 1900 the 120 year count began.  Count it yourself.  The 120 year warning for those of us living today ended with the completion of 2019.  Now it is 2020, and "20" is the Bible number signifying "redemption."  The year number on the Jewish calendar also confirms this truth, for 5780 adds up to "20."  
    Now Pentecost has come and gone, and the Lord hasn't come.  If you really are a true believer, don't let the flesh and the devil discourage you.  Look up!  June 5th, 6th, or 7th is also a "possible" date for our Lord's coming.  Why?
     Because the Six Day War began in the Middle East on June 5, 1967, exactly to the day fifty years ago.  "50" is the Bible number which signifies the "Jubilee."  Carefully study Leviticus 25.  In the year of the Jubilee all slaves were set free, all debts were cancelled, and LIBERTY was proclaimed throughout the land.  Now just as God delivered Israel from bondage and slavery in Egypt so centuries ago, by the blood of the sacrificial lamb, so the Lord is ready to deliver His Church and believing people out from under the bondage of the flesh, the devil,  and this present evil world, by the precious blood of His own dear Son; our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord.
     Are you ready?  Are you listening to your teacher?  The GRACE of God teaches us.......
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Pastor F. M. Riley  -  573-202-6493
francismriley34@gmail.com
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