The grace of God is revealed to us in a variety of ways. The greatest of all, of course, is by the manifestation of His Son in the flesh, and His ultimate sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Another demonstration of God’s grace is His revealed Word. Without revelation to guide us in the doing of God’s will, we would have no way of knowing how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him. Thankfully, by the grace of God, we have His Word to teach us.
Titus 2:11-12 (NKJV)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
In this case, the appearance of the grace of God is made known by the gospel of Christ. One could replace the word grace in this passage with the word gospel without doing any harm to the meaning of the text. By His grace, God has given us the teaching that we need to abstain from sin and live soberly, righteously, and godly lives. Our job as God’s people is to not forget His teaching.
Proverbs 3:1-4 (ESV)
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
The devil tries to get us to stumble in an assortment of ways as we live our daily lives. Peter reminded us that, like a roaring lion, the devil is walking about seeking prey (1 Peter 5:8). Our defense is the Word of God. Referring to the Word of God as His seed, John wrote, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him…” (1 John 3:9). The key here is the Word, the seed of God, remaining in us. By allowing the Word of Christ to dwell in us (Colossians 3:16), we are not forgetting the teachings of God. This is something that we must do every day in real-life circumstances.
How do you respond to the temptations of life? When a co-worker on the job or a fellow student at school confronts you with some scheme that is contrary to the will of God, what do you do? The answer will often be decided by whether you remember the teachings of the Lord at that moment. Satan works through people, places, and the allurement of possessions. In all these areas of life, we must not forget the teachings of God. If we always remember our Lord’s teachings, we will be equipped to overcome the devil and be guided into making decisions that are good for our souls.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
By grace, God has given us His Word. Let us place that Word in our hearts and never forget it. If we do that, the devil will be helpless in his attempts to devour us.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.