First Christian Church

By Bruce Humes

Pastor

In Titus 2:11, the Apostle Paul writes to Titus, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (humanity).”

What an informative verse of scripture. The grace of God, the unmerited favor of God, something we do not warrant, why?

Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “We (humanity) have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Notice that all have sinned, or missed the mark that God has set for us. We may not believe or accept that statement, but that doesn’t make it untrue. So what, we might say, or we all have sinned, big deal. Well, in Romans 6:23 the apostle Paul tells us that, “The wages (payment for) of sin is death, (eternal separation from God) but, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The apostle Paul writing in his first letter to Timothy in 2:5-6, explains it like this, “For there is one mediator between God and men, (humanity) the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all, (God’s grace) to be testified (made evident, appear) in due time.” In 1 Timothy 4:10 Paul writes, “For this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the savior of all men, (made provision for salvation) especially of those who believe (who accept the provision for salvation).”

We get the same message in the apostle John’s gospel, in the very familiar John 3:16 scripture, “For God so loved the world (humanity) that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish (eternal separation from God) but have eternal life (eternity with God).” In this verse we see the grace or unmerited favor of God, better understood as the tremendous love God has for humanity in full bloom. The next verse says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, (humanity, you and me) but that the world might be saved.”

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans put it like this in chapter 5, “Therefore, as through one man’s offense, judgement came to all men resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

If you wish to speak to someone at the church or if you have a need, call the First Christian Church office at (562) 431-8810.