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

Titus 2:11-14

The purification Jesus undertook toward us was for his own purpose, that is to set apart a people for himself who are eager to do good. That purification, like the sacrifices at the temple under the old paradigm, was paid for by blood. That high price was not just paid so that Jesus could gain people as they are when he bought them, but as they could be. Grace teaches us, we grow.

The grace teaches us how to live. But how can a pardon teach someone? Because of the example and precedent it sets for the one pardoned. The man in Jesus’ parable who was forgiven a great debt and goes out and threatens his neighbor for a petty sum is our bad example. How do we live, seeing what great things have been done for us?

Ethan Kirl