How saving grace shapes us to live (Victor’s Mentality 45)

I welcome everyone to today’s article, and it is my sincere prayer that the Lord will encounter you in His word.

For quite a while now, I have been sharing on the victor’s mentality, while we consider various equipping the Lord has provided as we see them in Ephesians chapter 6.

Presently, we are at the Helmet of Salvation.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” (Ephesians 6:17 NKJV)

I started sharing from Titus 2:11-12 in the last article, and we saw that the saving grace of Christ didn’t only save us from this present evil world, but also trains and teaches us in order to keep winning in this present evil world.

You know, as a believer, you need to keep winning; you need to keep winning in your spiritual life, health, finances, career, marriage, relationships, and the like. And this is what salvation does, it teaches you how to keep winning.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,” (Titus 2:11-12 NKJV)

In the last article, I also share that saving grace teaches us to deny and halt the influence of the flesh with all its propensity. It comes as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. 

So in today's article,  I will continue to share how saving grace shapes us to live.

There are three areas I want to show you that are vital to summarise how we ought to walk as believers.

The first thing is that the saving grace of God teaches us to live soberly. 

This talks about how to handle yourself. This speaks of having self-control and being of sound mind. It means we have a disciplined and clear mind that is not ruled by impulses, emotions, or sinful desires.

For example, to live soberly means that you do not simply give yourself over to the affairs of the day to control you, thereby allowing your moral feelings and attitudes to be shaped merely by daily experiences. That would be living under the influence of the moment, rather than under the guidance of the Spirit of grace.

So to live soberly is to be always in charge of your emotions and always bringing them under the obedience of Christ. You are not just loose and know when to quit when excessiveness is surfacing in your disposition and conduct. You are always guarded with the truth that you have been bought with a price. You are not just here all by yourself.

Secondly, the saving grace of God teaches us to live righteously. 

This talks about how we treat others. To live righteously is the reflection of God’s character in our daily relationships: at home, at work, in church, and in society. It is salvation showing itself in how we relate with people.

The disciples were called Christians in Antioch because they reflected the life of a person that has been saved by the grace of God.

Many believers just act before they reflect. And then they begin to regret their actions. Romans 12:2 tells us that we should be patient in affliction. Whenever we are faced with challenges, situations of life, or pressure, we must learn to pause to reflect on how Christ would have reacted. You don’t just give people a piece of your mind. The Bible says, “Let the mind of Christ be in you.”

Finally, the saving grace of God teaches us to live godly. 

This talks about our relationship to God and our posture before Him. This speaks of our devotion and reverence towards God. It teaches us to prioritize God above everything else. That we keep choosing Him, to follow and to do His will above what we want. It teaches us to honour God both in private and in public.

I know people who are funny; they would say that their relationship with God is private. So they don’t put God on display. They detach themselves from Christ. They see being devoted to God as old-fashioned.

I pray the Lord will help us.

Brethren, prayerfully meditate on these things.