Made new through grace: The case for godly conduct

 

The rebirth of believers is not highlighted enough in the church, yet it is the core of what God has done for humanity. Ignoring it is concerning because anyone who fails to grasp it will misunderstand the concept of justification by faith and the work of grace in life. Justification is a legal declaration of the result of regeneration.  Justification without regeneration is heresy.

 

Titus 3:4-6 - But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.  

 

The purpose of the cross to save the lost was achieved through regeneration. The Bible explains how salvation comes, what it is, how it is received, and its impacts. Salvation is accomplished through God’s grace by means of rebirth. It is accessed through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; John 16:8; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 3:19). It is not just about forgiveness (Romans 3:24), but about gaining a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26, 4:4-7) – a new identity, new standing, new mind, new motivations, new direction, and new practices (Ephesians 4:24). A believer in Christ is no longer the person he/she used to be.  Believers are positioned above all principalities and blessed with all spiritual blessings, completely forgiven (past, present, and future)  and accepted before God only on the merits of Christ and his finished work of Calvary (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4-5).

 

Regeneration is the primary act of grace that transforms a person from a sinner into a saint. It shapes everything else that is a gift in newness of life, including sanctification (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:10).  Sanctification refers to spiritual growth, or increasingly aligning one's practical life with what is already established through spiritual rebirth. This progressive work of God makes believers more like Jesus Christ.  It practically manifests the spiritual reality of being saved. Sanctification is God's gracious work in believers through His Spirit, his word, and their cooperation (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Believers work out what God works in them (Philippians 2:12-14).

 

As the sinner's substitute, Christ perfectly satisfied all the requirements for right standing before God. This assurance provides security from condemnation and the fear of losing salvation. It frees believers from basing their relationship with God on their effort and performance – from trying to win God’s favour by works and payment of any kind. In Christ, the debt that separated people from God is fully paid (Philemon 1:8), the sufficiency of God’s grace. While this provision provides security, it does not exempt believers from the responsibility of living godly lives. If anything, it makes doing so a natural result of who they are.  The law did not fail because there was no grace. It failed because it was powerless… to save. Salvation required God to intervene. He did through regeneration. Regeneration gives both pardon (mercy) for all wrongs and power for godly living (Romans 6:12; Philippians 4:13; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 2 Peter 1:4 ). It gives an inner campus and capacity for godly living. Ungodly people do what they feel like doing (Galatians 5:19-25). Regeneration has ongoing practical implications.  Regeneration comes with things expected and things not to be done. Regeneration defines Christian boundaries, rights, standards, norms, and practices.  Grace does not set a different standard but initiates, clarifies, internalises, empowers, and enforces godly conduct. Grace has its corresponding works. Grace appeared to address behavioural failures.

 

Grace is what was done for us by God. Faith is the human response to embrace what God did through Christ. Faith is the human responsibility, or how to respond, so that what was done in us can be expressed practically. We will not be perfect, but it matters what we pursue (Hebrews 12:14, 1 John 1:8, 9). The following reasons support why you, who were saved by grace, should, by grace, live godly lives.

 

1)        You have a choice—no longer a slave. You can now push back (James 4:7). You were made new and are no longer who you once were. You were raised with Christ and now have a new identity. You are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). You are free indeed to obey. You are a gatekeeper. Do not LET sin reign in you anymore (Romans 6:12-14), but live in a manner worthy of your calling (Ephesians 4:1-6). You are set apart (Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:19). We do good because we have been made good by God, who is good. Good works are the fruit, not the foundation, of salvation. We do good by identity, not by injunction (Galatians 2:20). 

 

2)        The Holy Spirit indwells you. You are not your own.  Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). As a believer, the Holy Spirit lives in you to make the Christian life practically possible and empower you for service (Romans 8:16; Colossians 1:29; Phillipians 2:13; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12).

 

3)        Godly conduct is proof of faith. Godliness is a fruit of faith, not a condition for salvation or acceptance/love of God. The believer's sin was imputed to Christ, and Christ's righteousness imputed to the believer. Good works and godly conduct are not to earn favor or salvation, but because one is born again or saved. Godliness is therefore an essential result of the rebirth (James 2:18).  It shows faith in the work of transformation God is doing in your life. He who began a good work of sanctification will be faithful to complete it. Faith for the new birth should be continued for spiritual growth and fruitful service (Colossians 2:6). Godliness is a work of grace that teaches to say no to sin and empowers to live in faith.

 

4)        Godliness is a form of worship. Worship is the human faith response to God’s love and mercy. God is pleased by faith (Hebrews 11:6). Do everything to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We do good works not because if we did bad things God has not already forgiven and we are afraid of punishment, but because we are already forgiven and love him back.  

 

5)        Godliness is being a witness for Christ to the world. It shows the world what God is like and can do. Let your light shine so that when people see your good works/conduct, they will glorify God (Mathew 5:14-16; Ephesians 5:8). Is it possible to live in a way that brings the Lord’s work/name to disrepute? Yes, but Paul exhorts that we live as ambassadors of Christ     (2 Corinthians 5:20). Let the world see more and more of Christ as you grow in faith. In his days on earth, Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38).

 

6)         Godliness is being responsible for fellow brethren. People who are young in the faith are watching. Some people are strengthened and inspired by your testimony. Consider how those people’s faith is affected. Older women were expected to serve as an example to the younger women (Titus 2:3-4).  The second commandment after loving God with everything is to consider your neighbour (Matthew 22:39;  Romans 14:13   Philippians 2:3-5 NIV ). 

 

7)        You were designed for good works ( Ephesians 2:10).  The scriptural context is clear that good works should follow salvation, even though they are not a condition or means to be saved and accepted by God. They are an inevitable result/product of the newness of life. Romans 6:4, says, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life". 

 

8)        Godly works are seed (Galatians 6:9). “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.”  Well-doing is sowing. Doing good out of faith is what activates spiritual harvests. It deprives the enemy of a foothold (Ephesians 4:27; 2 Corinthians 9:8).

 

9)        Godliness is part of obeying the command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and MIGHT (Mathew 22:38-39; John 14:15). In the Old Testament, the law was externally given on stone tablets. In Christ, regeneration internally writes the law and brings the Lawgiver to be king in the life of a believer through the Holy Spirit.  Sanctify Jesus as Lord in your heart (1 Peter 3:15). God does not look at our works to love us. He loves us unconditionally.  However, he looks at our works to see our love for him. 

 

10)   Godliness is evidence of repentance (Mathew 3:8-12). God's forgiveness is not a licence to keep doing bad things. Repentance is a committed disapproval of the past sinful life and a faith and desire for a changed life. Embracing the newness of life and making choices in alignment with it. Repentance is an enrolment in a discipleship process. A willingness to change, learn, and grow in the newness of life. You repent at salvation and remain in a state of repentance (Hebrews 10:38, 39).

 

11)   Godliness is evidence of your victory. Christ has done it all for you to clear the way and enable you to do good.  You have the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus in your favour (Romans 8:2).  You no longer have an excuse (2 Corinthians 10:2-5). The word is profitable for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

 

12)   You are a sojourner. You are not supposed to live like the world and love the world (Hebrews 11:10; 1 John 2:15).  Christians should be the best at being good, kind, humble, and problem-solving in this world.  While also being unique by not being captivated by things of this world. We are in the world and should be relevant, but we are not of the world to be conformed to it (Romans 12:2; John 17:16).

 

 

By Dr Kurai Chitima