Grace Teaches us How to Say No and Yes

The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus words of advice that I am sure were a great blessing. Listen to these words that the young Titus must have absorbed: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Learning to say no to our ungodly impulses and yes to self-controlled living is not merely a matter of willpower but depends on our relationship with Christ. We don’t usually think of God’s grace as giving us the power to say no to ungodliness, but that’s what this passage says. Our success in the Christian life is proportional to our daily dependence on Jesus. The success of our marriage depends on controlling our emotions, just as parenting does. This is precisely what Paul is talking about. When we make emotional decisions, they are usually not good ones, and when we make thoughtful decisions empowered by the grace of God, they lead us on the right path. This path brings blessings to our lives.

Ungodliness is everywhere around us and in us. We are born with a sinful nature and raised by parents with a sinful nature. Our culture is ungodly, and sin abounds all around us. We will face temptations and must be armed with the power to say no, just like Joseph, who said no in a culture that never said no.

God’s grace empowers us to say no to things we don’t need, which will harm us. But that same grace gives us the ability to say yes to godliness. It is incredible to say no to sin and yes to godliness. That is the essence of living a Spirit-empowered life. The results of such choices produce results that bring blessings and prevent the dreaded consequences of sin.