When God’s grace grips us–we are changed people. Understanding the grace of God in Jesus Christ helps us say “No” to ungoldiness and say “Yes” to living a God-honoring life in all dimensions, our personal lives, relationships with others, and our lives before God.
Paul says this beautifully in Titus 2, a passage that has been near and dear to my heart as I seek to grow in grace:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our 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 lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14
Scotty Smith, a blogger at The Gospel Coalition, has recently sent out a series of tweets sharing some examples of people who have grown in grace. Below are some of those tweets.
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re got some really good friends who really disagree with you about Jesus & the Bible
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 18, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Christ-esteem has trumped and transformed the quest for self-esteem in your life — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 18, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Your gospel is bigger, your gripes fewer, your generosity freer, and your laugh louder
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 17, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re committed to your church, not just to its preaching and worship style — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 16, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re growing less defensive and more compassionate
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 16, 2014
To tell Jesus his church is irrelevant is like telling your dad your mom is irrelevant. Jesus is married to the church — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 15, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’ve never been more committed to the church, and honest about its brokenness
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 15, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You make less excuses and spend less time explaining why you did something selfish/stupid — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 15, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: It doesn’t take as long to tell your wife she was right
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 14, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Failure Is an option. Your perfectionism is being crushed by the weight of grace — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 14, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Fewer roots of bitterness in the garden of your heart; more new green stuff sprouting
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 14, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You guard confidences, protect reputations, & know how to graciously refuse gossip — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 13, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re training yourself to see God’s glory and hear God’s voice in creation. Psalm 19
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 13, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You enjoy excellence, goodness and beauty, offered by believers and non-believers alike — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 13, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: As much as you love a good theology of grace, you love the God of all grace much more
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 13, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You are learning to bless the Lord when he “takes away” and not just when he “gives” — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 13, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: People with stories of loss, betrayal, heartache and sorrow enjoy your caring presence
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 12, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Your “to love list” is longer than your “to do” list — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 12, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: A good day is defined more by substantive relationships than personal accomplishments
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 12, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t count your spouse’s calories or check numbers standing in line to fly Southwest — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 11, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Gossip isn’t as juicy; revenge isn’t as sweet; defeat isn’t as bitter
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 11, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The price tags in life are changing. Good relationships are the new gold standard — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 11, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’ve rejected the obedience of guilt & merit; & now obey simply because you love Jesus
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 11, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You no longer overreact to words like “holiness”, “quiet times”, or “obedience” — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 10, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Since Jesus is your righteousness, you don’t take your spiritual temperature all the time
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 10, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You work harder at remembering people’s names and forgetting their blunders — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 10, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re joining God in not remembering your sins against yourself, or others.
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 10, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You take your wife to more musicals, stay awake, and weep during the sad parts — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 9, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You live w/ redemptive discontent, knowing it will take Jesus’ 2nd coming 2 fully satisfy you
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 9, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You take way less for granted; like food, sleep, electricity & opportunities to reconcile — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 9, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Theology is becoming more about Who you know than what you know. Doctrine becoming doxology
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 8, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t sample 12 favors of gelato, holding up a growing line behind you. — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 7, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re not that guy that hogs the best Starbucks chair for an hour, wearing ear buds
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 7, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The need to be noticed is being trumped by the joy of encouraging others — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 7, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Your anger fuse in much longer, and your memory of personal “disses” is much shorter
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 7, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Friends consider you “safe,” and are comfortable falling apart & weeping in front of you — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 6, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: It’s getting easier to repent in front of your spouse and children.
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 6, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You use less guilt, shame, flattery and manipulation in your relationships — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 6, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: There’s greater congruency between your private self & public persona. Your “pose” is dying
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 6, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: When the topic of sanctification is brought up, you don’t roll your eyes, you fix them on Jesus — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: It doesn’t take as much, or as long, to humble you
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re less of a “drive-by-shooter” in your church, friendships & culture. You show up or shut up — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t assume God’s trying 2 teach you lessons as much as he’s teaching you the gospel
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t look for a moral in every Bible story as much as you look for Jesus — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Your grip on grudges is getting looser becuse your grasp of the gospel is getting firmer
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 5, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re not as “fashionably late” as you used to be. You work to be places & do stuff on time — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 4, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re getting over your irritable heart syndrome. You’re more patient and flexible
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 4, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The stronger your theological convictions, the greater your love 4 those who differ with you — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 4, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t break out in legalism-hives when someone starts talking about obedience
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 3, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t feel compelled to have an opinion about everything, or share the ones you have — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 3, 2014
Worship leaders, a sign we’re growing in grace: Our worship of Jesus off the stage is just as robust as when we’re on it
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 3, 2014
Pastors, a sign we’re growing in grace: When friends & families move on to other churches, it hurts, but doesn’t kill our joy — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 3, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You spend less time comparing your kids, spouse, house, body, job, and “luck” to others’
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 2, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You say, “You don’t get me!” less, and “I want to understand you” more — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 2, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’d choose a legacy of kindness over success. Loving is now more important than winning
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 2, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You tip well, return calls, write thank you notes, and don’t think any of this is legalism — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 2, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t just think of long lines as wrecking your schedule, but as fellow image bearers of God
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 1, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You don’t speed up to out race that “guy” when two lanes are becoming one — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 1, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re not as defensive, quick to anger, sarcastic or as pouty as you used to be
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) August 1, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The more you know, the less cocky you’re becoming. Knowledge is humbling you — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 31, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: It takes more to irritate you and less to encourage you
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 31, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re more careful to include people than offended when you’re left out — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 31, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re not as likely to put your meaning on other people’s words. You listen better
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 30, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You throw less grenades at the culture and you’re more involved in your community — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 30, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re not as compelled to offer commentary and criticism about most people and topics
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 29, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You commit heart homicide less often towards bad drivers, slow waiters, & late friends — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 29, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You roll up your sleeves to serve quicker than you roll your eyes in disgust.
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re so busy loving & serving people, you don’t care squat about signs of growth in grace — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re starting to throw more gospel parties than pity parties
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The gospel is building a bridge from your head through your pain to God’s heart to others — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: The spiritual disciplines are a means of grace, not a measure of self-righteousness #asygig
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Your spouse doesn’t have to work as hard to get and keep your attention — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 28, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: Encouragement about God’s kingdom is replacing cynicism about our culture. Hope is growing
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 27, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re more present in relationships, don’t take things as personally & quicker at forgiving — Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 27, 2014
A sign you’re growing in grace: You’re less critical of others and more humble in receiving correction #asygig
— Scotty Smith (@ScottyWardSmith) July 27, 2014
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