39. December 29.
My God, let thy grace sanctify me
wholly and entirely. Amen.
Titus 2, 11-14. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
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This is the grace of God that brings salvation, — the saving grace, — that Christ gave himself for us, in order to justify and sanctify and beatify us. This is grace: love for them that are unworthy of it; goodness, directly contrary to what we have deserved. O, that we might learn, that our salvation is wholly of grace; then we would enter fully into the blessed estate of freedom. — This grace brings salvation, for the Son of God has redeemed us from all unrighteousness, and has taken away our sin. He that is baptized unto him and believes in him, or, in other words, accepts this grace, is righteous, holy, and blest. And then the grace that brings salvation reigns in the heart; it constrains us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and causes us to lead a sober, righteous, and godly life. The ungodly turn away from the Lord in carelessness or in slavish fear; worldly-minded men cling to the world and care not for heaven. But he that accepts the grace of God loves God, rejoices in the hope of eternal life, looks forward to the coming again of the Lord; yea, yearns for his glorious appearing, and prepares himself for it in holy living and godliness. The things of this world, its riches and honors and pleasures, are not the desire and aim of the believers; they have something else, something much more grand and beautiful, awaiting them. Concerning this matter the apostle John writes: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
But if you hope for eternal life, of grace, for Jesus’ sake, without denying the worldly lusts, you take his grace in vain; and it is not the Spirit of truth, but the father of lies that is the author of your hope. He deceives so many, because the world wants to be deceived. They want to humor the flesh and be on terms of friendship with sin, until they imagine themselves as being at the gate of heaven when they come to die; then they want to bid farewell to sin, in order that they may enter heaven. However, you cannot enter life in this wise. The grace and salvation in Christ cleanses the heart and makes us zealous of good works. He that is not zealous against sin, and zealous for his own sanctification, has not accepted the grace of God and has no right to indulge in hope. See to it, that you read what our text says.
Preserve us, O God, from the wickedness of continuing in sin in order that grace may abound. Help us to receive thy grace in true faith, that it may cleanse our heart, make us free and sanctify us, and prepare us for bliss in heaven. Amen.*
Anoint me with thy heavenly grace,
Adopt me for thine own,
That I may see thy glorious face,
And worship at thy throne.
Let every thought, and work, and word,
To thee be ever given;
Then life shall be thy service, Lord,
And death the gate of heaven.
[TLH 336, listen here; or ELH 512, listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.