Grace Will Be Enough: A New Year’s Reflection
Scripture: Titus 2:11-14; 3:3-8
Happy New Year! As the clock ticked toward midnight on New Year’s Eve, many probably experienced a moment of reflection and anticipation to accompany their joyful celebrations. There are those we love who are no longer with us; there are new family members by birth and marriage; we’ve experienced all the unexpected mishaps and miracles and tears and triumphs we should’ve learned to expect by now.
Given the combination of trials and joys every year brings, I can’t help but wonder if our celebration is a cheer for the end of last year or a chronic case of defiant optimism in the face of another trip around our Sun. Maybe it’s both. Yet, beyond the resolutions and revelry, a clear view of redemptive reality can lead to a more resounding celebration and hope.
Living Between Two Appearings
We stand between two grand pronouncements of our faith. On one hand, Jesus proclaimed from the cross, “It is finished”—a declaration of the victory won for us. On the other, we look forward to the day when He will say, “It is done” at His second coming. Between these two markers, we live in the tension between the already and the not yet.
This intersection is beautifully captured in Paul’s use of the word epiphany in Titus. Grace has already appeared to us in Jesus Christ, and glory will appear in His return. This dual focus—epiphany past and future—grounds our faith in the present.
Grace and the Past: Gospel Justification
The Gospel confronts our past with a transformative truth: we are justified by grace. Titus 2:11 reminds us that grace has appeared, bringing salvation for all. This justification is not a process but a divine act, a once-and-for-all declaration that we are pardoned and made righteous because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
It’s easy to dwell on the past—our failures, regrets, or even our successes. Yet, as Sparky Anderson quipped, “There’s no future in living in the past.” Gospel justification frees us from being bound by what was. It is the foundation of our identity, a reminder that our sins are forgiven and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
This grace is not earned; it is imputed. It’s a gift, received by faith alone. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight.
Grace and the Present: Gospel Sanctification
If grace redeems our past, it also transforms our present. Paul tells us in Titus 2:12 that grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and live upright lives. C.S. Lewis famously said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you will inherit neither.” Grace realigns our aim, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
This process is what theologians call sanctification—a journey into holiness as we are conformed to the image of Jesus. But sanctification isn’t about self-effort. It’s about being renewed by God’s Spirit through his means of grace.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines sanctification as a work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God. This renewal empowers us to live for righteousness, not out of obligation but out of love for the One who first loved us. Christ in us is the hope of glory, a daily reminder that we are new creations, called to reflect His character in all we do.
Grace and the Future: Gospel Glorification
Finally, grace points us to our future. Paul calls it the blessed hope—the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God.
When Jesus returns, He will complete the work He began in us. Our glorification is as secure as our justification because God’s purposes cannot fail. Just as a bride prepares for her wedding day, so the Church is being prepared for the day when we will see our Savior face to face, spotless and radiant.
Consider the story of Captain Sully’s miraculous landing on the Hudson River. His singular focus after the rescue was this: How many? He needed to know that all 155 souls on board were saved. Similarly, our Savior’s mission is clear and unwavering. He will not lose a single one of those the Father has given Him. The grace that saved us will sustain us and bring us safely home.
Grace for Today and Tomorrow
As we step into the new year, we do so with confidence because grace will be enough. It was enough to justify us, it is enough to sanctify us, and it will be enough to glorify us. The Bible ends with this assurance: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen” (Revelation 22:21).
Whatever challenges or triumphs we face in the year ahead, we can rest in this truth: grace sustains us, transforms us, and secures our future. So let us move forward, not in fear but in faith, knowing that the God who began a good work in us will carry it to completion.
Happy New Year! Grace will be enough.