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 liberate us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

via Passage: Titus 2.11-14 (ESV Bible Online).

Note: I changed “redeemed” in the ESV to “liberated.”

I may have mentioned this concept recently.  Or maybe I just thought about it.

When I read this description of the appearing of the grace of God, I can’t get over how far removed it is from most Evangelical theological discourse as I have experienced it.

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, but it is a means to an end.  God wants us free from the bondage of sin and he sent Jesus to liberate us.  Jesus is simultaneously our means of escape and new life and also the pattern that we can imitate in this new life.

Paul’s summary doesn’t even seem to pause long enough to mention justification (the “for himself” and “for his own possession” in the last verse imply it).  He wants Titus to know that God has rescued us for a purpose and in that rescue revealed that purpose.

Now, what are the chances anyone would pick up this theme in an Evangelical discussion of soteriology?

By the way, here is a similar concept from the Apostles Peter:

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,  knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (First Peter 1.17-19).

We were enslaved to futile ways and lawlessness and Jesus has released us from those ways by his death and blood.