Community life groups: Grace is not a Free Pass

Open in prayer

Open with each member of the group sharing a prayer request, and then pray for one another.

Scripture reading

But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching. Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, in love, in endurance. In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking, teachers of good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered. In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us. Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Saviour in everything. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works. Proclaim these things; and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Titus 2:1-15

1. Observation

Paul gives commands to every season of life. Older men. Older women. Young women. Young men. Slaves. Every role. Every station. And the question rises in our chest as we read it. As the sermon said: “Who can live like this? That is the question, is it not? That is the question that rises in my chest as I read Titus 2.”

Was there anything in this passage that struck you as new, surprising, or hard to understand? Perhaps the commands to young women? The instruction to slaves? Or the connection between grace and training? Share what stood out to you.

2. Interpretation

Paul charges Titus to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching. But sound doctrine is not merely correct theology. “Sound doctrine is not less than correct theology. But it is never merely correct theology. It is teaching that accords with godliness. It is truth that produces fruit. It is doctrine that does something. A tree is known by its fruit. A doctrine is known by its fruit. If our doctrine is truly sound, it will produce godliness.”

Why is it possible to hold correct theology and still live an ungodly life? What does Paul’s standard of “sound doctrine” demand of us that mere intellectual agreement does not?

3. How does your conduct adorn or disgrace the gospel?

Paul says slaves are to demonstrate utter faithfulness “so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Saviour in everything.” The sermon pressed this home: “The world is watching. Our lives are not private. Our conduct is not inconsequential. How we live either slanders the word of God or adorns it. Either brings shame to the gospel or lends it credibility.”

Think about your home, your marriage, your parenting, your work. Where does your conduct most clearly adorn the gospel? Where does it most clearly disgrace it? Be honest.

4. Where have you been resisting the training of grace?

Grace does not save you and leave you. “Grace is not passive. Grace is not idle. Grace trains. It instructs. It disciplines. It shapes. It is patient but relentless. It does not leave us as it found us.” The sermon asked: “Is grace training you? Or are you resisting the very thing that saved you?”

Where in your life are you resisting the training of grace? Is it your temper? Your tongue? Your work habits? Your marriage? Your parenting? Name it specifically.

5. What would it look like for you to let grace train you?

Grace produces godliness in every role, every season, every station. “Consider the older woman who has walked with Christ for decades… but she uses her tongue to tear down… What does the world see? Consider the young man who claims to follow Christ… but Monday through Saturday he is driven by appetite… What does the world see?” The sermon applied it: “Emotional withdrawal in your marriage. Harsh words in your parenting. Workaholism at the office. These are not small things. These are the places where grace is calling you to train.”

Press deeper. What is the one ordinary, daily area of your life where grace is calling you to train right now? Don’t stay general. Name the specific place. And then decide: what will it look like this week to stop resisting and start pursuing godliness in that place?

Who can you share this with?

A spouse, a child, a friend, a co-worker. Who can you share something you’ve learnt with?

Closing prayer

Close your group time by taking specific worries to God together. Pray over the tangible needs mentioned in the group, actively trusting the Heavenly Father who knows what you need before you ask.

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