In his letter to Titus Paul speaks of “the truth which is after godliness” (See Titus 1:1). Other translations have “the truth which leads to godliness,” “the truth that is according to godliness,” and “the truth that is in keeping with godliness.”
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness, we should liver soberly, righteously, and godly IN THIS PRESENT WORLD” (Titus 2:11-12). Yes, the true grace of God teaches us something – that we should live righteous, holy lives IN THE HERE AN NOW!
Listen, if you ever hear a doctrine or teaching that if believed and followed would tend to cause you to let up in your daily striving to abandon all sin and live a holy, righteous life day by day in this modern, neon-lit, work-a-day world, YOU ARE BEING DECEIVED!
“God has not given us the spirit of fear (of failure), but of POWER!” (See 2 Timothy 1:7). Don’t expect to fail in your pursuit of true righteousness and victory. Expect to win, to conquer, to succeed, and to bring glory to your Lord thereby. If truly converted, you have the powerful Holy Spirit abiding in you nudging, prompting and leading you on to victory after victory. If you find this not to be the case in your life, then “examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith (truly converted, having God’s Spirit). Prove your own selves. (Take the magnifying glass off the other guy). Know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is IN you, except you be reprobates” (2 Corinthians 13:5). And Jesus Christ IN you or anyone else is going to swiftly bring forth a righteous and holy lifestyle.
I, myself, was falsely converted for many decades, thinking I was an heir of eternal life when in reality I was a prime candidate for suffering the second death! One small verse in Jeremiah 29 opened my eyes wide and brought me into a valid relationship with my Creator “And yo shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me WITH ALL YOUR HEART” (verse 13). That’s where my search ended and my new life began. May God grant you understanding in all things is my prayer.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley