“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”
Titus 2:11-14
The grace of God in Christ Jesus does not merely save. This grace saves, instructs, purifies, and energizes. It is multi-dimensional. And, rather than being only theoretical, this text suggests God’s work is very practical. This means that salvation is not simply an escape from God’s wrath but an enabling unto good works. Of course that’s the whole point of Ephesians 2:8-10—we are saved by grace through faith and created anew in Christ Jesus for good works. And that’s good.
As Adam was placed in the garden to work it and keep it (Genesis 2:15), so you have been placed in Christ to work for Him (Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:15, Philippians 2:12-13) and keep your heart (Proverbs 4:20-22). So get busy, Christian, and do all that you do in faith (Romans 14:23) to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). By the way, if you lack assurance, this is one way the Scriptures explicitly teach you may possess it (Hebrews 6:10-11, 1 John 3:18-19, 2 Peter 1:5-10). See this post for more info.
Please note: none of the previous 3 texts teach works salvation, neither am I even beginning to insinuate such. I repudiate and abominate works salvation. The texts, however, presuppose salvation, and from that point they teach the necessity of living that out in a real way, and that thus doing, the Christian experiences assurance. Why? Because that’s what he has been redeemed for. A man who can work and doesn’t is miserable; so is the saved Christian who does not practice his faith.