Does Grace Mean We Are Not Okay?

Tim Keller recently tweeted on Twitter that grace means it is okay not to be okay. Many theologians took offense to what he said and even claimed his tweet as unbiblical. One person said it is a violation of Titus 2:11-14, which says:

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

The grace of God teaches brings salvation for all, even though, not all will believe, and teaches to renounce all passions that are not of God. Does that mean Keller was being an antinomian, which means we have the grace of God so don't worry about holy living? I am not sure where Keller was going with that nor the intention of his heart, but I don't think he was going antinomian on his followers on Twitter. That does not mean I think he is 100% correct either.

The grace of God is His unmerited favor on those who believe. The Bible says we are not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14) meaning we do not have to worry about the legal ramifications of the law of God because we have fallen short of his glory (Romans 3:23). However, we are to grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:18) and all Christian are called to honor God the Father.

Grace does mean that we do fall short yet God still has His hold on us. Though we may admit that we are not okay, we need to be careful not to think this is a license to sin. We have been given freedom in Christ, but we are not to use it to indulge the flesh (Galatians 5:13). We have given a means to come to God when we fall short even as Christians (1 John 1:9, 2:1-2).

The grace of God is not a license to sin, but it is a gift from the Father to freely live as He intends for us to live while we wait "for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).