“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9).
Salvation is so certain that Paul refers to it in the past tense. The New Testament constantly reminds us that our right standing with God is “not because of anything we have done.” What a picture of God’s gift of grace. It was given before the beginning of time. It was given before God created Adam and Eve. From the start of human history, grace has always been God’s plan. God’s purpose was to create us and redeem us from our mistakes. Alongside His creating us He has always planned to reach out to us by grace.
Where can we go to find this life-giving grace? It is only found in Jesus Christ. It isn’t based on God giving us a pass and overlooking our sins. It is based on what Jesus did when He paid the debt we owed for every sin we’ve committed. If I think, “What does God want from me?” The answer is here. His purpose for everyone comes packaged with grace.
I received toys for Christmas when I was a child. I would have been frustrated if I got a toy that required batteries and I didn’t get the batteries, too. What good is a toy that doesn’t work? That’s the value of grace. I can’t live out God’s purposes on my own, nor can anyone. However, God gives grace with the package and it unlocks the power of God’s purpose in our lives. Grace says, “You can’t do this on your own, but let Jesus do it for you. Trust Him and God’s purpose in your life will be fulfilled.” That’s a gift package that will change your life.
