“(God) did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages,” (2 Tim. 1:9 YLT).
This morning I was meditating on what must be one of the most profound verses in the Bible. Have you ever looked closely at what is being said in my opening quote? Let me spell it out.
You were chosen from before creation to be a part of God’s salvation. God has saved you – it is as good as done! Your salvation is as if it has already occurred and that salvation was decided long before you were even born, long before you knew God or ever tried to do anything to please God. Long before you messed up and did things to displease God.
Salvation has nothing to do with your works – it is all about God’s purpose and grace. It was GIVEN to you and that free gift was given before the world began, long before man was created. You may not have existed but the One who made the covenant and guaranteed it, did exist. It was given to you by Jesus Christ before the beginning of our times to save you from the penalty of sin at Calvary AND the power of sin in your life.
This verse says that Jesus was there, before the ages began, and He covenanted at that stage, without you ever having been born, to save you. What you did (or didn’t do) had no bearing on His decision to save you. You were saved by grace alone, the free and unmerited favour of God, so that you could be enabled to display good works in your life and function effectively wherever and however God should choose to use you in His kingdom (Eph. 2:8-10).
Thank You, Father, that you have called me in accordance with your purpose and great grace before the beginning of the world, to live a godly life. Thank You that You saved me and called me to the promise of eternal life - not according to my own works and actions but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Help me find my true identity in your kingdom so that I can complete my calling, purpose and assignment you have chosen for me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
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It really is incredible that His gift of freedom was decided before we existed... and it is almost incomprehensible to grasp when everything in our human experience teaches us that we don't get anything for free, without earning it through hard work.
The Amplified Version says, "not because of our works or because of any personal merit - we could do nothing to earn this...".