SCRIPTURE | 2 Timothy 1:9 “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity…”

OBSERVATION | First, we learn that those who truly believe are both saved and called to holiness. Salvation is a both unique to the bible and to it’s divine author. It is not the subject or claim of any false religion. Why? Because God saving us, communicates that we need saving. Those who create false religions appeal to the pride of humanity by not insulting them with such a humbling reality. However, Scripture teaches our inability to stop sinning, or to ever make up for our sins (Rom 3:10-18). We cannot save ourselves and the just penalty of our sinful rebellion against the will of God is both enmity with Him and eternal death (Rom 6:23). Being convinced of this horrible reality is one critical aspect of faith for both salvation and the Christian life.

You and I deserve hell. Right now. The fact that we have not arrived at hell is already God’s patient grace. Because nothing we do can make up for the guilt of our sin. We can never be good enough for God. One sin bans us from heaven for all eternity. Therefore humility, which is a low spirit and mind, is a requirement for the true believer. Without such honest low view of self, there is no need for either a Savior or a Lord. We all deserve hell, but God through His son paid for our sin guilt on the cross (Colossians 2:14)! This is the heart of salvation, rescued from our deserved and everlasting punishment of torment.

However, salvation is so much more than just a ticket out of hell. Many errors come from such a blind and short sited view of Scripture. We are taught that Jesus has also rescued us from the domain of darkness, brings us into His own kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Plus, as Paul says in our passage, we have also been “called with a Holy calling.”

Our second lesson is that it is God’s grace that we are “called,” commissioned or created to live godly, righteous and holy live. It is grace and love that he does not leave us in our wretched sins. Those “saved” and “called” are given neither “according to our works.” Jesus becoming both our Savior and our Lord is great gospel reality. It is grace, and it is not works. Though these gifts of faith lead us to works (See Eph 2:8-10).

If the word “gospel” means “good news,” how then is a holy calling “good news?” Only when we humbly understand what we have been rescued from… from hell and the rule of Satan, from the vileness of sin… only then do we rejoice in the grace of submitting our entire life to our new King. Only when we understand the goodness of our Lords rule and reign over our lives will we delight in His ways as gospel.

How did He make this good news a reality for us? Notice “not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” Yahweh has a purpose for which he has both saved and called us. It is His purpose, not our own. We are His for His end. We are saved for His service. We are given new life for His glory.

Third, we learn that we were given the gospel of salvation and holy living “from all eternity.” That means from eternity past and into eternity future this has been true. If you have true faith, if salvation and holy living is good news to you, it is evidence that He elected and chose you eternally for his purpose in Christ by grace. This eternality of your salvation is good news, because it proves that your salvation is not caused by your holy living. Though your salvation ought to cause holy living.

APPLICATION | Do I live on purpose for God’s purpose? Do I live in light of the fact I deserve hell, but have been gifted heaven? Do I live in light of the fact that Jesus paid my debt and save me? Do I truly put my confidence in these truths?

PRAYER | Father, I have often abused my salvation and lived for myself according to my purpose instead of according to yours. Forgive me and wash me a new. So that I might fully live for you. By the grace of the cross of Jesus. For your glory alone. Amen.