8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” (2 Timothy 1:8–9 (ESV)
2 Timothy 1:9 is one of several, specific biblical texts affirming the sovereignty of God in justifying, redeeming and reconciling sinners to Himself by the person and work of Jesus Christ. God has not only saved us but also called believers in Christ to live a holy life. To be holy means to be separate from sin (I Peter 1:13-16).
However, the danger for believers has always been to assume some measure of our own good works contribute to our salvation from the penalty of sin. In other words, there is the tendency to believer our good works contribute to God’s justification, redemption and reconciliation. This is heresy. This is a damnable message. This is what the Apostle Paul called another gospel (Gal. 1:1-9).
Justification, redemption and reconciliation is always by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (Rom. 3:21-26; 5:1-10; Eph. 2:1-10; Titus 3:1-5). Consider what Paul wrote to the Romans and Galatians.
Romans 3:19–20 (ESV) – “19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
Galatians 2:15–16 (ESV) – “15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
Galatians 2:20–21 (ESV) – “20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
Galatians 3:1–6 (ESV) – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness?”
Galatians 3:7–9 (ESV) – “7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”
Galatians 3:10–14 (ESV) – “10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
What the Apostle Paul labored to explain to the Roman church, and to the churches in Galatia, he continued to communicate to Timothy and to the church in Ephesus. He wrote, “God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace.”
God’s call unto salvation is according to His own purpose and grace. Purpose (πρόθεσιν; prothesin) refers to a plan and consecration. Grace (χάριν; charin) is God’s unmerited favor. God’s justification, redemption, reconciliation, and even adoption of sinners is never by our own works. It is solely by the sovereign work of God the Father, through God the Son and by the Holy Spirit.
God the Father gave elect sinners this grace before the ages began. His sovereign work was before the beginning of time. Those who would become His new creation were chosen in Christ Jesus before creation’s existence.
Ephesians 1:3–5 (ESV) – “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”
Ephesians 1:11 (ESV) – “11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
“This salvation had nothing to do with a believer’s merits but was purely because of His own purpose (prothesin; cf. Rom. 8:28; 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11) and grace (cf. 1 Tim. 1:14). This is the very core of the gospel (cf. Eph. 2:8–10). Before the beginning of time Christians were granted this unmerited favor, but were only made aware of it through the appearing (epiphaneias; 2 Thes. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13) of our Savior, Christ Jesus. Here and in Titus 1:4; 2:13; and 3:6 Christ is called Savior; in 1 Timothy 1:1; 2:3; 4:10; Titus 2:10; and 3:4 God is titled Savior (cf. 2 Peter 1:1 with 3:18). Clearly both are in different senses true. Christ the Son embodied God the Father’s saving purpose and plan, by which death, the product of sin (cf. Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12; 6:23), would be destroyed (1 Cor. 15:26), and life and immortality (lit., “incorruptibility”; cf. 1 Peter 1:4) would be brought into view.”[1]
- Completely known, completely loved
My heart is seen by God above
Should I now run? Dare hide my face
When, in His eyes, there is only grace? - Completely free, the shame is gone
The highest Judge took all my wrongs
And set them on His only Son
He bore my sin, I bear His love. - Completely His, how can it be
That God would set His heart on me?
Loved not for works that I have done
But long before time had begun. - Completely saved, the work is done
The curse, the grave is overcome
For with that dawn, there rose a King
Now heaven’s smile shines over me.
(Chorus)
Completely known, completely loved
I’m covered by my Savior’s blood
I’m robed in white, and God is pleased
To see His Son when He looks on me. – Matt Boswell/Matt Papa
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] A. Duane Litfin, “2 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 751.
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