“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, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

John Newton had lived his life away from God. As a slave trader, his life was lived as a sinner, with his occupation built on the suffering of other humans created in the image of God. After he came to Jesus Christ and put his faith in Him, he penned these familiar words. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind, but now I see.” (First Verse, Amazing Grace, 1779, John Newton)

The Apostle Paul was no different. He described his life before Christ and what God’s grace meant to Him, to Timothy in his first letter. “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:13-16)

Grace was in God’s plan from before creation. “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, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

When we come to God through His grace, He changes us. The effect of grace begins to mold us anew in the image of God. It empowers us to do the good works which God has prepared for us. Grace was the driving point of Paul’s life after he had come to Christ.  “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

The effect of God’s grace in the life of Paul also motivated Him to encourage others in their relationship with God through grace. We see this in the content of His prayer for the church at Thessalonica, “we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

It is the same for us who have come to God through Jesus Christ by faith. We are able to come to Him because of His offer given to us by grace. We come to Him as sinners who have no way to Him. He has come to us by His grace and has taken the penalty of sin and death to the cross where He died for us. Now, He offers life to us by His grace. We trust His grace when we put our faith in Him. Now, because He overcame death through the resurrection, His grace brings us life, which will be eternal. This life is to be lived in relationship to Him now and forevermore. May we walk daily with the amazing grace of the Living Word of God.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block