DEVOTION – DAY 508

2 Timothy 1:9 “Chosen And Saved”

2 Timothy 1:9 “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.”

Being chosen by God is a recurring theme in some of the apostle Paul’s letters. God had chosen His people to live a holy life. God’s choice is not based on anything we have done to deserve being chosen. We were not chosen because we did good or charitable works. We were not chosen because we were gifted or we had reached a certain position in society. We were chosen because of God’s grace and mercy that He showered upon us. The Bible reminds us repeatedly that our salvation is by God’s grace alone and is not based on any human effort. God had a saving plan through the gracious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s plan to save lost sinners was made in eternity past – before the beginning of time. 

This truth has been both a great blessing and a stumbling block for people. It is a great blessing to those who knew that they had sinned before God and believed that Jesus Christ had died on the cross on their behalf to pay the penalty for their sins. They also believed that because God resurrected Jesus on the third day, God had accepted Jesus’ atonement on the cross for their sins, and that in the same way, they have been resurrected to live a new life in Christ. 

This truth is stumbling block for some people who take pride in their personal achievements. They think that their own good deeds are enough to cancel all their faults and sins. They console themselves that nobody is perfect and that if God is loving, God would forgive them and let them into heaven. So, such people do not think they need Jesus. They reject God’s saving plan for them. They rather trust in their own efforts and own actions to determine their future fate.

We know someone who rejected God’s saving plan. She had worshipped idols in her past. But she started attending a church to know more about Christianity. She even attended Bible Study classes for a while. But in the end, she rejected the gospel message. Instead, she decided to place her faith and trust in Buddhism thinking that her daily prayers at her altar would gain her the merit she needed to get closer to a state of enlightenment. When we told her about the dangers of rejecting God’s plan for her, she did not want to hear anymore. We continue to pray for her salvation.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your free gift of salvation through your Son, the Lord Jesus. Thank you for choosing us before the beginning of time. Please help us to live lives that honor and obey you worthy of your grace and love for us. We pray in the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

1. Have you chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? If you have, how have you been living your life to thank Him for His love and grace?
2. If you have not yet believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, what is holding you back? 
3. If you are relying on something else to get you closer to heaven rather than Jesus Christ, how sure are you that these things that you are relying on can be trusted? Share and Discuss.