Marsha's Musings: Salvation is All of God From Beginning to End (II Timothy 1:7-11 NKJV)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 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 before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. (II Timothy 1:7-11 NKJV)

I couldn't very well focus on verse 7 without including verses 8-11 because the whole reason verse 7 is there is because of what follows!  How do I know this?  What's the first word after verse 7?  Therefore.  This means we have to look at what was just said to find out what it is there for!

So we see that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love and of a sound mind.  And why has He given this to us?  So that we do not need to be ashamed of the Gospel (to put it in a nut shell).

Paul writes in his characteristic long sentences in verses 7-11 and packs a lot of theology in. Here are some observations.

1. We may have to suffer for the Gospel, but God's power will be at work in us when we do.  It will be His power that gives us love and a sound mind instead of fear.

2. Salvation is all of God

     A. He saved us

     B. He called us

          a. not according to our works

          c. according to His own purpose

          d. according to His grace

              1. given to us in Christ Jesus 

                   before time began

3. Salvation was revealed by the 

      appearing of Jesus Christ

       a. abolished death (spiritual)

       b. revealed life & immortality through 

            the Gospel

4. Through the Gospel Paul was 

     appointed

      a. preacher

      b. an apostle

      c. a teacher of the Gentiles

The doctrine of election, that is so hated by some and loved by others, is plainly taught in this passage: 

...God, 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 before time began,...

God elected or chose those whom He would save before time began. It's not according to our works. The idea that God looked down through the corridors of time and elected to save those who would respond to His gift of salvation just doesn't work here. If our salvation depended on us making the first move then God is saving us according to our works. That flies in the face of what Paul says here.

I take comfort in the fact that God initiated my salvation by His choice. Therefore He will keep me saved by His promise and His power.  

If salvation were initiated by my future actions that God saw when He looked down through the corridors of time in eternity past, then that puts me in the place of power over God, getting Him to respond according to my works.  If my actions can get God to save me, then it's illogical to think that my actions can't also cause me to lose my salvation. That's why there are church denominations who believe a person can lose their salvation.  You see, when it's of works, there is no eternal security. But Paul doesn't teach salvation is of works, ever.

What a comfort to know salvation is all of God from beginning to end!