“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.” –2 Timothy 1:9
This verse is part of a letter that Paul is writing to Timothy. And if anyone could have made the argument that they were good enough to earn God’s favor, it would have been the apostle Paul. He was zealous for God, devoted to the Law, and had an impressive religious pedigree. And yet, Paul understood something that changed everything—we aren’t saved because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us.
The reality is, none of us can earn our salvation. We’ve all fallen short of God’s glory. We’re all broken people in need of His grace. And the only reason we have life and a hope for the future is because of Jesus and what He accomplished for us on the cross.
As we talked about last Sunday, God loves us. And because He loves us, He made a way for us to be saved. We don’t have to work hard enough, do enough good things, or somehow prove ourselves worthy of His love. God’s grace isn’t something we earn—it’s a gift we receive.
So why do we sometimes live as though we have to earn what God has already offered us freely? Why do we carry the weight of trying to be good enough when Jesus has already done what we could never do for ourselves?
Today, may we stop striving to earn God’s love and simply receive it. (If that feels complicated, may we ask for His help to open our hearts to receive His love.) And may we rest in His grace, walk in His love, and live with grateful hearts—not trying to earn our salvation, but living in response to the salvation He has freely given us through Jesus.
We’re not called to work for God’s love—It’s because of His love that we’re called.
