THE PURPOSE OF GRACE
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” —I Tim. 1:15-17
In the nugget we have chosen for today, as we move into a new area for meditation, the apostle Paul, writing to a young understudy, gives us a bit of his personal testimony that can in some measure edify us all. Not by design on his part, the section we have chosen to consider today suggests a threefold purpose in the outworking of God’s grace. There is God’s past purpose in sending His Son, His present purpose in the lives of His children and His eternal purpose to be fully revealed in the future.
It will be no news to most of my readers to observe that God sent His Son into the world “to save sinners.” Christ did not come for Christmas, He came for Calvary. He did not come to be a good example, but to be a sacrifice for sin. This simple/profound truth is oft repeated in the New Testament. “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world [I John 4:14].” “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him [I John 4:9].” “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [II Cor. 5:19-21].” These are few of the verses that reinforce Paul’s statement here. And as a result of this divine initiative, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [Rom. 10:13].”
This is simple evangelism. Paul here, assured of his eternal destiny through this grace of God, calls himself the chief of sinners. You and I do not hold that distinction, but because of our own sin we were headed for exactly the same condemnation as this “chief of sinners.” But the question might be raised, as it has by some, if God has done everything necessary to save us from sin and qualify us for heaven, why has he left us here, in “this present evil world?” The answer is implied in the next verse, where the apostle declares God’s present purpose that he should be “a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on [Christ] to life everlasting.” The divine plan is no different for us. It is God’s will that we should so live as to represent the grace of God in all its aspects to give direction to those around us and those who will follow after us in the faith.
Paul could say to his hearers in another place, “…be ye followers of me” and “Be ye followers of me, even as I am of Christ [I Cor. 4:16; 11:1].” His implication is that if his hearers follow his pattern of behavior, they will be walking as Christ designs and desires. The apostle John gives the same emphasis when he writes, “He that saith he abideth in [Christ] ought himself so to walk, even as He walked.” We have a responsibility both to God and to those who will come after us to reveal the truth and power of redemption as ‘epistles’ of Christ “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” Is your life telling the truth about why Christ Jesus came into the world? That is God’s will for us in the “today of our experience,” and why He has left us here for now.
All of this leads to the ultimate purpose of redemption: To “the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.” God, by reason of His very nature, deserves to be glorified. He is glorified through our love for Him and our obedience to Him. Jesus said, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do [John 17:4].” And in that same chapter He also said, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.” The glory of God is the issue. When He is glorified, those who glorify Him are made partakers of His glory.”
Adam, yielding to the devil’s lie, sought to glorify himself, and it cost him and all of his descendants sin and shame. If we will seek to glorify God, giving him his place in our lives, we will share His glory throughout all eternity. For Christ, and for Paul, seeking the glory of God was costly, and it may be no different with us; but it pays eternal dividends. As we glorify Him now, we will be glorified together with Him throughout the ages to come!
“Everyone that is called by my name…I have created for my glory.” - Isa. 43:7
For His glory—and ours,
"Pastor" Frasier
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