Issue 1779 Grace and Mercy July 30, 2025
I spent some time this morning reading Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Paul jumps right into the reason Jesus came to earth.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, that is an old hat message. We know it. We’ve been there, done that. It is very easy to become blasé about our salvation and Jesus’ sacrifice.
We can begin to think we are saved because we are worthy of it, or because we are somehow special and deserving. We might not be so bold as to come out and actually say those words, but we can turn God’s incredible grace and mercy into some form of self-righteousness.
Or, we might go to the extreme of thinking that His grace is somehow not enough. We start doing works “for God” in an effort to please him, as if our efforts had that little something extra to His shed blood.
We can easily become distracted from the miracle that a holy God would love us so much that He took on human flesh and died in our stead.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
You and I aren’t saved because we were somehow special. We were saved because He loves us despite our sin and failings. We are His because He chose to call us and make us His own.
That truth ought to humble us and cause us to serve out of love and gratitude.
I know who I was before Christ, and who I can still be even after becoming His. I’m amazed that He would bother saving me, let alone at such a high cost.
Lord, forgive us when we take your gift of forgiveness for granted or when we try to earn our way into your good graces. Teach us to humbly accept your love and mercy and abide in you.
Hallelu Yah
Be blessed,
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”