2 Timothy 1:1-7 - Grace, Mercy, and Peace

 2 Timothy 1:1-7

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, a beloved son:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

There is grace, mercy, and peace in our calling into Christ Jesus as Paul reminded his disciple Timothy whom he loved as a son and labored with on the gospel.  Paul began by reminding Timothy and everyone else who reads this letter afterwards that he did not choose his occupation as an apostle but received his calling by God’s will and choosing.  This is a reminder for us all to see that the gifts and service we are given are gifts from God and not something we work to achieve apart from being called to them in His will as chosen in Christ.  This man whom the Lord chose to write much of the New Testament scriptures that are in our bible wrote these words not just as a letter to encourage and charge his charge but also to remind us of the promise of life we have received by grace to find peace with God with whom we are at odds due to our sin according to His great mercy (Ephesians 2:4) with which He has forgiven and saved us from the judgment and wrath to come (Acts 24:25, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 5:9-11, Revelation 14:7) on the world.  All this comes freely from our Lord and God by His choice and work on our behalf!  This is how Paul could be thankful for the providence that gave Timothy a godly background of faith in God through his mother and grandmother that had led to his own genuine faith.  He prayed incessantly with esteem and extreme gratitude for this man of God’s hand given to work alongside him and then urged Timothy on to stir up these gifts and calling without fear because of the power of God working in and through him with a sober mind to understand these things and to stand firm and walk confidently in this grace, mercy, and peace in his salvation.  We are to imitate this in our own lives and calling as well, founded on sound doctrine and confident in God’s work in us for His glory in serving in the gospel. We are all God’s beloved children and He has given us spiritual mentors and parents to lead us to where we are and guide us to the way we need to go.