Just like the Old Testament, the New Testament teaches that this wonderful salvation is extended to us as a kindness. Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians by talking about God’s gracious work of salvation toward His people. In saving His people, God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself ” (Eph. 1:4–5a). What is the basis of God’s saving work? We read that it is “according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph. 1:5; cf. Eph. 1:9, emphasis added). We are saved because God extends His own lovingkindness to us.
The Grace of Salvation Despite Our Trespasses
Furthermore, despite being “dead in [our] trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), God “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (v. 5). Why? It is “so that
in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7, emphasis added). Through His own act of salvation, God puts His loving character on display, and we are presented as trophies of His divine grace.
God’s Kindness in Salvation
Similarly, in Paul’s letter to Titus, we see another expression of God’s kindness in salvation. We read, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us . . .” (Titus 3:4–5a). In this verse, we essentially see Jesus Christ as God’s kindness personified. One could almost picture God’s own love and kindness wrapped in the person of Jesus who comes and redeems us. What a glorious picture!
The Sinless Life and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
The Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Him- self God in human flesh (John 1:1–3, 14), came to earth and lived in perfect obedience to every law of God, thus perfectly fulfilling the divine standard. Jesus lived sinlessly (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), and thereby gave Himself up to be killed as an atoning sacrifice—a propitiation—for sin (1 John 2:2). Being the only acceptable sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ died in the place of sinners as a substitute (1 Peter 2:24), paying a ransom to the Father; redeeming us from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13).
The Outcome of Jesus’ Sacrificial Death
Through the sacrificial death of Jesus, we can have our sins forgiven by God (Col. 2:13), and we are justified—declared righteous and pardoned by God, even though we’re guilty and unrighteous (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16). It is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross that makes the forgiveness of sin possible for us. And not only forgiveness, but reconciliation to God—the restoration of relationship. More than this, God actually adopts us as His own (Rom. 8:12–17; Gal. 4:4–7). Now, we who were formerly His enemies have now become God’s children.
The Exclusivity of Christ’s Redemptive Work
It is only by the death of Christ that we will find any hope of forgiveness for sin. All other attempts to “get right with God” are doomed to fail. Why? Because, by nature, we are sinful creatures, and when we try to accomplish anything of redeeming value, God turns up His nose and is repulsed by the gesture (Isa. 64:6–7). Any attempt we make to justify ourselves before Him is insulting and futile. Only the perfect work of Jesus Christ on our behalf is pleasing to the Father. All in all, we see that God’s offer of salvation to sinners
is a glorious demonstration of His goodness and kindness.
Adapted from The Kindness of God by Nate Pickowicz (© 2024). Published by Moody
Publishers. Used by permission.
