Grace Does not Lightly Esteem
Anon. 2 Timothy 1:9 Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace… There is sometimes the thought that grace implies God's passing by sin. But no — quite the contrary; grace supposes sin to be so horribly bad a thing, that God cannot tolerate it. Were it in the power of man, after being unrighteous and evil, to patch up his ways, and mend himself so as to stand before God, there would then be no need of grace. The very fact of the Lord's being gracious shows sin to be so evil a thing, that man, being a sinner, his state is utterly ruined and hopeless, and nothing but free grace will do for him — can meet his need. (Anon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, WEB: who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,