Not To Be, but Because

In contrast to some who “will depart from the faith” (1 Timothy 4.1), Paul reminds Timothy that “we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

Notice that Paul told Timothy that God is the "Savior of all people." Jesus Christ died for everyone. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..." (John 3.16). He does not wish "that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3.9). Sadly, though, some refuse to believe and be saved. It is the one who believes in him who does not perish but has eternal life. But that is not the end.

Paul was adamant that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2.8). Yet, he was equally convinced that we were saved for good works (Ephesians 2.10). As he wrote to Timothy, he revealed the relationship between our faith and our works:

• First, we have faith: “we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior…” The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11.6). We cannot enter a relationship with God without faith.
• Having set our hope on God, we are then able to “toil and strive.” Since we know that we are loved and accepted by God, we can freely and confidently work, “struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within [us]” (Colossians 1.29).

We do not work to be saved, but we work because we are saved!