I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief…

        1 Timothy 1:12-13 

When we see the use of “even though,” we are usually pointing to an outcome that happened despite factual circumstances that might have worked against that outcome.  For example, “We won the tournament even though we didn’t play very well.” “The plane landed safely even though one of the engines failed.” “I made it to work on time even though I slept through my alarm this morning.” “Even though” tells us that something happened and it might have occurred even when we didn’t think it was possible.

This is what Paul is talking about when he says, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service…” If we didn’t know anything about Paul’s background and former life before meeting Jesus, that statement might not have the same impact as it does when we add the rest of the sentence. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.” There it is! Even though Paul spent his former life doing everything that he could to stop the progression of the gospel, God saw fit to save him, redeem him, and call him into the service of preaching the very gospel that he had once opposed. This is the power of God at work in the lives of those who come to the end of themselves and cry out to Him for salvation on the basis of the completed work of Christ on the cross. And with Paul’s salvation came his calling as well. The same is true for you and me. Even though, (fill in the blank with the circumstances of your former life), God saved me, redeemed my life from the law of sin and death, and called me into service for the kingdom. While all of our lives are different, this should be the general testimony of every born again believer in Jesus.

Here are some other biblical examples of “even though:”

God made coverings for Adam and Eve even though they were disobedient in the garden (Genesis 3:21).

God gave Abraham a son in his old age even though he laughed at the proposition (Genesis 17:17).

God sent Moses to free the people from Egypt even though he was a fugitive on the run (Exodus 3:10).

God led the people safely across the Red Sea even though they were being pursued by the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:21-31).

God led the people into the Promised Land even though and entire generation would not go in out of fear and unbelief (Number 13-14, Joshua 3).

God used Gideon to defeat the enemy even though he was hiding in a winepress (Judges 6:11-24).

God delivered the Israelites from the Philistines even though the entire Israelite army would not take on Goliath (1 Samuel 17).

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in record time even though he was met with opposition (Nehemiah 1-6).

God saved three men from the fiery furnace even though it was King Nebuchadnezzar’s intention to have them killed (Daniel 3:8-30).

God delivered Daniel from the lion’s den even though it was the intention of King Darius to have him killed (Daniel 6:16-24).

God sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh even though he ran from the assignment (Jonah 1-4).

Jesus fed five thousand people even though there were only five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21).

Jesus delivered a demon possessed man even though He was walking in an unbelieving generation (Matthew 17:14-21).

Jesus calmed the storm even though the disciples were terrified, thinking that they were going to die (Mark 4:35-41).

Jesus saved an immoral woman even though the crowd looked down on her (Luke 7:36-50).

Jesus forgave an adulteress even though the religious men of the day wanted her stoned (John 8:1-11).

Jesus reinstated Peter even though he denied Christ three times (John 21:15-17).

Paul preached the gospel even though he was persecuted for doing so (Acts 13-28).

God included Paul in ministry even though he was formerly against the church (1 Timothy 1:12-13).

And Christ died for us even though we were sinners (Romans 5:8).

God is in the “even though” business. That’s why we should never let the circumstances of our life be the reason for thinking that God can’t do, or is not willing to do, extraordinary things in us. But it only happens for those who belong to Christ, who have been saved, and who have received the Holy Spirit. 

The Foundation For “Even Though”

1. God’s Grace Is Greater Than Our Sin

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

        Romans 5:20-21

There is an old hymn that encapsulates this passage from Romans. It goes like this:

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within, Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin (by Julia H. Johnston, 1910). 

Paul is reminding us that the Law of God, although pure, perfect, and holy, cannot save us of our sins because none of us has ever kept the Law. In fact, if we’re honest with ourselves, we have broken all of God’s Laws. Scripture testifies to that fact (James 2:10). The Bible tells us that the Law of God came in “so that the transgression would increase.” That’s right! The Law of God was given to mankind as a way of showing us that we are all guilty and have all gone astray (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6). A lifetime of good works or being a “nice person” will not reverse our sin nature nor save us from the condemnation that we all deserve. Consider these words regarding the role of the Law:

For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Galatians 3:21b-22 

The truth of scripture has “shut up everyone under sin.” That means that even for those who reject God, the gospel, and the truth of the Bible, they remain guilty before God because of their sin. None of us can stand alone before God and make a case for ourselves. It simply will not work. This is why it is so important to know that the Law cannot, and will never, save the human soul. The Law actually came in to make us more guilty. 

Just like the person who is speeding down the road because they are unaware of what the speed limit actually is, which in this case, we will say is 55 mph. So they cruise down the road going at whatever speed they deem appropriate, reaching speeds of 70 and 80 mph. All of a sudden they see a posted speed limit sign of 55 mph. They now know that they are speeding but pay no attention to the sign. And with their newfound knowledge of what the speed limit actually is, they continue on their way, doing whatever they feel is appropriate. This is the human condition. Some people may live by their own theology and set of principles not being aware of God’s standards or the gospel at all. Others may be fully aware of what the Bible says but choose to ignore it and live life on their own terms anyway. Either scenario paints a desperate picture of something that has gone terribly wrong. That is the human condition apart from Christ…sinful, depraved, and in complete rebellion against God. 

But this is Paul’s point: “But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more…” If you look at the original language, you will find that it actually says, “superabounded.” It is a Greek word that begins with “hyper.” Hyper grace, grace that super abounds, grace that is greater than all of our sin! This is the good news! Where your sin increases, God’s grace superabounds and is greater than anything that you have ever done wrong. Only a loving God would respond to our sin with super grace! This is why God is a God of “even though.” Even though we commit adultery, we can be saved through Christ. Even though we have murdered someone, we can be saved through Christ. Even though we have spent a lifetime rebelling against God and the truth of His Word, doing everything possible to oppose Him, we can still be saved through Christ because of the infinite, matchless, grace of God. He’s not out to get you rather He’s out to save you! And that leads us to our second foundational point.

2. We Have To Respond To The Gospel

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Hebrews 4:1-2

Hearing the gospel alone is not enough to bring us to salvation. The writer of Hebrews is reminding us that hearing and responding to the gospel is what saves us. It is possible for us to “come short” of the good news. When a person hears the Word of God preached and the gospel presented, they have a choice. They can run from God’s invitation to come to Him by faith or they can respond appropriately by crying out to Him and asking for salvation, a new life in Christ, and for the Holy Spirit to come and live within them. So the writer of Hebrews says, “let us fear if…” The “if” is the hearing of the gospel but never putting that hearing into action by receiving the good news into our own lives. 

“For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” Who are these people to which the writer is referring? It is the people of Israel under the old covenant. Consider the passage previous to Hebrews 4:

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

          Hebrews 3:16-19

God had promised the land to the Israelites. He led them out of Egypt and straight to the threshold of this land. They went in and spied it out, brought back a sample of the land’s fruit, and told the people that it was everything that God had said it was. There was only one problem. There were other people groups living in the land and they scared the Israelites. Instead of trusting God and believing that He would overcome the people living in the land, they were afraid and would not enter. It wasn’t that they couldn’t enter, it wasn’t that God prohibited them from entering, they just wouldn’t go. So, we see that they had good news given to them yet they did not unite that word from God with faith and an entire generation missed out on the promise as a result (Number 13-14). They provoked God, He was angry with them, they sinned by being unbelieving, they died in the wilderness as a result, and God swore that they would not enter because of their disobedience. This is to what the writer of Hebrews is reminding us so that we don’t make the same mistake. Learning from the mistakes of others can protect us and keep us from going through the same hardships. Jude put it this way:

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

Jude 1:5

So “let us fear if” we should come short of the gospel by only hearing it but not responding to it. We have to respond to the gospel. Our parents cannot do this for us, our friends cannot either. Salvation is a decision that has to be made on the part of every man, woman, and child. Just like hearing alone is not enough for salvation, neither is merely hearing the word of God and not applying it to our lives. Consider Jesus’ words:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

  Matthew 7:24-27

Salvation requires our responding to the gospel. A transformed life requires rejecting the world and its philosophies and being obedient to the Word of God. And that bring us to our last foundational point. 

3. A Saved Life Is A Transformed Life

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

          Ephesians 4:17-19 

First, we have biblical instruction on what our lives, as Christians, should not be like. Paul is reminding us that we were once like the rest of the unbelieving world but because we have now been saved and belong to Christ, our lives should exhibit that of a transformed life, different and set apart for the Lord. He gives a list of characteristics that the unbelieving world, apart from Christ, share with one another. Futility of mind, darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, ignorant, having a hard heart, they have become callous, and they have given themselves over to the practice of every type and form of ungodliness. That’s quite a list. Born again believers in Jesus Christ should be the very opposite of those who live in a spiritually darkened and callous position. So the point is made, we are to no longer live like those who have no spiritual understanding and are, in effect, spiritually dead. 

But even though we were once like this, we are no longer. So, our lives should reflect spiritual transformation which can only come when we are saved and receive the Holy Spirit of God to come and live on the inside of our hearts. Consider his instructions:

(But) in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Ephesians 4:22-24

We cast away, forever, our former lives before we knew Christ and now walk in the power of the Spirit of God, putting on our new lives in Jesus, and live in obedience and devotion to Him alone. Nothing of our old life should have any impact on our general lifestyle. Sure, we still live in human flesh and can find ourselves battling with that (Romans 7:14-25). But it is the victory that we have in the Spirit of God that prevails, as we yield ourselves to Him, to His leadings, and to His promptings (Galatians 5:16-18). 

God is a God of “even though.” But a new life in Jesus only comes to those who come to the end of themselves, and in humility, cry out to God for His saving grace, solely on the basis of what Christ has done for us on the cross. And it is this spiritual transformation that positions us in Christ, sets our feet on the road to eternal life, and allows us to live lives worthy of the calling in service to Him (Ephesians 4:1). God’s grace is greater than all our sin but the gospel must be received and when we do, we are able to live superior lives to that of ordinary human existence. Are you walking with Christ everyday?

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

                      Isaiah 55:6-7