The Purposeful Promise God Made To Himself

 "In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world [or, "ages"] began" (Titus 1:2).

It is reassuring to know that the terms of our salvation  are clearly seen in "the Word of God," who cannot lie!

The opening passage, above, however, states that God made this promise "before the world [or, "ages"] began."

How can this be?

There is no indication that God made this promise to the angels, and there was no one else to whom He could have made it — except to Himself.

Before God ever made one promise to any man, He first promised to Himself that He would provide salvation, and all the riches of His grace, for sinners through Calvary's finished work. The promises later made to men were but progressive revelations of a firm purpose He had already made in His own heart of love. Paul, the apostle of "the mystery," refers to this blessed fact again and again in his epistles:

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery… the hidden… Which God Hath Ordained Before The World Unto Our Glory" (1 Cor. 2:7).

"According as He Hath Chosen Us In Him [Christ] Before The Foundation Of The World…" (Eph. 1:4).

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, Being Predestinated According To The Purpose Of Him Who Worketh All Things After The Counsel Of His Own Will" (Eph. 1:11).

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His Own Purpose And [His Own] Grace, Which Was Given Us In Christ Jesus Before The World Began" (1 Tim. 1:9).