In 2 Timothy 1 we see that we may experience and enjoy Christ as the One who brought life and incorruption to light in order that we might know life and incorruption. It is through the gospel that Christ brought life and incorruption to light (v. 10). While we may know life and incorruption, the unbelievers know only death and corruption because they have not yet heard or received the gospel. If they hear and receive the gospel, it will bring eternal life and eternal incorruption to light so that they may know life and incorruption as we do. The more we preach the gospel, the more life and incorruption will be brought to light. On the one hand, Christ appeared with grace; that is, He came with grace. On the other hand, by His death and resurrection, Christ nullified death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel in order to fulfill the promise of life for a believer to be an apostle.
In verses 9 and 10 Paul tells us that the grace of God, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the times of the ages, now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. Grace is God’s provision in life given to us so that we may live out His purpose. This grace given to us in Christ was bestowed on us before the world began. God’s grace was given to us in eternity, but it was manifested and applied to us through our Lord’s first coming, in which He nullified death and brought life to us (Heb. 9:26). Because this grace was manifested through the appearing of Christ, Old Testament saints such as Abraham and David did not experience it. The grace destined to be given to us came with the appearing of the Lord Jesus. This grace is not merely a blessing; it is a person, the Triune God Himself given to us to be our enjoyment. This grace came when the Lord Jesus appeared, and now it is with us today.
Grace did not come until the Lord Jesus came. This is indicated by John 1:17, which says, “Grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.” The grace which came through Jesus Christ is nothing less than the Triune God dispensed into us for our enjoyment. This grace carries out God’s purpose and enables us to reach His goal.
Grace works in two ways. It works negatively to nullify death, and it works positively to bring in life and incorruption. This work of grace is still taking place within us. Today in the church life grace is nullifying death and bringing life and incorruption to light through the gospel. Many people need to hear that the gospel of grace nullifies death and brings in life and incorruption.
In 2 Timothy 1:10 Paul tells us that Christ nullified death. This means that He made death of none effect through His devil-destroying death (Heb. 2:14) and death-swallowing resurrection (1 Cor. 15:52-54). Christ was manifested to nullify death and to bring in eternal, indestructible life. He not only defeated death—He nullified it. Through His resurrection, death has become of none effect; death has lost its power, even its taste. Christ could nullify death because He destroyed the devil, the one who has the might of death. Of course, by overcoming Satan and nullifying death, the Lord Jesus also defeated Hades and the grave. Therefore, Christ’s resurrection declares that He is victorious over death, Satan, Hades, and the grave (vv. 55-57). No longer are these a problem. Christ’s resurrection was not only God’s vindication and the Lord’s success but also His victory over death, Satan, Hades, and the grave. Christ through His resurrection has made this troublesome group of none effect. His resurrection demonstrated that He triumphed over Satan, death, Hades, and the grave (Heb. 2:14; Acts 2:31). Through His resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) to impart God’s life to us (John 3:15) and regenerate us (1 Pet. 1:3). Thus, having nullified death through His death, He brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel in His resurrection.
The last part of verse 10 speaks of Christ Jesus who “brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.” In the gospel the revelation is brought to us that Christ has nullified death and has brought us eternal, indestructible life. Life in verse 10 refers to the eternal life of God, which is given to all believers in Christ (1 Tim. 1:16) and which is the main element of the divine grace given to us (Rom. 5:17, 21). This life has conquered death (Acts 2:24) and will swallow up death (2 Cor. 5:4). It was according to the promise of such a life that Paul was an apostle (2 Tim. 1:1). This life and the incorruption that is its consequence have been brought to light and made visible to men through the preaching of the gospel.
Life is the divine element, even God Himself, imparted into our spirit; incorruption is the consequence of life’s saturating of our body (Rom. 8:11). This life and incorruption are able to counter death and corruption.