By Warren E. Berkley
The apostle Paul never forgot his
past, his sin and who delivered him from all that he used to be. He believed he was
forgiven and did not let remorse paralyze him. But he spoke and wrote openly of his past
life of sin and the grace and love that reached him.
In his first epistle to Timothy, his
first concern was to address the alarming conditions in Ephesus. Ambitious but ignorant
men were teaching different doctrines, promoting their own agenda, tearing down the church
in Ephesus and mis-using the law (1 Tim. 1:3-8). Timothy was charged to remain at his post
and charge these men not to teach a different doctrine.
After that Paul writes very personally
with these words:
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. {1 Tim. 1:12-17}
This is
about Paul. It is much like a prayer (it begins with gratitude, includes praise and
expressions of reverence to God, and ends with Amen.). The apostle is grateful
when he considers that Christ Jesus our Lord enabled me. We actually have
something similar to this in modern vocabulary, when we talk about enabling a
person; helping someone, giving someone an opportunity or power to do something. Well
Christ Jesus helped Paul; gave him the power and opportunity to do right, to preach the
gospel, to influence young men like Timothy and fight the good fight of faith. In the NEB,
Christ made me equal to the task.
The apostle
was humbled and grateful that the Lord considered him worthy of this trust (the gospel
being entrusted to him). Now Christ considered me faithful cannot mean that
Paul demonstrated faithfulness before he obeyed the gospel and because of that, he
earned the right to serve as an apostle. No. Instead the idea is, it was an amazing
thing to Paul that God would ever entrust him with such a great message the
greatest message of all time, the gospel! This is not a claim of personal merit, but a
statement of amazement.
Especially
so since Paul had not lived worthy of such a trust. I was formerly a blasphemer, a
persecutor and an insolent man. In these verses we continue to hear the tone of
gratitude and amazement. It is like someone saying, Wow. This is really something.
This is incredible! Paul wrote, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor
an
insolent man. Even though he did these things ignorantly and in unbelief yet
he did these things. God showed mercy on an ignorant man.
Paul is not
claiming ignorance and unbelief to excuse his sin; later in this passage he calls himself
the worst of sinners. He doesnt claim to be less guilty because of his ignorance and
unbelief. He is just amazed that he became an object of Gods compassion rather than
his wrath. {That ignorance does not acquit is affirmed by the apostle in 1 Cor. 4:4}.
This
is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Here is a formula repeated throughout these two
epistles, this is a faithful saying. It simply means, here is something you
can count on! Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Two great truths are
set forth here: the incarnation and redemption.
Christ
Jesus came into the world thats the incarnation. To save sinners
is a reference to His work of redemption. Notice how Paul personalizes the truth of
redemption: he uses the expression sinners, but then adds, of whom I am
chief. Like Paul, Christians today need to personalize the truth of redemption; Jesus
died for ME. This is reflected in one of the songs we sang as little children: JESUS
LOVES ME!
However,
for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all
longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen. Something was shown or demonstrated in the conversion of
Paul and his appointment as an apostle. What was shown? The longsuffering of Christ. In
Paul we have a living example of the worst of sinners being saved, responding to the grace
of God by being baptized (see Acts 9:18). The effect of all this in the heart of the
apostle? Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
May it be
so with us.