“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” – 1 Timothy 1:15
Paul is speaking, first and foremost, of himself. By the time he wrote this, he’d spent decades reflecting on the extraordinary grace of God that saved him from the horrors he had committed. In his misguided zeal for God, Paul had persecuted the church, hunting down Christians and condemning them to death. He knew the evil God had rescued him from through Jesus Christ and he rejoiced in God’s love, grace, and mercy.
However, this “trustworthy saying” is about far more than Paul. It’s about you. To truly understand, appreciate, and rejoice in God’s grace, make this saying about you. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom “I ________ (fill in your name) am the foremost”. That’s when this statement becomes powerfully true!
Our minds hate to think about the horrors of our sin. We don’t like to admit that we were really all that awful, depraved, and hopeless. We like to say, I’m better than most people. We like to console ourselves that we probably haven’t killed or tortured anyone recently. These words radically misunderstand sin. ALL sin, no matter how “small” or “harmless” we consider it to be, is outright rebellion against God’s Kingship over the universe. All sin is our defiant, obscene gesture pointed toward God. ALL sin! Yours included…
Whatever your favorite sins may be, each one is a declaration of war against the Lord. Thus, each of us, you included, can say exactly what Paul did. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. Once you can bring your mind and mouth to speak this truth for yourself, your love and appreciation for God’s grace and Christ’s saving work on the cross will skyrocket! #FollowJesus