1 Timothy 1:8-20: a reflection

8But we know that the law is good if a person uses it lawfully, 9as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine, 11according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service, 13although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 18I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, 20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

Paul, reflecting on his own past as a blasphemer and persecutor, states a truth he calls faithful and worthy of all acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. He does not minimize his own sin; he calls himself the chief of sinners. And yet he obtained mercy; and he sees in his own case a display of Christ's patience, an example for all who would believe. If Christ saved even Paul, the chief of sinners, then his mercy is wide enough for anyone; Paul's salvation was meant as an example of that mercy.

Notice the truth Paul states, and why he was shown mercy: Christ came to save sinners, and Paul, the chief, obtained mercy as an example. Christ came for this very purpose: to save sinners. And Paul, who had been a blasphemer and persecutor, the chief of sinners, was saved, not because he was worthy, but as a display of Christ's patience, an example to all who would come after. If Christ's mercy reached even the chief of sinners, it is wide enough for anyone; Paul's salvation shows how far that mercy extends. Christ came to save sinners, and the chief of sinners is his example of mercy.

That is a great encouragement, for it means Christ's mercy is wide enough even for the worst, even for us. We can feel that our sin is too great, that we are too far gone for Christ to save; but Christ came to save sinners, and saved even Paul, the chief of sinners, as an example of his mercy. If Christ saved the chief of sinners, his mercy reaches even to you, however great your sin. Do not imagine your sin too great for Christ to save, or yourself too far gone for his mercy; Christ came to save sinners, and made the chief of sinners an example of his patience. Trust the mercy of Christ, who came to save sinners and saved even the chief of them; his mercy is wide enough for you, however great your sin, as it was wide enough for Paul, who called himself the chief of sinners and yet obtained mercy, an example for all who would believe.

Lord, Paul, reflecting on his own past as a blasphemer and persecutor, states a truth he calls faithful and worthy of all acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. He does not minimize his own sin; he calls himself the chief of sinners. And yet he obtained mercy; and he sees in his own case a display of Christ's patience, an example for all who would believe. If Christ saved even Paul, the chief of sinners, then his mercy is wide enough for anyone. Show me the truth Paul states, and why he was shown mercy: Christ came to save sinners, and Paul, the chief, obtained mercy as an example. Christ came for this very purpose: to save sinners. And Paul was saved, not because he was worthy, but as a display of Christ's patience, an example to all who would come after. If Christ's mercy reached even the chief of sinners, it is wide enough for anyone. Give me the encouragement of that, for it means Christ's mercy is wide enough even for the worst, even for me. I can feel that my sin is too great, that I am too far gone for Christ to save; but Christ came to save sinners, and saved even Paul. If Christ saved the chief of sinners, his mercy reaches even to me, however great my sin. Keep me from imagining my sin too great for Christ to save, or myself too far gone for his mercy; Christ came to save sinners, Lord. Help me trust the mercy of Christ, who came to save sinners and saved even the chief of them; his mercy is wide enough for me.