“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came int o the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all.” (1 Timothy 1:15 NLT)
Perhaps Apostle Paul’s true thorn has nothing to do with disability or injury. Perhaps it was his past performance record with the Jesus movement. He remembered his hypocrisy and persecution. He recalled the stonings he oversaw. Maybe this was his mindset when he pointed out his chief sinner status to his young protege. Jesus came to save sinners. The law is for the lost to come to terms with their lostness and see their need for a Savior.
Paul reminds us, we all have our proverbial skeletons in the closet: thing that apart from Christ, discount us from the work of the gospel altogether. But thank God for Jesus, who rewrites our story in terms of His glory.
“But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in hHm and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:16 NLT)
Paul was very public about his pre-Christ failures because he knew his testimony was powerful. If God could forgive Paul, how could He not forgive us also? Perhaps we have discounted the glory of God by whitewashing our pre-salvation story? When we openly admit how sinful we were, we also confess the greatest grace of God still is. Our confession gives hope to the ones who are still mired in sin.
Respond to the gospel in righteousness, but don’t pretend you are without a past. Don’t forget to tell just how ugly it was when God found you. Our testimony is a powerful tool in the Kingdom. Our truth plus the blood of the Lamb is precisely how we overcome the enemy in this world. When we share our full story, God gets the glory. As tellers, we are overwhelmed anew by all that He has rescued us from and the hearer is confronted with the ever-expanding reality of extravagant grace.
“All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies, He alone is God. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17 NLT)
Lord, please give us the guts to tell our full story. We were the worst sinners apprehended by grace. Rehabilitated by love. Help us share freely and honestly, that others might be encouraged, convinced and convicted by Your mercy towards the most terrible sinners. We thank You for Your charity toward the uncharitable, chiefly us. Amen.