WHY GOD SAVED THE CHIEF OF SINNERS – 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on March 19, 2014 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; March 19, 2014

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Theme: Paul presented himself as the example of how far the saving grace of God can extend to whosoever will believe on Jesus Christ.

(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

In the first chapter of this epistle, Paul encouraged Timothy to focus on evangelistic integrity in his ministry at the church in Ephesus—exhorting him to defend the purity of the gospel. As we saw in our last study, some folks had begun to teach a false doctrine of legalism (1 Timothy 1:3-11). They were, among other things, misrepresenting the purpose of the Old Testament law. This was utterly contrary to the gospel message that had been entrusted by God to Paul.

Remarkably, in order to arm Timothy in his battle for the gospel of grace, Paul referred to his own conversion. Paul’s conversion story is important to the New Testament’s presentation of the doctrine of salvation. His conversion is mentioned more times than any other conversion in the Bible—described in detail in five lengthy passages (Acts 9:1-22; 22:1-21; 26:1-23; Galatians1:11-2:10; and here in 1 Timothy 1:12-16). As a former Pharisee, no one sought righteousness from the law more than he had done (see Philippians 3:4-6). But he sought it in rebellion against the grace of God. As Homer Kent wrote, “When Paul wished to give Timothy a most effective illustration of sound gospel teaching as contrasted with the disastrous effects of legalism, he related his own personal experience. His thanksgiving for the privilege of ministering the gospel reminded him of the utter difference of his former life, and he gave all credit to the mercy and grace of God who had provided the gospel” (Homer A. Kent, Jr., The Pastoral Epistles [Chicago: Moody Press, 1982], p. 85).

This wonderful passage not only gives us an illustration of the grace of the gospel that Paul preached (with its greatest preacher serving as its own greatest illustration); but it also has encouraged broken and wounded sinners throughout the centuries. No one—not even Saul of Tarsus—is so far gone in their sin that they cannot be saved if they will but trust in the cross of Jesus Christ.

I. THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST WAS SUFFICIENT TO SAVE PAUL (vv. 12-14).

A. Paul—in the context of his orders to Timothy to stop these false teachers—began by affirming, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry . . .” (v. 12). Paul didn’t consider that he placed himself in ministry. In fact, given the attitude he had about God’s grace toward him, he would never have even thought of being worthy to serve. Instead, he thanked the Lord Jesus for the privilege. Even when he was a sinner—long before his conversion—he was “a chosen vessel” of the Lord (Acts 9:15). His faithfulness was not because of anything that he had done, but in spite of what he had done; and was because of what the Lord would see to it that he would do—’counting him faithful’, and ‘enabling’ him for the work.

B. What a great privilege Paul felt in this! He referred to his ministry as “this grace”—though he said that he was “less than the least of saints” (Ephesians 3:8). Almost as a counter-argument against those who sought to justify themselves before God through the law, Paul said that he was placed into the ministry, “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man . . .” (v. 13a). The details of this defiance is told to us powerfully in Acts 26—when Paul testified before Agrippa, “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:9-11). Ananias—when sent by God to pray over Saul—said, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem” (Acts 9:13). The Jews called him, “he who destroyed those who called upon this name in Jerusalem” (v. 21); and after his conversion, the church was hesitant to welcome him—all being afraid of him, and thinking at first that he was deceiving them (v. 26). But by the grace of God, the church’s greatest antagonist became its greatest missionary.

C. Paul called it ‘mercy’. He said, “but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (v. 13b). All of his violence toward the church was because he was blinded in his understanding and unbelief. And he called it ‘grace’. He said, “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (v. 14). The grace of the Lord Jesus was more than enough to save him—and with the grace from Jesus came the gracious gift of “faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9) and “love” (Romans 5:5) in Christ Jesus. Truly Paul was an example of the transforming power of God’s grace—apart from the law—to completely save sinners.

II. PAUL’S SALVATION WAS A PATTERN FOR ALL OTHERS WHO WOULD BELIEVE ON JESUS FOR SALVATION (vv. 15-16).

A. It is key to notice that Paul, in verse 14, said that God’s grace was “exceedingly abundant”. It was sufficient to save someone like Saul of Tarsus—a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man; but not “just barely” sufficient. There was “exceedingly abundant” grace for him. He was a living example of how “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20). This is what was behind those remarkable words in verse 15; “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.” If you look through Paul’s pastoral letters, you find five “faithful sayings”—1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 4, 8-9; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Titus 3:4-8. And they are all meant to be taken very seriously at face value. This “faithful saying” truly is meant to be understood by us as “worthy of all acceptance”—that Paul truly was the “chief” or “foremost” of sinners. He didn’t make this case lightly; and had made similar statements elsewhere (see also 1 Corinthians 15:9 and Ephesians 3:8). It is key to his whole argument that we understand him to be telling the truth. And note too that he doesn’t say that he “was” the chief of sinners, but that he “is”—that is, as a present reality. He never forgot what a sinner he once had been, and declared that he retained that standing in the grace of God even as he wrote.

B. The importance of this is shown in verse 16; “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.” In saying that Jesus might “show” all longsuffering, he used a word that basically meant to point the index finger. Jesus Christ Himself saved Paul—meeting him personally along the road—in order to be able to point him out as an example to everyone else of the transforming power of His saving grace. Furthermore, Paul is declared to be “a patten to those who are going to believe” on Jesus. He is the ‘outline’ against which the salvation of even the most hopeless sinner may be drawn. If Paul could receive everlasting life, anyone can!

III. THE SALVATION OF ALL WHO TRUST JESUS RESULTS IN HONOR AND GLORY TO GOD (v. 17).

A. Note how Paul gives the glory to God for this. He writes—in what may be an early church hymn—”Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” He is Deity. Who could sin in any way greater than His grace? He is alone wise. Who could present Him with a situation of need for which He could not devise redemption? All the honor and glory belong to Him eternally. Who could ever earn His favor by the works of the law in such a way as to obligate Him to save them? (Perhaps we who have been saved by His grace should commit this verse to memory. It will be what we will shout in praise to God throughout eternity!)

B. This, then, is the testimony of the man who could boast that he was blameless before the letter of the law (Philippians 3:6), but yet, was the chief of sinners. It is all of God’s grace! This means that, on the one hand, no one is so great a sinner that they can not find grace through Christ to be saved; and that, on the other hand, no one should be looked upon by us as too far gone to ever be redeemed!