August 1
“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. 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,” 1 Timothy 1:15-17.
If you are familiar with the historical account of the early life of the apostle Paul, then you know that he was living in the spiritual darkness and blindness of the Pharisees. He blasphemed the Person and the work of the Lord Jesus. He was a persecutor of the early Christians. When Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death, Saul, as he was known at that time, had the coats of those who threw the stones placed at his feet. Shortly thereafter, he was on his way to Damascus to arrest more Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem for persecution and punishment. On the road to Damascus, the Lord Jesus stopped him in his tracks, spoke to him from heaven and struck him with blindness. That marked the end of his persecution of Christians. He was instructed to proceed to Damascus, where he would be told what to do. Thereafter, he had the call to become the apostle Paul.
In a brief sentence, Paul expresses the Gospel: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus came into the world to fulfill everything that was necessary for our salvation. As the God-Man, He fulfilled the Law of God perfectly in our place. He fulfilled where we so miserably fail. The heavenly Father was pleased with His perfect life in our place. At Jesus’ Baptism and on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him,” Matthew 17:5.
When the time appointed by God arrived to complete our redemption, Jesus was taken captive, He was given a trial, He was condemned and crucified. The sins of all people were on Him, and He made the sacrifice to redeem all people. He fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah written 700 years earlier: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:5-6.
Paul confesses that he who once was an enemy of the Gospel was received by the grace and mercy of God. God chose him to become the apostle, the messenger of the Good News of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus as God’s Son and the only Savior for sinners. In His patience and mercy, God brought Paul into the family of God and into the ministry. Now Paul was to patiently proceed to witness to others, through which the Holy Spirit would bring others to repentance and faith in Jesus as their Savior.
As God called Paul, so He also calls us out of spiritual darkness into the marvelous, glorious light of the Gospel. He brings us to faith and keeps us in the faith. All glory goes to God for saving us sinners. Each of us is a chief sinner, and we confess our own sins. Our salvation was accomplished by God alone. With Paul, we declare, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.” Here in time, and hereafter in eternity, we will give all glory to God for His marvelous mercy, revealed in the assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins through faith in Christ Jesus.
“Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Lived that I might never die.
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.” Amen.