“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-…” I Timothy 1:15
What a wonderful summary of the mission of Jesus! Simple and profound, Jesus came to save sinners! Amen! Praise God! That is a trustworthy saying indeed. And how grateful we are that He did! We have been saved from sin, death and the power of the devil, but we have also been saved for forgiveness, life and the purposes of God.
Left out in the verse quoted above are the final words, “…of whom I am the worst.” Who said that? St. Paul did, the writer of I Timothy. That’s amazing. One would be hard pressed to find a more worthy example of the Christian life and servanthood than the Apostle Paul, the writer of 13 New Testament books and perhaps the greatest teacher of the Lord’s words and the proclamation of the Gospel. And yet, he calls himself the worst of sinners, or as some translations state it, the “Chief of sinners.”
I’ve always wondered why this was so. It’s humbling to hear Paul say these words as it makes me feel that much more unworthy. And maybe that’s the point. Paul felt unworthy. He felt unworthy because of his past sins when he persecuted Christians, but also because of his present situation, never feeling that he was living up to the high calling of Christ. And I believe that is why he proclaimed the grace of God so strongly, because he knew that it was only because of God’s grace the he was saved.
So too for us. We are the blessed recipients of God’s amazing grace, and like the great St. Paul, it comes to us totally underserved and unmerited. It is not our greatness, but the greatness of Christ that matters most. Like Paul, we will simply live in this grace and celebrate its truth.
Know that you are loved!
Peace and Joy,
Pastor Kilian
