One of the statements Paul uses frequently through out the Pastoral Epistles is the phrase “this is a trustworthy saying…” He uses it at least five times throughout the Pastoral Epistles, three of which are in 1 Timothy alone.

The first is found in this week’s passage, 1 Timothy 1:15-16:

Five times Paul uses this phrase, each time signifying that he is about to say something that is worth listening to. Here is the first example. The others are found in 1 Timothy 3:1, 1 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 2:11, and Titus 3:8.

Each time Paul uses this, he then makes a statement that carries a lot of weight. It may be a phrase his readers would have been familiar with, maybe even part of a hymn or something frequently expounded upon in the sermons his readers have heard. Whatever the origin, the statement carries authority: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Paul uses this phrase to emphasize two of the foundational elements of our faith, Christ’s birth and his death on the cross. By including both the incarnation and our redemption, Paul establishes his point that Christ came, and that he came to save.

But then he makes it personal by adding the extension onto the end of the phrase that he is the worst of sinners. This should be the attitude of us all. Christ came to save us, even though we don’t deserve it. Christ came to rescue us, even though we are sinners of the worst kind. Christ came to redeem us, in spite of our sin and failures.

But why?

Paul goes on to say that Christ’s act of mercy was to display his patience in us, so that others could see it and believe.

If God can be patient with Paul, or with me, and still extend his grace to Paul, or to me, then he can do so to anyone who decides to accept that forgiveness and step into eternal life.

And if that isn’t a reason to celebrate, I don’t know what is.

Have you ever thought about yourself being the chiefest of sinners? How does that make you feel? It brings a new appreciation of God’s grace, doesn’t it? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

For the past two weeks, Paul’s letter to timothy has been full of negativity, as he expounded on sin, and comparing what Timothy must face with the Ten Commandments. His purpose was to show that the point of the law is to reveal sin. At the end of that paragraph, however, he throws in a statement filled with worship.

In our passage for this week, he seems to expand on that statement, how God entrusted this precious message to him. Look at 1 Timothy 1:12-14.

First, Paul expands on his statement at the end of the previous paragraph, thankful that Christ gave him strength, found him faithful and trustworthy, and appointed him to Jesus’ service, in spite of his past.

You probably know as well as I do that Paul was once very oppressive to the message he now holds dear. He was a blasphemer, denying what God had accomplished through Jesus. he was a persecutor, striving to destroy Christianity. He was a violent man, capturing, imprisoning, torturing, and even watching the deaths of the followers of Christ. Each of these three descriptions seems to be harsher than the one before it.

But God decided to show Paul mercy. Why? Because he acted in ignorance and unbelief. Paul’s not minimizing his sins here, or trying to excuse his guilt. Rather, he acted as zealously as he could for the Jewish Law. The Old Testament made a distinction between those who sinned in ignorance and those who sinned intentionally and willfully. In Numbers 15:27-31, the Law makes a provision for the one who sinned in ignorance. Consequences were still necessary, but restoration was possible. But for the one who sinned intentionally, he was to be utterly cut off from his people, rejected completely.

Because of Paul’s ignorance of God’s work through Christ, he fell into the first group, explaining why he felt that God offered him mercy and forgiveness.

That grace had been poured out on him abundantly, igniting his own faith and love in Christ.

Paul studied the Law. He knew just how it revealed the sinfulness of man. He knew how it revealed his own sinfulness. And yet, he also rested in the fact that God’s mercy and grace were bigger. God’s forgiveness restored Paul, and made him fit for this ministry to which he was called.

Here’s the amazing thing: God has done the same thing for you and I. Our response should be the same as that of Paul. We should “thank Christ Jesus our Lord.”

How do you display your gratitude to Christ for choosing to use you? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.