1 Timothy 1:12-17 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Timothy 1:12-17, which read,
v.12-14 - I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
Paul doesn't forget where he came from. Paul doesn't forget what he was like before and what he is like now and how that all came about. He was a blasphemer so he violated the first half of the 10 commandments that deal with our relationship with God and he was a persecutor and aggressor that violated the second half of the 10 commandments that deal with our relationship with others. Paul is stating that he was no different than the false teachers that Timothy is facing in Ephesus.
But, and that is always a big word in the Scriptures, by the strength, mercy, grace, faith, and love all given by the Lord to Paul, he was transformed to be faithful and fit for service. He was ignorant of all of this at one point and acted out of that ignorance but God's grace through the cross of Christ swooped into his life on the road to Damascus and he bowed his knee to his Lord and Savior. Maybe Paul is telling this again to Timothy for him to realize that some of the false teachers were just like him and to instill some grace in Timothy to see them as another possible transformed vessel to be used by God.
v.15, 16 - It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
The trustworthy statement that deserves full acceptance is that Christ Jesus came into the world, through the manger, to save sinners, to die on a cross and rise again. Paul adds to that statement that he is one of those sinners that Jesus came to save. Why save Paul, a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor? This is the question that Paul is trying to answer. His answer is that he is the example with his very life of what God can do to the foremost of sinners.
Someone can be walking totally away from God or be totally against Him and harming His family of believers and God can turn him or her around to be in the family and a great promoter of the faith. This demonstrates God's perfect patience in the situation. We are ready to write off someone because of what we see on the outside but God sees the heart and with perfect patience works and watches the faith given do its work in that unrepentant heart. I can see Paul saying to a crowd, "Look at me. You know me. You know what I have done to the Christians. Now I am one of them and promoting the faith that I persecuted. I am willing to be beaten for it, go to prison for it, and even die for it. How do you explain that other than the grace of God transforming my heart of stone into a heart of love?" Paul then ends his testimony with this verse.
v.17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul gives his answer to the question. It is nothing of Paul but all of God who is King, ruler over all. He is eternal, everlasting. He is immortal, all lasting and all powerful. He is invisible, not yet seen. He is the only God, there is no other. To Him is given honor and glory, respect and praise, forever and ever, for eternity. Paul caps off this end of his testimony with a hearty "Amen." Paul's testimony starts off with God. In the middle of his testimony he attributes the change all to God. He ends his testimony with God. I would call that a good testimony when it is more about Him than it is about me. I had a transformation and I am living out that transformation daily but the focus does not go off of Who made it all happen.
Maybe Paul gives Timothy that testimony one more time so that Timothy who grew up with a mother and grandmother who instilled in him a love for Jesus from an early age would see Paul who did not have that upbringing but was radically changed by Christ to do His work. Some of those against the Lord right now could be used of Him in the future, like Paul. I think it would change your heart, attitude, words and deeds toward those who are against the Lord right now. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for Paul. Thank You for his very life example of someone against You and now so for You. Help us to not forget who we were before You, sinners in need of a Savior and that there are others who yet ignorant of that fact and living out that ignorance. You are magnificent that You can take someone lost and make them found. May my life reflect that awesome power of You today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.12-14 - I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
Paul doesn't forget where he came from. Paul doesn't forget what he was like before and what he is like now and how that all came about. He was a blasphemer so he violated the first half of the 10 commandments that deal with our relationship with God and he was a persecutor and aggressor that violated the second half of the 10 commandments that deal with our relationship with others. Paul is stating that he was no different than the false teachers that Timothy is facing in Ephesus.
But, and that is always a big word in the Scriptures, by the strength, mercy, grace, faith, and love all given by the Lord to Paul, he was transformed to be faithful and fit for service. He was ignorant of all of this at one point and acted out of that ignorance but God's grace through the cross of Christ swooped into his life on the road to Damascus and he bowed his knee to his Lord and Savior. Maybe Paul is telling this again to Timothy for him to realize that some of the false teachers were just like him and to instill some grace in Timothy to see them as another possible transformed vessel to be used by God.
v.15, 16 - It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
The trustworthy statement that deserves full acceptance is that Christ Jesus came into the world, through the manger, to save sinners, to die on a cross and rise again. Paul adds to that statement that he is one of those sinners that Jesus came to save. Why save Paul, a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor? This is the question that Paul is trying to answer. His answer is that he is the example with his very life of what God can do to the foremost of sinners.
Someone can be walking totally away from God or be totally against Him and harming His family of believers and God can turn him or her around to be in the family and a great promoter of the faith. This demonstrates God's perfect patience in the situation. We are ready to write off someone because of what we see on the outside but God sees the heart and with perfect patience works and watches the faith given do its work in that unrepentant heart. I can see Paul saying to a crowd, "Look at me. You know me. You know what I have done to the Christians. Now I am one of them and promoting the faith that I persecuted. I am willing to be beaten for it, go to prison for it, and even die for it. How do you explain that other than the grace of God transforming my heart of stone into a heart of love?" Paul then ends his testimony with this verse.
v.17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul gives his answer to the question. It is nothing of Paul but all of God who is King, ruler over all. He is eternal, everlasting. He is immortal, all lasting and all powerful. He is invisible, not yet seen. He is the only God, there is no other. To Him is given honor and glory, respect and praise, forever and ever, for eternity. Paul caps off this end of his testimony with a hearty "Amen." Paul's testimony starts off with God. In the middle of his testimony he attributes the change all to God. He ends his testimony with God. I would call that a good testimony when it is more about Him than it is about me. I had a transformation and I am living out that transformation daily but the focus does not go off of Who made it all happen.
Maybe Paul gives Timothy that testimony one more time so that Timothy who grew up with a mother and grandmother who instilled in him a love for Jesus from an early age would see Paul who did not have that upbringing but was radically changed by Christ to do His work. Some of those against the Lord right now could be used of Him in the future, like Paul. I think it would change your heart, attitude, words and deeds toward those who are against the Lord right now. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for Paul. Thank You for his very life example of someone against You and now so for You. Help us to not forget who we were before You, sinners in need of a Savior and that there are others who yet ignorant of that fact and living out that ignorance. You are magnificent that You can take someone lost and make them found. May my life reflect that awesome power of You today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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