In 1 Timothy 1:12–20, Paul describes himself as the “chief of sinners,” remembering his past as a blasphemer and persecutor of the church—and yet also remembering the incredible grace and mercy he received from Jesus Christ. Today we reflect on what it means to know that we have sometimes done wrong even when we knew better, and to recognize our own need for grace. But grace also challenges us: if we want God’s grace and mercy for ourselves, are we willing to extend that same grace to others? Paul reminds Timothy—and reminds us—that God’s patience, mercy, and grace are greater than our failures.
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Well, good morning! It’s good to be with you on this Wednesday morning.
If you’re watching on YouTube or Facebook, you may notice a little bit of a different background. I am recording this a day early, as I often do. It is Tuesday night, about 8:13, and I am at Nox in Starkville. It’s been a long day. I had a couple of meetings tonight, so I decided to have a wonderful bacon-and-cheese macaroni-and-cheese dinner, with some Splenda sweet tea. I’m living my best life!
So, anyway, whether it’s tonight or this morning, whenever it is that you’re watching this, it’s good to be with you.
We’re going to continue our time together in 1 Timothy. Today we’re looking at 1 Timothy 1:12–20.
Paul begins by giving thanks to Jesus Christ because Christ has strengthened him and entrusted him with ministry, even though Paul says that he was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. Paul says that he received mercy because he acted in ignorance and unbelief.
And then Paul says something really interesting. He says that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and then he adds, “of whom I am the foremost.”
In some translations, it says, “I am the chief of sinners.”
That’s an interesting phrase.
Paul says, “I am the chief of sinners.”
And I think about that when we talk about blasphemy. I’ve had people come to me over the years and say, “Hey, I think I’ve committed the unforgivable sin. I think I’ve blasphemed against God.”
And my response is usually something like, “Well, do you feel bad about it?”
Because the very fact that you’re concerned about it, that you’re seeking forgiveness, tells me something important about where your heart is.
Paul calls himself a blasphemer—and yet Paul was forgiven.
Not only was Paul forgiven, but Jesus used Paul in an incredible ministry.
Paul was also a persecutor of the church. Go back and read Acts and you see just how deeply involved Paul was in persecuting Christians. He was involved in what happened to Stephen. There’s debate about exactly what role Paul played in Stephen’s death, but there is no question that Paul was deeply involved in the persecution of the early church.
Paul did some terrible things.
And yet he says, “I received mercy.”
He received grace.
He was forgiven.
And then he says that Christ came into the world to save sinners—and he says, “I am the foremost.”
And I think there’s something important in that phrase.
Paul wasn’t saying that his sins were necessarily worse than everybody else’s sins. I think what Paul recognized was that he knew better.
Paul knew the law. Paul knew Jewish tradition. Paul was deeply educated in his faith. He knew what was right.
And yet he still did the wrong thing.
That’s what makes sin so troubling.
Sometimes we genuinely don’t know what the right thing is. There are moments in our lives when we’re uncertain. We don’t know what we should do. We don’t know what the right answer is.
But friends, let’s be honest.
There are a lot of times when we do know.
We know what we should do—and we do the wrong thing anyway.
We know better.
We know what God is calling us to do, and we choose something else.
We know what is right, and we choose what is wrong.
And when we knowingly violate God’s command, I think we begin to understand what Paul means when he calls himself the chief of sinners.
It’s not necessarily that the sin is worse.
It’s that we know.
We’re without excuse.
And yet, even there, God’s grace reaches us.
Paul says that Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
That means Jesus came to save me.
Jesus came to save you.
Jesus came to save all of us.
And that’s where grace gets really interesting, because God’s grace extends to people and places and moments that, frankly, we don’t always wish it extended to.
God’s grace is bigger than our preferences.
God’s grace is bigger than our judgments.
God’s grace is bigger than our categories.
Jesus came to save sinners.
Paul says, “I’m the chief.”
And the truth is, so am I.
And so are you.
And here’s the rub with that.
Sometimes I want grace for me—but not for thee.
I want God to forgive me.
I want God to be patient with me.
I want God to understand my mistakes and my failures and my shortcomings.
But if I really believe in grace, then I have to want that same grace for you.
Grace doesn’t just come for me.
It comes for all of us.
And if I want mercy for myself, I have to be willing to want mercy for others.
That doesn’t mean that wrong doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean that sin doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean that we stop seeking holiness or stop trying to live faithfully.
It means that we recognize that all of us stand in need of grace.
And Paul says that God displayed incredible patience through him.
And I love that.
God is patient with us.
God is more patient with me than I would be with me.
And maybe that’s true for you, too.
God knows our failures. God knows our mistakes. God knows the times when we have gotten it wrong.
And yet God continues to work in us.
Paul then turns his attention back to Timothy. He reminds Timothy of the calling that has been placed upon his life and encourages him to fight the good fight, holding onto faith and a good conscience.
Paul knew that Timothy had great things ahead of him.
And I think that’s an important reminder for us today.
We’re going to get things wrong.
We’re going to make mistakes.
We’re going to fail.
Sometimes we genuinely won’t know what the right thing is.
But, friends, there are also going to be plenty of times when we do know—and we still choose the wrong thing.
And that’s where grace meets us.
God wants to apply grace to our brokenness.
Grace to our failures.
Grace to the places where we have fallen short.
Grace upon grace in our lives.
And I want that grace.
I need that grace.
I want God’s mercy and God’s grace in my life.
But if I truly want grace for me, then I have to want grace for you.
And we have to want grace for others.
That’s what makes grace so amazing.
God forgives us when we turn to him and receive his mercy. And Scripture reminds us that God’s mercies are new every morning.
So today, I pray that you find mercy in your day.
I pray that you know the goodness of God’s love.
And I pray that as you receive grace, you will also find the strength to extend that grace to somebody else.
Thanks for listening.
Tomorrow, we’ll return to our normal surroundings. I probably won’t be recording in Nox at 8 o’clock at night!
Thanks for being with me.
Have a great rest of your day, and I’ll see you tomorrow.