The Grace of
God
First Timothy 1:12-17
by Paul
George
This is
Paul’s testimony concerning the grace of God, his thanks
to Jesus Christ for putting him into the ministry.
Christ puts men into the ministry (Acts 26:16-17). Men
cannot make themselves ministers; for it is Christ's
work, as king, prophet and teacher, of His church. Those
whom He puts into the ministry He prepares and qualifies
them.
A call to the ministry is a great favor. Those who
Christ calls should thank Him for the great favor He has
bestowed upon them. This is Paul’s testimony, “I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me because He
counted me faithful, appointing me to His service;
though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious. Yet I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord
abounded exceedingly with faith and love, which are
found in Christ Jesus.
Before his conversion Saul, who took the Greek name Paul
after his conversion, threatened and slaughtered the
disciples of Jesus (Acts 9:1). He made havoc of the
church (Acts 8:3).He was a blasphemer of God, a
persecutor of the saints, and injurious to both.
It is often hard to explain or understand why Jesus
calls those who have fallen into great wickedness. It is
evidence sin; no matter how heinous is not an obstacle
to the grace of God. Blasphemy and persecution are
heinous sins. To blaspheme God is to speak profanely of
God. To persecute His people is to endeavor to wound Him
through their sufferings. To be injurious is to be like
Ishmael, whose hand was against every one, and every one
was against him. It is an invasion of the prerogative of
God and an invasion of the liberties and rights of
another. Paul’s testimony, “he was shown mercy” is a
testimony of the great favor bestowed upon him. If Paul
had persecuted the Christians willfully, knowing them to
be the people of God his crime against Jesus would have
been greater. He ignorantly and in unbelief sinned and
he obtained mercy. What we do ignorantly is a less crime
than what we do knowingly; yet a sin of ignorance is a
sin. Unbelief is the source of what sinners do
ignorantly; they do not believe God otherwise they would
not do what they do. For this reason, Paul obtained
mercy. The conversion and salvation of sinners are due
to the grace of Christ, his exceedingly abundant grace,
even that grace of Christ, which appears in His glorious
gospel.
The Son of God took upon Him our nature, was made flesh,
and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He did not come to call
the righteous but the sinners to repentance (Matthew
9:13). He came to seek and save that which was lost
(Luke 19:10). The validation of this is “that it is a
faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.” It is
good news, yet not too good to be true, for it is a
faithful saying. It is a faithful saying, and therefore
worthy to be embraced in the arms of faith: it is worthy
of all acceptation, and therefore to be received with
love.
Paul confesses he is the chief of sinners. He
acknowledges he is the chief of sinners because he
threatened and killed the disciples of the Lord.
Persecutors are some of the worst of sinners. Paul is
not patting himself on the back when he said he was the
chief of sinners. He does not take any pride in what he
has done even though he did it ignorantly and in
unbelief. I am chief of sinners is an expression of his
great humility. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul
refers to himself as “the least of all saints”
(Ephesians 3:8).
Paul closes his testimony with a note of thanksgiving,
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only
God, be honor and glory forever and ever, amen.” Like
Paul, those who are aware of their obligations to the
mercy and grace of God will have their hearts enlarged
in His praise. God's gracious dealings with us should
fill us with admiration of his glorious attributes. He
is eternal, without beginning of days, or end of life,
or change of time. He is the Ancient of days, (Daniel
7:9). He is immortal, and the original of immortality;
He only has immortality (First Timothy 6:16). He is
invisible, for he cannot be seen with mortal eyes,
dwelling in the light to which no man can approach, whom
no man has seen nor can see (First Timothy 6:16). He is
the only wise God (Jude 25). He only is infinitely wise,
and the fountain of all wisdom.
To Him be glory forever and ever.
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