Thursday Devo
Scripture:
1 Timothy 1:15-16
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
Commentary:
1:15–16 Earlier statements in this section (vv. 12–17) may seem to suggest that Paul viewed his salvation as resulting from his own faithfulness or even his ignorance. These two verses make it clear that Paul is marveling at his conversion specifically because he knew himself to be so bad, for in his religious endeavors he had persecuted God’s people.
1:15 Calling attention to certain sayings as trustworthy is a particular distinctive of the Pastoral Epistles (cf. 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8). Christ Jesus came … to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (cf. Luke 19:10). Paul cannot mean that he now sins more than anyone in the world, for he elsewhere says that he has lived before God with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16), and he asks other believers to follow his example. Apparently he means that his previous persecution of the church (1 Tim. 1:13; cf. 1 Cor. 15:9–10) made him the foremost sinner, for it did the most to hinder others from coming to faith (cf. 1 Thess. 2:15–16). Yet it also allowed God to save Paul as an “example” of grace (1 Tim. 1:16). Another interpretation is that, in light of the Holy Spirit’s powerful conviction in his heart, and his nearness to God, Paul could not imagine anyone being a “worse” sinner than he. Godly people with some self-knowledge are prone to think of themselves in this way.
1:16 Paul is an example of the effect of true Christian instruction. He was the sort of person for whom the law was intended, and the result of the gospel in his life was not mere idle speculation but transformation.
1:15 Calling attention to certain sayings as trustworthy is a particular distinctive of the Pastoral Epistles (cf. 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8). Christ Jesus came … to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (cf. Luke 19:10). Paul cannot mean that he now sins more than anyone in the world, for he elsewhere says that he has lived before God with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16), and he asks other believers to follow his example. Apparently he means that his previous persecution of the church (1 Tim. 1:13; cf. 1 Cor. 15:9–10) made him the foremost sinner, for it did the most to hinder others from coming to faith (cf. 1 Thess. 2:15–16). Yet it also allowed God to save Paul as an “example” of grace (1 Tim. 1:16). Another interpretation is that, in light of the Holy Spirit’s powerful conviction in his heart, and his nearness to God, Paul could not imagine anyone being a “worse” sinner than he. Godly people with some self-knowledge are prone to think of themselves in this way.
1:16 Paul is an example of the effect of true Christian instruction. He was the sort of person for whom the law was intended, and the result of the gospel in his life was not mere idle speculation but transformation.
Study Questions:
- Paul understood what the Pharisees did not. The way into the kingdom is not through self-promoting pride, but through self-effacing humility and acknowledging that you are a wretched sinner in need of God’s grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. Paul, previously Saul, was a pharisee. He was the very ones Jesus opposed and said would not be at God's great banquet feast. He spent his time hunting down Christians, imprisoning them and ordering their murders. But something happened. He met the resurrected Jesus. He was ultimately humbled in the presence of the Lord and his life was transformed. When was the last time you were in the presence of God and felt that same sense of awe and wonder? When was the last time you were humbled by the love, grace and mercy of your Heavenly Father?
- Humility is an INVITATION for God to move in your marriage, your family, and our church. God can't do much with a heart that's hardened with pride... except to break it. But there is no limit to what he can do with a heart that is fully surrendered to him. Spend some extra time today to pray and ask God to move in your marriage, in your parenting, in your relationships, in your job, in your finances, in our church. Invite him in and ask him to take control.
Pray:
- That you would seek God's presence in your life.
- That, through humility, you would invite God into every area of your life.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
No Comments