Day 9: Grateful for the Greatest Gift of All!
15This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I was the worst of them all. 16But that is why 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. 17Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 1Timothy 1:15-17
The Apostle Paul offers us a faith statement that he calls all of us to believe: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and then he adds a qualifying statement about himself: and I was the worst of them all. Think about that second statement. Paul says he was the WORST sinner of all up until his time. Remember that Paul was actually a “good” person according to the people around him. He was a Pharisee, a religious leader. He read and loved the Bible. He obeyed the Mosaic Law diligently. And yet, once Paul met Jesus, he recognized that his attacks against the Church had been outright sin, that the prideful life he lived--thinking that he was right and that the Church’s testimony about Jesus was wrong, condemned him in the worst kind of way. The reality is ANY sin condemns us to death. Any sin separates us from God. That is why Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and that’s why we must be grateful for the greatest gift of all, when we respond to that salvation and follow Him! As we go about our days, our lives are to be a blessing to others. They are to be an example and a role model for others to follow. That can only happen when Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, when the Holy Spirit is living and working in us. Thank God that reality is available to us all. It doesn’t matter if our lives have been evil in the past. In fact, Paul tells us if they were that God can use them as an example of His great patience toward us. As we go about this day, let’s take the time to recognize that apart from the grace of God we, too, are the “worst” of sinners. Thank God that His grace IS sufficient to restore our relationship with Him regardless of our past!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What does it mean to you personally that Christ Jesus came into the world to rescue sinners?
Take some time right now to pause and confess any sin that is separating you from God right now, and then to claim the grace that restores us, so that you may go about this day in VICTORY!