The Savior of Sinners

The Savior of Sinners

1 Tim. 1:12-17

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Introduction

     The text before us has been one of the great watchwords of the faith down through the centuries. Like the other “faithful sayings” found in the Pastoral Epistles, it constitutes a formula expressing weighty and memorable truths, which were well known and often repeated by the brotherhood of Christians in the early church.

     This particular saying was evidently and especially precious to the apostle Paul. The words “of whom I am chief” were not used rhetorically or extravagantly. He meant them from the heart. With all his religion, his boasted self-righteousness and his acknowledged academic qualification, this man eventually came to see that he was a helpless and hopeless sinner; or, - in his own language - the chief of sinners. We can, therefore, well understand the apostle glorying in a “faithful saying” which sets forth the Lord Jesus as the Savior of sinners. Please consider the Savior whom Paul exalts in this text. Observe, first of all:

I. The Revelation of the Savior

     “Christ Jesus came” (v. 15). In these words we have the revelation of the Savior’s:

A. Nativity

       “Christ Jesus came” Yes, we know that He was born, but He came to be born! Herein is the mystery of the incarnation. No wonder Paul exclaimed, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).

       Of all birthdays, the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ is held in man’s memory with highest regard. It is an extraordinary fact that in Western civilization, time is dated from the birth of Christ.

       Some say that Christ was only a Jew, who, if ever He existed, was a peasant in an obscure province in a far-off age; who wrote no book, made no discovery, invented no philosophy, and built no temple; who, at the end, was forsaken by all His little band of followers and then died a criminal’s death. Yet the centuries carry His signature; every year is called “the year of our Lord.”

       No one knows why or how or when or who did it. Emperors have endeavored to alter this reckoning, by dating time from their birth or coronation. Moslems have tried dating time from the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina in AD 622. France, in 1793, decreed that time should date from the Revolution. And scientists have declared that time ought to be adjusted to the march of heavenly bodies. Yet today people throughout much of the world date time from the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, even the infidel magazines that blaspheme His name are obliged to adjust their calendar to His cradle. Truly, our Lord has put His signature upon time itself. And until time shall be no more, every new year will be baptized into His name. 

These words also give us a revelation of the Savior’s:

B. Name

       “Christ Jesus” Christ, the Anointed One; Jesus, the Savior; Christ Jesus, “the Anointed Savior - in this name we see His authority to save. And indeed, His is the only name that spells the answer to humanity’s greatest need. Philosophers, physicians, psychologists, scientists, and religionists of all ages have tried to solve the problem of man’s sin. They have failed, and their names mean nothing to us in this respect. But mention the name “Christ Jesus,” and, with Paul, ten thousand times ten thousand voices cry He “came into the world to save” (1 Timothy 1:15).

     In the third place, these words give us a revelation to the Savior’s:

C. Nature

       “Christ Jesus”; Christ reveals His divine nature, while Jesus reveals His human nature. In this blessed Savior, therefore, we have God and man. This great truth demonstrates the uniqueness of Christ. The apostle states in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” He alone can understand man, because He is man of very man. He alone can undertake for man, because He is God of very God. Here then is the revealed Savior. In the revelation of His nativity, His name, and His nature, we see the Savior’s advent and authority for the purpose of saving sinners.

Our text speaks further of our Savior:

II. The Redemption in the Savior

     Paul declares, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”  In the redeeming work of Christ, Paul found and you and I can find pardon, power, and purpose:

A. The Savior’s Pardon

       “I obtained mercy,” says the apostle, who was “formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious man” (v. 13). He revels in “the grace of our Lord [which] was exceedingly abundant” (v. 14). In it (“the grace of our Lord”) he found pardon for:

1. His Spiritual Sins

   He was “a blasphemer” because he denied the deity of Jesus Christ and forced others to deny it. “Blasphemy” is a sin against God, thus, a spiritual sin.

2. His Social Sins

   He was “a persecutor.” This has to do with his relation to his neighbors (i.e., holy men). He says, “I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it” (Gal. 1:13). He not only witnessed, but also approved of the murder of Stephen and thereafter he panted like a wild beast for the blood of the church.

3. His Selfish Sins

   He was “an injurious man.” That word “injurious,” includes, with the idea of injuring others, that of insolence (i.e., “arrogance”) in relation to one’s self.

   But in spite of such a crime sheet, Paul “obtained mercy” from a pardoning Savior. Later he could write, “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He [the Savior] has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). My friend, do you know this redemptive pardon? Have you ever had your spiritual, social and selfish sins blotted out?

B. The Savior’s Power

       Paul testified, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (v. 12). How often people say, “I would become a Christian, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep it up!” What an answer the apostle gives to this invention of the devil: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength within to live as a faithful Christian.

C. The Savior’s Purpose

       Paul continues: “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (v. 16). There was a purpose for which and to which the Lord had saved him. God had a plan for Paul and, indeed, He has a plan for all who enter into Christ’s redemptive purpose. It is written, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

       Tell me, have you found this redemptive pardon, power, and purpose for your life? If not, then you are missing the very object for which Christ Jesus came into the world. You might reply, “All this sounds too good to be true.” Do not believe it! Paul presents not only the revelation of the Savior, and the redemption in the Savior, but also:

III. The Recommendation to the Savior

     “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance” (v. 15). “But how do you know, Paul?” Because Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious sinner; but this matchless Savior saved me. So I recommend Him to you.”

A. Christ Jesus is a Faithful Savior

       This is a word to the hesitating sinner. Christ has been proved and found faithful by millions of men and women down through the centuries.

B. Christ Jesus is a Worthy Savior

       This is a word to the high-minded sinner. He condescends to be your Savior, but He never apologizes.

C. Christ Jesus is an Acceptable Savior

       This is a word to the half-hearted sinner. He is worthy not only of universal acceptance, but of wholehearted acceptance. He is God’s supreme love gift.

Conclusion

     The truth about the Savior of sinners is followed in our text by a doxology of honor and glory to the Lord Jesus, whom Paul calls “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, [the] God who alone is wise” (v. 17). The great preacher and theologian Jonathan Edwards was suddenly converted as by a flash of light in the moment he read this single verse. So in viewing the majesty and power of the Savior, each person should turn in faith to the Lord Jesus.