I’m not that bad, Am I?

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

1 Timothy 1:15

One of the true marks of a follower of Jesus Christ is recognizing that we were wretched sinners before we were saved. In order to be saved we have to realize we need saving. When you were lost in our sins you might have had the attitude that you were really not that bad. I remember myself thinking and even saying, “Hey I don’t need saving I am one of the good guys. I’m not as bad as most people, as a matter of fact I’m pretty good.”

When someone comes to saving faith in Christ they realize that they are as separated from God as the most vial, evil, person that ever lived. One sin separates us from God and makes us His enemy. But, just as Paul empathically stated, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost”, we recognize that God came and saved us form the wretched person we were before Christ.

John MacArthur writes the following about this passage:

In the realm of sinners, Paul saw himself as foremost of all. Many in our day would hasten to correct Paul’s self-image and restore his self-esteem. But that was a healthy self-view for Paul because it was accurate. It’s hard to imagine anyone worse than a blasphemer of God and persecutor of His church. Such a view of himself also served to keep Paul humble and grateful. It was for this reason that Paul found mercy. God didn’t save him merely to get him out of hell or into heaven. Nor did He save him to preach the gospel or write the epistles; God could have had others do that. The purpose of salvation, whether Paul’s or ours, is to display God’s grace, power, and patience and produce a true worshiper of God (John 4:21–24). It is for His glory primarily, our benefit is secondary.

We need to remind ourselves daily that we were once sinners separated from God and like Paul we can say, of whom I am the foremost, but God saved us to bring Himself glory.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark