The Grace of Our Lord Overflowed for Me – 1 Timothy 1:12-17

It was not obedience to the Law that saved Paul, and it certainly was not obedience to the Law that saved us.  It was the grace of God that saved us, made evident through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection to life.  Paul never forgot this, and we must not either.

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 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. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.  (1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV)

Paul stands as an example par excellence of the forgiving and patient grace of God through Jesus Christ.  Though Paul was persecuting the church and blaspheming the name of Jesus, God showed him mercy and saved him.  Like all sinners Paul acted in ignorance, the ignorance of unbelief.  But Christ didn’t come to save righteous people (there are none) but sinners.

Paul was told at his conversion that God was going to use him to spread the message.  Nevertheless, Paul had to demonstrate faithfulness to the Lord before he was actually appointed to this service.  Even then, Paul attributes his ability to be faithful to God’s strengthening.

How can we do anything else but praise God.  He is the king of the ages.  Everything is subject to Him, all history.  He is immortal, incapable of dying, eternal, with no beginning and no end.  He is invisible, a spirit, which human eyes cannot perceive.  And He is the only God there is, worthy of honor and glory forever.