1 Timothy Study #2

“The World’s Worst Sinner”

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Study #2 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

I am sure you are familiar with the “Guinness Book of World Records.” What you may not know is the history behind it. For example, you may not know that the Guinness Book originated in Ireland. This quote comes from an article by Alex Altman in Time Magazine dated Friday, 14 November 2008. The title of the article is, “A Brief History of Guinness World Records.”

“Like many of the records it charts, the Guinness Book was the product of a can-do spirit and the need to validate one’s pride. In 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of the Guinness Brewery in Ireland, went on a hunting trip with friends. Though he considered himself an excellent shot, Beaver was unable to bag any golden plovers. Beaver suggested that the bird might be the fastest in Europe. Upon returning from the trip, neither he nor his friends were able to locate a reference book that provided the answer. The squabble triggered a marketing epiphany. Figuring that pub-goers would be grateful for a record book that settled debates and bar bets, Beaver created one. In 1954 he tapped a pair of brothers for the task: Norris and Ross McWhirter, who ran a London fact-finding agency. The idea was to distribute the book free of charge to bars in a ploy to generate publicity. The first edition, first titled the Guinness Book of World Records, debuted in 1955. It was a hit. Some 50,000 copies were reprinted and sold; demand proved so high that the book went through three more editions over the next 12 months. Over the ensuing decades, the book became a phenomenon, selling more than 120 million copies in 100 countries and in 37 languages.”

The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of the 2025 edition, it is now in its 70th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 40 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database. 

TRANSITION:

You know too that the Guinness Book publishes world records in every area you can think of, and some of them very bizarre indeed. In our text for today the apostle Paul makes a statement that, if true, would put him into the Guinness Book in the category of, “The World’s Worst Sinner.” Of course, he would have a lot of competition for that title. He would be going up against such notable heavy hitters in the sport as Adolph Hitler, Vlad the Impaler, Joseph Stalin, Idi Amin, Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper, Ivan the Terrible, and Genghis Khan, just to name a few. But Paul assures us here in 1 Timothy chapter 1 that in his opinion, he could beat out all of them for the title and the prize. Let’s see why he would make such a claim. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 12-13: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me [lit. empowered me], because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.

• “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord…” Paul had met the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus. He had heard His voice, and according to Galatians, had seen Jesus in that blinding moment. He was grateful to the Lord Jesus for His divine intervention in his life, to stop him from doing more awful things to persecute the Christians.
• “Who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service…” To what service does Paul refer? Army? Navy? Air Force? To find the answer all you need to do is back up one verse to verse 11: “…according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.” The service Paul is talking about is the Gospel ministry, proclaiming the Good News wherever he could find someone to listen and urging men and women, boys, and girls, to repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. And in the context, specifically he is referring to the fact that the Gospel must be contrasted to the Law and legalism. The Law only reveals sin and brings condemnation. On the other hand, the Gospel brings forgiveness and freedom.
•  “…even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.” A “blasphemer” is someone who speaks against God, which Paul certainly did when he railed against Jesus, the Son of God, albeit in ignorance of who Jesus really was. He says he was also a “persecutor” because he pursued Christians like a hunter pursuing his prey. He wanted them all dead or in prison. And then thirdly he says that he was a “violent aggressor.” Paul was a bully! He acted out of personal pride and religious zeal, which is a dangerous cocktail indeed.       
• “…yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.” Is Paul trying to excuse himself? Is he trying to justify his sinful behavior? NO! He is just giving credit where credit is due. He is trying to point out that if God could deal with him in mercy after all the terrible things he had done, then surely God will offer His salvation to any sinner who comes to Him. Paul is praising God for His mercy. God certainly did not owe Paul anything, yet because Paul acted out of misplaced religious zeal, thinking he was doing right and not understanding that he was in fact doing wrong, God had mercy on him and stopped him dead in his tracks. God could have simply killed Saul. Instead, He chose to redeem him and turn him into a trophy of His grace for the entire world to see and marvel at.  

Verse 14: …and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

• Here Paul goes on to point to the mercy and grace of God that had been poured out on him by Christ. Moreover, he points again to the faith and love with which the Lord Jesus dealt with him, rather than with justice and judgment. Grace is God’s undeserved, unearned, freely given favor. Paul says that in his case this was “more than abundant,” his way of saying that God has a boatload of grace to give to sinners!
• I also find it interesting to note that Paul says that Jesus had faith in him. We do not normally think along those lines, but it is true. Look again at the verse. Paul has already said up in verse 12 that “Jesus Christ considered him faithful,” which means that Jesus had faith in Paul, not because Paul was all that, but because Jesus knew that through His empowering Paul could do anything he was asked to do. I take it that the “faith” spoken of here in verse 14 refers to the same thing. And frankly, this blows my mind, to think that God has faith in me! But should it really surprise us? After all, we have faith in our own children even though we know they are flawed and imperfect. God knows us inside and out, but He still has faith in us. 

Verse 15: It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 

• “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance…” Some Bible scholars believe that Paul here is referring to an Early Church creed (i.e., statement of faith) that was well known to him, to Timothy, and to early Christians in general. However, it may not be that at all. The word here translated as “statement” is simply the Greek word, logos, which means word or message. This message is not merely a saying but is based on the words of Christ Himself and is equivalent to the truth of the Gospel. Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Paul is once again just referring to the message of the Gospel, which he now summarizes beautifully.
• “…that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This is the Gospel in a nutshell. “World” is the Greek world, cosmos, referring to the world of men, of human organization. Jesus stepped into humanity to rescue and save sinners. He came to die for the sins of humanity. He did not come to be a great teacher, although He was certainly the best teacher ever. And He did not come just to provide a moral example, although His life has been an inspiration to millions. He came into the world to save sinners.
• “…among whom I am foremost of all.” The KJV says, “…of whom I am chief.” There it is! Paul says that he is without a doubt, “The World’s Worst Sinner,” at least the way he adds up the points. When you share your testimony make sure that you do not try and tell people about how wonderful you are or about how much you have accomplished. Rather, tell them that you were a sinner, deserving of judgment, and that Christ saved you!

Verse 16: Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.   

• Some have understood the first phrase of this verse to be aimed back at Paul’s statement in verse 13 about being shown mercy because he had acted in ignorance. However, I do not agree. I believe that he is giving us a second reason why God showed him mercy—namely so that once he got saved, God could use him as an example for others to follow.
• Truthfully, I do not know that Paul really thought he was the most sinful man in the world. Probably not. I think he was trying to make a point and he used hyperbole to do it. After all the things he did in the beginning to stifle Christians and to hold back the work of the Church I think he never got over the fact that God would still show him such kindness and mercy. Notice that two times in our text Paul makes almost the same exact statement: (1) in verse 13 he says, “…yet I was shown mercy,” then (2) here in verse 16 he says again, “…I found mercy.” He just could not get over it. And I think that mercy from God was one of the things that motivated him to give his best for Christ. Also, he knew that if God could save him, as big of a reprobate as he was, then God could save anybody, no matter what they had been or done.
• “…that in me…Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe.” In other words, Paul is saying that God saved him so that He could use him in the future as an object lesson. Paul said that he was not only a preacher of the Gospel, but also an example of it. His life was proof that the Gospel saves sinners.
• “…of those who would believe.” Over 185 times in the NT the sole condition given for salvation is belief/faith/trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. Now all those who place their faith in Jesus for salvation will be saved from the wrath to come. And to add any other condition to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is to turn the doctrine of salvation into a works project, which the Scripture condemns (cf. Rom. 11:6; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10; etc.).

Verse 17: Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen   

• After thinking about all these things that God has done for him, Paul just cannot hold it in any longer. Suddenly he bursts out with a song of praise, a doxology of adoration and thankfulness to God!
• Who is this “King Eternal”? It is God, of course.
• And what about “Immortal”? The Greek word here means incorruptible. God is not a man with a corruptible soul and spirit and a dying body. God is sinless and holy in every way.
• How about “Invisible”? We know that God is a Spirit and does not inhabit a physical body. That is what makes the story of the Incarnation so amazing. John 1:14 tells us that this All-Powerful, Omni-Present, All-Knowing, Invisible God in the 2^nd Person of the Godhead humbled Himself, took on human form and lived among us for 33 years so that He could die on the cross to save sinners like you and me. “God became flesh and dwelt among us.” The Invisible One became Visible, Immanuel, God with us. It is mind-blowing that He would love us that much!

CONCLUSION:

I want you to take just a moment to scan back over these verses 12-17 and look for six key words. I want you to underline or jot down all the words that describe exactly how Jesus Christ dealt with Paul.

·       Verse 13 – “…I was shown MERCY.”

·       Verse 14 – “…and the GRACE of our Lord was more than abundant.”

·       Verse 14 – “…with the FAITH and LOVE which are found in Christ.”

·       Verse 16 – “…I found MERCY.”

·       Verse 16 – “Jesus Christ demonstrated His PERFECT PATIENCE.” 

In his sin, Paul found in Christ mercy, grace, faith, love, and patience. Those same things are available to every one of us today. Hallelujah, what a Savior!