Sinner Saved By Grace, Pt. 2

December 30th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

1 Timothy 1:15-17 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. 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. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

“It is a trustworthy statement” is used five times by Paul (cf. 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8). Here it summarizes the gospel. First, “Christ” (Heb. Messiah) is the title that precedes who “Jesus” of Nazareth is, namely the anointed King who “came into the world to save sinners.” That He “came into the world” points to preexistence, for He did not come into existence; He came into the world. So Jesus existed in eternity before coming into His created world (cf. John 1:3, 9; 3:19; 6:14; 11:27; 12:46; 16:28; 18:37). The “world” is a reference to mankind—lost humanity, blinded by the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), condemned before a holy God (cf. 1 John 5:19). Into this dark world of sinners God came in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

It was “to save sinners” that the Son of God came into the world: “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him” (John 3:17; cf. 12:46-47). Even His name, Jesus, points to this: “She will bear you a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus Himself said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The common term here is “save,” which means to “deliver.” In Christ’s case, the deliverance He grants is from death and darkness, from sin, and the eternal judgment of hell. Though the Jews used the term “sinners” to refer to Gentiles (cf. Gal. 2:15), Jesus used it to refer to all of fallen mankind (cf. Matt. 9:13), including Jews. “Sinners” as a title for people denotes mankind’s rebellious nature which causes him to perpetually fall short of God’s glory (cf. Rom. 3:23; 6:23).

Paul speaks of himself elsewhere as the least of all (cf. 1 Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8), but did he actually believe he was the “foremost” (i.e., “chief”) of all sinners, the worst of the worst? Not likely. He was just keenly aware of his former state, unable to conceive of anyone worse. This is simply the language of one who is so disturbed by his past life of sin that he felt no one could compete with how low God sank in His grace to save one like him. Note also that Paul did not say, “I was the chief of sinners,” but “I am the chief of sinners” (cf. Luke 18:9ff.).

“For this reason” God saved Paul, namely for His own glory. God was able to “demonstrate His perfect patience” by saving a wretched, blasphemous man. Thus Paul became proof that God can and will save anyone, “an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

What followed Paul’s testimony was praise to the God who saved him. Salvation is what prompts the believer’s worship (v. 17). Believers praise God as “King” for being “eternal.” God did not become King but reigns eternally as the only Sovereign in every age and beyond. God is also “immortal.” Unlike mortals, God is not subject to decay or destruction but is indestructible and infinite. Even God’s being “invisible” is praiseworthy, for He “lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see” (6:16). The examples in Scripture where men actually see God are mere glimpses of His glory, for no man can see God and yet live (Exod. 33:20).

Food For Thought
Since God is infinite, there can only be one of Him. If there were two, in order to distinguish one from the other they would have to differ in some way. If they differed, one would lack something that the other one has. But God, by definition, can lack nothing, being omnipotent and infinite. Therefore, logically, there can be only one God, one infinite, immortal Being.