Immense Patience
1 Timothy 1:12–17 (NIV)
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
A Letter to a Young Leader
This is a letter from an older man to a younger one. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to look after the church there. It was not an easy job. Some people in the church had started teaching strange ideas, arguing about myths and long family trees, and confusing everyone.
So the first part of chapter 1 is Paul telling Timothy to deal with that. Stop the false teaching. Keep the goal in view, which is “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Then, right in the middle of these instructions, Paul does something unexpected. He stops talking about the false teachers and starts talking about himself. Not about his successes. About who he used to be.
It is as if Paul is saying to Timothy: before you go and correct anyone, remember where I came from. Remember where the gospel found me.
He Starts With Thanks
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength.”
Paul’s first word here is thanks. And look at what he thanks Jesus for. Jesus gave him strength. Jesus “considered me trustworthy.” Jesus appointed him “to his service.”
Every one of those is something Jesus did. Paul does not say, I proved myself and so I was chosen. He says Jesus gave him the strength, and then trusted him with work to do.
That is a humble way to describe a ministry. Paul had planted churches across the Roman world. He had written letters that we still read today. But when he describes his calling, it is all gift. He is simply grateful he was trusted at all.
Who He Used to Be
“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.”
Paul does not soften this. He uses three hard words about himself.
A blasphemer. He spoke against Jesus. A persecutor. He hunted down Christians. A violent man. In Acts we see him standing by, approving, as Stephen was stoned to death. Later he went house to house, dragging men and women off to prison.
This was not a man who had a few bad habits. He had attacked the very church he was now leading. Some of the believers in those early churches would have lost friends or family because of him.
So when Paul talks about grace, he is not talking about a small thing. He knows exactly how much he was forgiven.
Shown Mercy
“I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.”
This line needs care. Paul is not saying, I didn’t know any better, so it didn’t count. He has just called himself a blasphemer and a violent man. He is not making excuses.
What he is saying is that he was blind. He truly thought he was serving God when he was fighting against him. And God met that blindness with mercy, not with the punishment it deserved.
“The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.”
I like the picture in that word “poured.” Grace was not handed to Paul in a small, careful measure. It was poured out, more than enough. And it did not come alone. It came “along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” The man who had been full of violence was now given faith and love instead.
Of Whom I Am the Worst
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
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This is one of the simplest summaries of the gospel in the whole Bible. Why did Jesus come? To save sinners. Not to help good people become a bit better. To save sinners.
Then Paul adds four words.
“Of whom I am the worst.”
Notice the tense. Paul does not say “I was the worst.” He says “I am.” He is writing this many years after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He has been an apostle for a long time. And he still sees himself as the worst of sinners.
That is not low self-esteem. Paul is not putting himself down to look humble. It is just that the longer he walked with Jesus, the clearer he saw how far he had been from God, and how great the rescue was. People who are close to God do not usually feel more impressive. They usually feel more forgiven.
An Example of Patience
“But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience.”
Here Paul explains why God saved someone like him. It was not only for Paul’s sake. It was to make Paul an example.
“As an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”
Think about what that means. If Jesus could save Paul, the man who arrested Christians and approved of killing them, then he can save anyone. Paul’s life is a kind of display case. Look, he says. Look at what Jesus was willing to put up with in me. Look how patient he was.
The word Paul uses is “immense.” Not just patience. Immense patience. Jesus did not give up on Paul when he was at his worst. He waited, and then he stepped in.
That is good news for anyone who thinks they have gone too far. Paul is saying, I went further than you, and he still came for me.
The King Eternal
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Paul cannot finish this story without breaking into praise. He has been talking about his own past, and suddenly he lifts his eyes up.
The King eternal. Immortal. Invisible. The only God.
It is as if remembering his own rescue makes Paul see how big God is. The more he thinks about what God did for him, the more he wants to give God the glory. That is where every honest look at grace should end. Not with us feeling good about ourselves, but with us worshipping him.
Walk On
Most of us do not have a past like Paul’s. We have not arrested anyone for their faith. But many of us carry something we are quietly ashamed of. Something we think disqualifies us. A season we wish we could erase. Words we cannot take back.
Paul’s story says that is not the end. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Not the tidy ones. Sinners. And his patience with us is not thin or grudging. It is immense.
There is also a second lesson here, for those of us who serve or lead in any way. Paul reminded Timothy of his past right before Timothy had to correct others. When we remember how much we were forgiven, we deal with other people more gently. We remember we are not standing above anyone.
So two questions to carry today.
Is there something in your past you still think is too much for God’s patience?
And when you look at someone else who is struggling, do you remember how patient he has been with you?
All glory to God — forever and ever. Amen. 🤍
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