Grace Abounding
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
In a letter to his
spiritual son, Timothy, Paul wrote, some 1900 years ago, about his conversion:
“[I] was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT…” (I Timothy 1:13,14).
And he follows this with the now-famous declaration:
“[I] was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT…” (I Timothy 1:13,14).
And he follows this with the now-famous declaration:
“THIS IS A
FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE
WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF” (Ver 15).
Upon reading this
statement by Paul, those who know their Bibles will immediately recall the
words of Romans 5:20,21:
“…the law
entered, that the offence might abound, BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH
MORE ABOUND; THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED… SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN…”
These two passages
from the pen of Paul have a closer connection than may appear on the surface.
The Apostle Paul, once Saul of Tarsus, had led his nation and the world in
rebellion against Christ. “As for Saul,” we read in Acts 8:3, “he made havoc of
the church,” and he himself testified to the Galatians: “Ye have heard… how
that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste” (Galatians
1:13).
Yet God, in
infinite mercy, had saved Saul, not only for Saul’s own sake, but to make him
the living demonstration of His grace. Thus in writing to Timothy, the Apostle
goes on to explain:
“Howbeit, FOR
THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, THAT IN ME FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL
LONGSUFFER1NG, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO
LIFE EVERLASTING” (I Timothy 1:16).
Let us, then, take
our places with Saul, the sinner, and find salvation by grace through Christ,
the Savior.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be Saved.
i Kow Whom I Have Believed - A Song you will LOVE
Les Feldick Daily
Les Feldick Ministries
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