1Ti 1:12-14 | KingComments | STEP | . The section of shows the contrast between what is entrusted to Paul and the law. Paul had already said in what was entrusted to him and it impresses him again. Therefore he turns to the Source, the Origin of his service and thanks “Christ Jesus our Lord” for the service that He had entrusted to him. He doesn’t thank Him for the redemption here, but for what the Lord wants to do with him on that basis. Do you also do that? For that service you are – as Paul is – not dependent on your own strength. If you try that you will surely fail in your service. But the Lord gives strength. Paul is aware of that and it is important that you too are aware of it. On the one hand you should not work in your own strength. On the other hand there is one thing that indeed has to be present in you to do your service rightly, and that is “faithfulness”. Because the Lord knew that Paul would be faithful He entrusted him with that service. In his life before his conversion Paul had already shown a high degree of faithfulness and zeal. His deeds were condemnable, but his faithfulness and zeal were exemplary. His conversion has caused that those qualities could be used by the Lord in the service for Him. With what he formerly served to his own honor he now glorifies his Lord. Paul was not put “into service” by people, but by the Lord ( ; ). Human institution is an illegitimate intervention in the rights that the Lord exclusively reserved for Himself. Therefore you should not wait for an official confirmation by people before you start to do something for the Lord. Older and more mature believers can indeed encourage and advise you in your service. It would be a proof of willfulness if you do not care about that. Nevertheless, the Lord remains your commanding Officer. He has employed you and you owe responsibility to Him for what you do and for the way you do it. . When Paul remembers his past he becomes more grateful that the Lord wants to use him in His service. According to human standards he is the most inappropriate person for a ministry as the one of , but according to God’s standards there is no one suitable for that ministry except him (cf. ). He remembers well that he “formerly was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (cf. ). Do you remember who you were before your conversion? Or if you haven’t experienced such a radical conversion, have you discovered how much sinfulness is hidden in your heart? If you think about your past or about the malice of the thoughts that you can have, doesn’t the grace of God amaze you from time to time? Doesn’t it impress you deeply that He saved you and now wants to use you? Without pride or loftiness Paul mentions that he was formerly ‘a blasphemer’, which means that he spoke out curses. His deeds were in line with that. He was ‘a persecutor’ of the saints, he chased them and hunted for them. His whole attitude was that of a brutal and criminal man, ‘an insolent man’. He rampaged as a lunatic. From several quotes of Luke or of himself regarding that in Acts you can understand that nothing would give him more pleasure than exterminating all Christians (e.g. ). Then, introduced by the word “yet”, the big contrast appears between what he deserved and what he received. Paul acknowledges the mercy that was shown to him, while he rampaged like a mad man against the Lord Jesus. To him “was shown mercy”. He was not familiar to this word formerly. Without any mercy he persecuted the Christians. At that time he was a minister of the law and the law knows no mercy ( ). Now he had obtained it he wishes others to obtain it also ( ; ; ). God could show mercy to Paul, because he didn’t know what he was doing when he persecuted the church (cf. ; ). He did it “ignorantly”. That doesn’t mean that he was not guilty. He surely was. He had sinned, but in ignorance. He had not willfully resisted God’s will. He had sinned ‘unintentionally’ and not ‘defiantly’ ( ; ). What he did, he did with a good conscience ( ; ). He thought to serve God by that, he thought that he had to do ‘many things’ contrary to the Name of the Lord Jesus ( ; ). His opinion was formed according to the religion of his fathers. Through them he had learnt to know the true God. Therefore the only conclusion could be that the Christian faith and the Old Testament faith in the Lord (Yahweh) were opposites. By killing Christians he thought to defend the honor of God. He showed zeal, but without knowledge ( ; ). His thoughts made him blind for God’s revelation in Christ and it made him the chief of sinners. Isn’t it perplexing that a man who was taught in the Scriptures in such a way and who had received the best education – at the feet of Gamaliel ( ) – has to say that he did something ‘ignorantly’? Here you have a proof that the best theological education is no guarantee to understand the sound doctrine (cf. ). On the contrary, it may lead to a practice that is fully opposite the Word of God. He was acting “in unbelief”. In his former deeds there was no trust in God. It were all performances of the sinful flesh, the own ‘I’. Just like God’s stewardship moves within the realm of faith (‘in faith’, ), just like that the former life of Paul happened in the realm of unbelief. “And whatever is not from faith is sin” ( ). . Deeply impressed by the mercy he obtained Paul then speaks about a “grace” that “was more than abundant” (cf. ). He does that because that grace was given to him as the foremost of all sinners. By showing grace to him, it exceeded beyond each limitation a man could think of. His conversion is the proof that the grace of the Lord is greater than the greatest sin. He is the prime example to prove that the patience of God is bigger than the perseverance of His most embittered enemy. And it is “our Lord” Who gave that grace to him. He doesn’t say ‘my’ Lord, but “our Lord”. In that way he puts Timothy, to whom he addresses himself in this letter, in the same relationship with the Lord that he has and in the same grace that has become his portion. Grace is always opposed to wages ( ). Grace means fully undeserved merit. A right consciousness of grace granted will make us dedicated servants. Together with the grace the Lord gave to him he also gave “faith and love”. That ‘faith’ and that ‘love’ become visible in his life. He lives in full confidence of faith in the Lord and serves Him with all the love from his heart. “In Christ Jesus” his life finds its object and goal. Ever since Christ Jesus has shown Paul His more than abundant grace, He is the whole atmosphere of his life. Everything that expresses his faith and his love happens from the fellowship with Him. Now read 1 Timothy 1:12-14 again. Reflection: Consider what you were formerly and what you have become through the grace of God. In what way is the difference seen in your case?

‏ 1 Timothy 1:12-14

The Past and Now

1Tim 1:12. The section of 1Tim 1:12-17 shows the contrast between what is entrusted to Paul and the law. Paul had already said in 1Tim 1:11 what was entrusted to him and it impresses him again. Therefore he turns to the Source, the Origin of his service and thanks “Christ Jesus our Lord” for the service that He had entrusted to him. He doesn’t thank Him for the redemption here, but for what the Lord wants to do with him on that basis. Do you also do that?

For that service you are – as Paul is – not dependent on your own strength. If you try that you will surely fail in your service. But the Lord gives strength. Paul is aware of that and it is important that you too are aware of it. On the one hand you should not work in your own strength. On the other hand there is one thing that indeed has to be present in you to do your service rightly, and that is “faithfulness”.

Because the Lord knew that Paul would be faithful He entrusted him with that service. In his life before his conversion Paul had already shown a high degree of faithfulness and zeal. His deeds were condemnable, but his faithfulness and zeal were exemplary. His conversion has caused that those qualities could be used by the Lord in the service for Him. With what he formerly served to his own honor he now glorifies his Lord.

Paul was not put “into service” by people, but by the Lord (Acts 20:24; Gal 1:15-16). Human institution is an illegitimate intervention in the rights that the Lord exclusively reserved for Himself.

Therefore you should not wait for an official confirmation by people before you start to do something for the Lord. Older and more mature believers can indeed encourage and advise you in your service. It would be a proof of willfulness if you do not care about that. Nevertheless, the Lord remains your commanding Officer. He has employed you and you owe responsibility to Him for what you do and for the way you do it.

1Tim 1:13. When Paul remembers his past he becomes more grateful that the Lord wants to use him in His service. According to human standards he is the most inappropriate person for a ministry as the one of 1Tim 1:11, but according to God’s standards there is no one suitable for that ministry except him (cf. 1Tim 1:16). He remembers well that he “formerly was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (cf. Gal 1:13).

Do you remember who you were before your conversion? Or if you haven’t experienced such a radical conversion, have you discovered how much sinfulness is hidden in your heart? If you think about your past or about the malice of the thoughts that you can have, doesn’t the grace of God amaze you from time to time? Doesn’t it impress you deeply that He saved you and now wants to use you?

Without pride or loftiness Paul mentions that he was formerly ‘a blasphemer’, which means that he spoke out curses. His deeds were in line with that. He was ‘a persecutor’ of the saints, he chased them and hunted for them. His whole attitude was that of a brutal and criminal man, ‘an insolent man’. He rampaged as a lunatic. From several quotes of Luke or of himself regarding that in Acts you can understand that nothing would give him more pleasure than exterminating all Christians (e.g. Acts 7:58 ; Acts 8:3 ; Acts 9:1 ; 13-14 ; 21 ; Acts 22:20 ; Acts 26:9-11).

Then, introduced by the word “yet”, the big contrast appears between what he deserved and what he received. Paul acknowledges the mercy that was shown to him, while he rampaged like a mad man against the Lord Jesus. To him “was shown mercy”. He was not familiar to this word formerly. Without any mercy he persecuted the Christians. At that time he was a minister of the law and the law knows no mercy (Heb 10:28). Now he had obtained it he wishes others to obtain it also (1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2 ; 16 ; 18; Tit 1:4).

God could show mercy to Paul, because he didn’t know what he was doing when he persecuted the church (cf. Lk 23:34; Acts 3:17). He did it “ignorantly”. That doesn’t mean that he was not guilty. He surely was. He had sinned, but in ignorance. He had not willfully resisted God’s will. He had sinned ‘unintentionally’ and not ‘defiantly’ (Lev 22:14; Num 15:22-31). What he did, he did with a good conscience (Acts 23:1; 2Tim 1:3).

He thought to serve God by that, he thought that he had to do ‘many things’ contrary to the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 26:9; Jn 16:2). His opinion was formed according to the religion of his fathers. Through them he had learnt to know the true God. Therefore the only conclusion could be that the Christian faith and the Old Testament faith in the Lord (Yahweh) were opposites. By killing Christians he thought to defend the honor of God. He showed zeal, but without knowledge (Rom 10:2; Acts 22:3). His thoughts made him blind for God’s revelation in Christ and it made him the chief of sinners.

Isn’t it perplexing that a man who was taught in the Scriptures in such a way and who had received the best education – at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) – has to say that he did something ‘ignorantly’? Here you have a proof that the best theological education is no guarantee to understand the sound doctrine (cf. 1Cor 2:14). On the contrary, it may lead to a practice that is fully opposite the Word of God.

He was acting “in unbelief”. In his former deeds there was no trust in God. It were all performances of the sinful flesh, the own ‘I’. Just like God’s stewardship moves within the realm of faith (‘in faith’, 1Tim 1:4), just like that the former life of Paul happened in the realm of unbelief. “And whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23).

1Tim 1:14. Deeply impressed by the mercy he obtained Paul then speaks about a “grace” that “was more than abundant” (cf. Rom 5:20). He does that because that grace was given to him as the foremost of all sinners. By showing grace to him, it exceeded beyond each limitation a man could think of. His conversion is the proof that the grace of the Lord is greater than the greatest sin. He is the prime example to prove that the patience of God is bigger than the perseverance of His most embittered enemy.

And it is “our Lord” Who gave that grace to him. He doesn’t say ‘my’ Lord, but “our Lord”. In that way he puts Timothy, to whom he addresses himself in this letter, in the same relationship with the Lord that he has and in the same grace that has become his portion. Grace is always opposed to wages (Rom 4:4). Grace means fully undeserved merit. A right consciousness of grace granted will make us dedicated servants.

Together with the grace the Lord gave to him he also gave “faith and love”. That ‘faith’ and that ‘love’ become visible in his life. He lives in full confidence of faith in the Lord and serves Him with all the love from his heart. “In Christ Jesus” his life finds its object and goal. Ever since Christ Jesus has shown Paul His more than abundant grace, He is the whole atmosphere of his life. Everything that expresses his faith and his love happens from the fellowship with Him.

Now read 1 Timothy 1:12-14 again.

Reflection: Consider what you were formerly and what you have become through the grace of God. In what way is the difference seen in your case?