Young People's Group

Appreciating the Lord’s Abundant Mercy and Grace in Salvation and Life

by Mitchell Tan
July 01, 2016

REMEMBERING ONE’S SINFUL PAST

The apostle Paul never forgot the kind of person he was with regards to his sinful past. In 1 Timothy 1, he remembered and wrote about how grave his sins were before he came to faith in Christ.

“Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man …”
1 Timothy 1:13

Paul blasphemed much against the Lord and His name before he was saved. He also forced the Christians to blaspheme against God (Acts 26:11). He also became a great persecutor of Christians. He hunted them down and made havoc of the church (Acts 8:3). He entered every house, dragged both men and women and placed them into prison. He showed no mercy to the Christians. He was an insolent and injurious man. He was greatly enraged against the Christians (Acts 26:11) and persecuted them to foreign cities. He was truly a sinful person.

OBTAINING THE GREAT MERCY OF THE LORD

“… But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
1 Timothy 1:13

What Paul said and did against the Lord Jesus and Christians would have brought about great judgment upon himself. The Lord could have destroyed him. But instead, the
Lord’s great mercy was upon him. He obtained mercy from the Lord for the following reasons:

1. LIVING HIS PAST LIFE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Paul did not know better. He committed great sins against the Lord Jesus because there was spiritual blindness and a void of understanding concerning who He is.

2. LIVING HIS PAST LIFE WITHOUT FAITH

Although he was a Pharisee, he did not exercise faith in the Lord. There was rank unbelief. He was living in the sphere of unbelief. As such, the Lord was most merciful to him.

DEEPLY APPRECIATING THE GRACE OF THE LORD

“And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”
1 Timothy 1:14

1. THE EXTENT OF THE LORD’S GRACE

The Lord’s grace towards Paul was exceedingly abundant. The Lord Jesus had no reason to put him into the ministry, to count him faithful, and yet He did. This was the super-abounding grace of God specially given to Paul even though he did not deserve it.

2. THE EXPRESSIONS OF THE LORD’S GRACE – IN CHRIST JESUS

The Lord Jesus had faith in the apostle Paul. He had a deep love for him. It was in the Lord Jesus Christ that he was given this second chance at life. Young people, let’s also learn to appreciate the grace that the Lord has extended to us in salvation and life. Let’s have a heart of gratitude to Him.

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