I Am a Sinner Whose Probably Gonna Sin Again

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a vehement aggressor. All the same I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord was more than than abundant, with the religion and beloved which are plant in Christ Jesus. ^xvInformation technology is a trustworthy statement, deserving total acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to salvage sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. ¹⁶Withal for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience equally an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the merely God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (ane Timothy one.12-17)

Introduction

The passage higher up has been greatly misunderstood. Virtually teach the point of the passage is Paul's admission that he was the "chief of sinners," that is, the greatest sinner who ever lived. In the translation above (NASB), the translators have added "of all" to ensure this point (poesy 15). Even more egregious is the Cyberspace Bible translation, which adds, "and I am the worst of them!" Such "helps" add together to the confusion.

Paul was a bully sinner. He knew information technology. He never got over the fact that he persecuted those who had believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah (i Corinthians 15.9). How many times must he take asked himself, "How could I, a Pharisee, schooled in the Police force and prophets, accept been so bullheaded equally not to recognize the Messiah?" "How could I, a beneficiary of the best education, taught by the most vivid rabbi, have missed the One to Whom all the prophets pointed?" All that was true. But Paul's sinfulness was non the main point of this passage.

The Word "πρῶτος"

The word in verses 15 and xvi translated "foremost" is πρῶτος. Its primary significant is "first in fourth dimension, place, in any succession of things or of persons." It is plant 156 times in the New Testament with Paul using the term 29 times: Romans 1.8, 16, 2.ix-ten, 3.2, 10.xix, 15.24; 1 Corinthians xi.18, 12.28, fourteen.30, 15.3, 15.45-47; 2 Corinthians 8.5; Ephesians 6.2; Philippians i.v; i Thessalonians 4.xvi; 2 Thessalonians ii.iii; 1 Timothy 1.15-16, two.1, 2.13, 3.ten, 5.4, 5.12; ii Timothy ane.v, ii.half dozen, four.16. If one examines Paul's utilise of πρῶτος one will observe that in each case he used the term in its master pregnant, i.east., "first in time, identify, etc."¹ This is weighty testify to support our case.

Almost all translators accept translated πρῶτος as "foremost" (NASB) or "master" (KJV) or "worst" (NIV). Exegetically, such a sense is unlikely since Paul always used the give-and-take πρῶτος in its primary meaning. Second, do translators actually expect the states to believe Paul thought he was the "worst" sinner who ever lived? Did Paul believe he was worse than Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero? Did he think he was worse than Haman who tried to kill all the Jews? What almost Ahab, Jezebel, the wicked kings of Israel, not the mention the evil kings who ruled Gentile nations? Such a conclusion should be highly suspicious to one who reads history, works with the Greek text, considers the context of a passage, or thinks critically. Paul equally "worst of sinners" certainly does not agree with what he wrote elsewhere (cf. Philippians 3.four-6) and what he wrote a couple of verses earlier (1 Timothy one.12-13).

Taken straightforwardly, verse 15 reads, "that Christ Jesus came into the globe to relieve sinners, amongst whom I am first." As noted above, almost all translations have translated πρῶτος equally "foremost" past which they hateful "worst."² The reason translators have fabricated this translation is non because of grammatical or exegetical support, for, as nosotros take seen, it is extremely weak. The reason translators have rendered the poesy as they accept is they have no idea what Paul meant by his proclamation that he was the "first of sinners." Since Paul referred to his sinfulness in poetry 13, they seize the commencement role of the verse (without examining the full passage) and use it as a springboard to support the thought that Paul idea he was the "foremost," i.due east., "worst" of sinners. If 1 examines the poetry in context, this translation becomes even more doubtable and exegetically effete.

i Timothy 1.16

What did Paul mean by "starting time of sinners" if he did not hateful "worst," "foremost," or "main" of sinners? To shed light on this, permit us examine the context of Paul's thought by looking at the next verse. In verse sixteen, Paul declared,

"Notwithstanding for this reason I found mercy, and 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."

The Greek text reads:

ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὴν ἅπασαν μακροθυμίαν, πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ' αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

A more accurate rendering is the following:

"Only on account of this I received mercy, in social club that by me first, Jesus Christ might demonstrate all patience, as a pattern to those who would thereafter believe upon Him for eternal life."

Permit us examine the poetry to sympathize its pregnant:

Verse 16a: But on account of this I received mercy, in order that past me starting time (πρῶτος)

Why did Paul receive God'southward mercy? Paul argued that despite his sinfulness, God showed him mercy because he acted ignorantly in unbelief (1 Timothy ane.13). Elsewhere, Paul alleged God's grace was greater than sin (Romans v.xx). God's faithfulness and beloved trumped Paul's sinfulness. In poetry sixteen, Paul again (as in verse fifteen) used the word πρῶτος. What did Paul hateful past claiming to be the get-go? This is a key question with which we volition bargain shortly.

Poetry 16b: Jesus Christ might evidence all patience as a pattern (ὑποτύπωσις) to the ones about to believe upon Him for eternal life.

Paul recognized and emphasized God'due south forbearance, patience, and grace towards him. This is peculiarly important in light of the fact that the ascended Lord commissioned him to be the apostle of grace who proclaimed the "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20.24). The word "grace" (χάρις) is used by Paul far more than anyone or anywhere in the Bible.

The words πρῶτος and ὑποτύπωσις are inseparable to understanding Paul'due south meaning. Paul declared he was "first" as a "pattern" (ὑποτύπωσις) for those who would believe on Christ for eternal life. Elsewhere, Paul emphasized he was a "pattern" past his commands for believers to imitate or re-create him. No i else did this. Peter didn't. James didn't. John didn't. Jude didn't. It is highly pregnant Paul did. Paul used the nouns μιμητής, συμμιμητής and the verb μιμέομαι to this purpose (ane Corinthians four.16, 11.1; Galatians 4.12; Philippians 3.17; 1 Thessalonians i.6; two Thessalonians three.7, 9). In Philippians 3.17 and 2 Thessalonians 3.9 we accept the "μιμ*" words coupled with τύπος, which means an "case" or a "pattern." A pattern is a design for something new, i.due east., a prototype. What did Paul mean? The answer to that question requires that we sympathize God's revealed plan prior to Paul.

God's Revealed Programme

The plan God revealed to Abraham began with his phone call (about 2,000 B.C.). God promised Abraham that He would establish a special human relationship with him and that from him He would create a new race of people (Jews). Through this people, God would give covenants and promises. The covenants revealed God would establish His kingdom on globe (cf. Isaiah 2, Isaiah 11) in which the Messiah would reign (Zechariah 14.9). In this kingdom, State of israel would be supreme amongst the nations (Deuteronomy 28.1, thirteen). As for Gentiles, they would be blessed through State of israel (Isaiah 49.5-7; threescore.1-3; Zechariah eight.20-23). These blessings had a condition. God'south blessings to Gentiles required Israel to become a nation of priests (Exodus 19.four-vi). To achieve this, the nation had to accept their Messiah. When State of israel'south Messiah arrived and presented Himself as King, instead of recognizing Him, the Jews instigated His crucifixion. In Acts, we read that while thousands of Jews believed Jesus was their Messiah, the overwhelming bulk rejected Him–specially the nation'south rulers. This rejection reached a climax with Stephen's stoning (Acts seven). Saul of Tarsus was an bystander of his execution; he held the clothes of the those who hurled the stones (Acts 7.58-60).

Since Israel rejected their Messiah, how could God'southward promise to bless Gentiles come to laissez passer? The short answer is: it couldn't. God had revealed no plan to effect this. Gentile approving depended wholly upon Jewish acceptance of their Messiah. This was an essential fact from God's establishment of the Abrahamic Covenant. All Gentile blessing from that time forrard had to come up through State of israel.

God'southward revelation in the Old Testament through the covenants and His prophets consisted of the revelation of a Messiah, rejection of the Messiah, God's judgment, and the establishment of His kingdom. God summarized these events in Psalm ii. God's judgment was known every bit the Day of the Lord (Zephaniah one.14-18) and Peter expected to occur soon (Acts 2.14-21 cf. Joel 2.28-32).

Simply God did an amazing thing. He halted His revealed, prophetic programme. In mercy, He delayed His judgment–the Solar day of the Lord. Instead, He did something entirely unforeseen and unprophesied. God initiated and revealed a new plan–a programme of grace. Saul of Tarsus became God's primal to this new program.

Paul the Starting time

Saul of Tarsus had zip to commend himself to God. He was a religious fanatic. To arrest, persecute, torture, and kill Jews who believed Jesus was the promised Messiah consumed him. From a perspective of divine justice, he deserved death. But God did not kill him; He saved him. And in saving him God commissioned him to be "the apostle to the Gentiles" (Romans xi.13) to preach the "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts twenty.24; ane Corinthians 15.1-4) in which one is saved by faith alone apart from the Constabulary of Moses. In improver to revealing this gospel by religion alone, God revealed several other doctrines to Paul He had kept hidden. Paul called these doctrines "secrets" (μυστήριον).

Paul's salvation and the revelations he received from the risen Lord were what Paul had reference to when he spoke of himself equally πρῶτος "get-go." Paul was the "first of sinners" in the sense that God saved him to inaugurate a whole new plan. As the "first," Paul was God's image. To Paul, God revealed the "gospel of the grace of God" in which one is saved by religion alone–only by believing that Christ died for one's sins and rose from the expressionless (one Corinthians 15.one-4). This gospel was entirely different from the "gospel of the kingdom" inaugurated past John the Baptist and Jesus (cf. Matthew 3.1-two, 4.17, ix.35). Consider the post-obit: how was Peter saved? Was it past believing Christ died for his sins and rose from the dead? No, Peter was saved by believing Jesus was the promised Messiah (Matthew sixteen.16-17). Peter knew nothing of Jesus' death and resurrection (Luke 18.31-34; John 20.8-9) with respect to its salvific significance. Martha was saved the same way, believing Jesus was the promised Messiah (John 11.25-27). How is one saved today? Is it by assertive Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God? No, one is saved today past believing Paul'south gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-four).^three

The gospel Peter proclaimed for salvation on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2.38) was not Paul's gospel. Peter did not tell Jews on the day of Pentecost to believe Christ died for their sins and rose from the dead to be saved. Peter had no knowledge of this gospel until much afterwards–until Paul revealed information technology. The gospel Peter proclaimed at Pentecost was the gospel of the kingdom which required repentance and baptism. A vast divergence exists between this gospel and Paul's gospel.

To empathise better the change God initiated with Paul, consider Peter'due south experience with the Roman centurion. God allowable Peter to go to Cornelius' house. Peter went only went reluctantly. He shuffled his feet the entire style. Why? Cornelius was a Gentile. Prophetically, Gentile blessing was to come up after Israel accepted her Messiah. Despite his unhappiness, Peter obeyed God. Notice how Cornelius was saved (Acts 10.34-48). How different was his salvation than what happened at Pentecost! At Pentecost, the order of salvation was: 1) Repentance two) Baptism 3) Receipt of the Holy Spirit. With Cornelius it was ane) Belief (unsaid) 2) Receipt of the Holy Spirit iii) Baptism. Why the departure? Acts 10 comes subsequently Acts ix. Cornelius was saved afterward God saved Paul. Cornelius, by the preaching of Peter, was saved in an entirely different way than what Peter had proclaimed at Pentecost. Peter had just begun to warm up in his bulletin to Cornelius when suddenly, Cornelius was saved. Peter did not utter a unmarried give-and-take virtually repentance or baptism. Cornelius just believed and received the Holy Spirit. Peter and the Jews with him were stunned (ἐξίστημι). It wasn't supposed to happen that mode! Why had it? Because Paul was "first." Paul's salvation and commission opened up a whole new plan of conservancy. Did Peter understand this? Not at all. It would have many years for Peter to understand the significance of this result (Acts 15.11). Even at the cease of his life, Peter did not empathise some of what Paul taught (2 Peter 3.14-16).

Afterward Cornelius' salvation, Peter went his way and continued to preach the gospel of the kingdom. In the concurrently, God gave Paul the revelations to lay the foundation for an entirely new programme in which sinners were saved by faith solitary apart from the Police force of Moses. The ascended Lord revealed to Paul the Church, the body of Christ, in which Jews and Gentiles were equal "in Christ."⁴But why had God commanded Peter to go to the Gentile Cornelius' house if Peter did not empathize what had happened? God always has a plan. He would utilize Peter's experience many years in the future to help Paul at the Council of Jerusalem. But that is another story⁵.

Paul: Founder of the Church, the Body of Christ

Paul wrote the believers in Corinth:

^xAccording to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise main architect I laid the foundation, and some other is building on it. Just each man must be careful how he builds on it.^xiFor no human tin can lay a foundation other than the 1 which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (one Corinthians three.ten-11).

The in a higher place passage is a parallel passage to what Paul had written to Timothy.

Parallel Accounts: Paul "Offset" (πρῶτος) and "Architect" (ἀρχιτέκτων)

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might bear witness forth all longsuffering, for a blueprint to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting (one Timothy one.sixteen DARBY).

According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it. But let each meet how he builds upon information technology. (1 Corinthians three.10 DARBY).

In verse 9, Paul wrote, "For we are laborers together with God: yous are God'south husbandry, y'all are God's building." The words, "husbandry" and "edifice" are metaphors that equal to the Church building, the torso of Christ. Paul was not speaking of the local church building at Corinth simply of the whole new creation of the Church which is Christ'southward body. Paul laid the foundation of the building (the Church) but the foundation itself was Christ as he wrote in verse 11.

In both passages, Paul acknowledged God's mercy and grace to him. As noted above, Paul, in his letter to Timothy, declared he was the "start" and a "pattern" for those who would soon be saved. We find a similar, parallel text, in Paul's alphabetic character to the Corinthians. He wrote the Corinthians that he was the "builder" (ἀρχιτέκτων) who laid the foundation (θεμέλιος). What does an architect do? He designs the building and lays its foundation. The foundation is the first part of the building. Ane cannot start a structure without a foundation. It constitutes a new offset. What was that foundation? The foundation of the building was Christ and the truths He revealed to Paul. Paul called these truths "secrets" (μυστήριον). Paul used the give-and-take μυστήριον because the truths he received from the risen Christ were simply that–"secrets"–information God had kept hidden until He revealed them to Paul. These "secrets" form the content of the revelation the risen Lord gave to Paul equally the "get-go." Later Paul learned these truths, he communicated them to others and so "another" (ἄλλος) could build on the new foundation established by these truths. Paul issued a alert in the latter function of the poetry: "But each human being must be careful how he builds on it." Since Paul's didactics came directly from the Lord, those who build on Paul's foundation (1 Corinthians three.11), must be conscientious to follow his education.

Decision

Saul of Tarsus was a religious fanatic and a great sinner. He recognized this fact subsequently God saved and deputed him as Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11.13). The signal Paul wished to brand in 1 Timothy 1.15-16 was not to reveal the degree of his sinfulness only to communicate a much more important truth: that he was the one the ascended Lord chose to reveal doctrines He had kept hidden and to commission him to minister to Gentiles. Paul was the "start" in that sense. Paul'south new foundation is what we telephone call Christianity. Information technology was something new and different from the ministry of the Twelve and Judaism. This foundation was vastly dissimilar from the program Christ operated under in His earthly ministry (Romans 15.8) which Peter followed (cf. Matthew 28.nineteen-20; Acts ii, Acts 3). In the divinely revealed plan God gave Paul, Gentiles would receive God'south favor and blessing apart from State of israel and apart from the Mosaic Police. This was new. God had revealed none of these doctrines through Moses and the prophets. God revealed zippo in the Old Testament of a joint body composed of Jew and Gentile equal in Christ. Jesus never revealed this in His earthly ministry. On the contrary, Jesus went to Jew but and allowable his disciples to do the same (Matthew x.5-half dozen; xv.22-24). Equality of Jew and Gentile every bit the Church, the torso of Christ, was a (μυστήριον), a "cloak-and-dagger" God kept subconscious until He revealed information technology to Paul.^vi

As the receiver of God's secrets Paul magnified his ministry to Gentiles (Romans eleven.thirteen). Only he also taught God had not abandoned or forgotten His promises to national Israel. The ascended Lord had revealed to Paul the "secret" (μυστήριον) of Israel's partial blindness (Romans xi.25) and that "all Israel would exist saved" (Romans 11.26). This verse means exactly what it says. Every single Jew living on the world when the Lord returns will experience salvation (cf. Matthew 23.37-39). Until God removes the Church (Romans 11.25) God's favor is directed primarily towards Gentiles, and especially the Church, the body of Christ, equanimous of Jew and Gentile who are equal in Christ. To Paul and Paul alone God revealed this swell truth. To learn more of the other "secrets" God revealed to Paul, run into the article Paul's "Mystery".

ⁱAne possible though doubtful exception may be 1 Corinthians xv.three. The NASB has taken this view. On the other mitt, the KJV has translated πρῶτος in its primary sense. The weight of the textual evidence from Paul's other uses strongly favors the primary sense.
²A notable and happy exception is Darby's translation, who translates πρῶτος every bit "outset" or "the first."
^three The doctrine of conservancy by organized religion alone, sola fide, was unknown before Paul. This is discussed in the article, Organized religion and Works in James: Resolving the Problem.
⁴ These changes took time. It was not similar an electrical light being turned on. Rather, it was like a sunrise in which nighttime gradually turns to twenty-four hours. Even eleven years subsequently Paul began his missionary journeys both the "gospel of the kingdom" and the "gospel of the grace of God" were in play. This led to the great Quango of Jerusalem in 51 A.D. Believers who were in the Jerusalem church declared Gentiles could not exist saved apart from circumcision and keeping of the Mosaic Law (Acts 15.one, 5). Paul opposed them and said Gentiles were saved by faith alone (1 Corinthians xv.1-four), apart from circumcision and the Law. Peter, every bit a effect of his experience at Cornelius' firm and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, declared Paul was correct and they were wrong. In addition, Peter stated that from that bespeak forward, Jews had to be saved the same way equally Paul's Gentiles (Acts 15.11). This was a watershed upshot. It was the official and Scriptural cease of the "gospel of the kingdom." The gospel of the grace of God, Paul's gospel, will go on until Christ removes the Church building, the body of Christ. After that, the gospel of the kingdom will exist reinstated and Jesus' prophecy of the terminate will be fulfilled (Matthew 24.fourteen). Paul could not take written the strong words of Galatians ane.six-ix until afterwardthe events and decision of the Jerusalem Council.
⁵ Come across the author's article, The Great Hinge.
⁶ Some commentators accept discussed the word μυστήριον in terms of the mystery religions. Such explanations are far-fetched. Paul was a Pharisaic Jew, not a Platonist. His earth view was Judaism, non Greek philosophy or mystery religions. When Paul used the give-and-take μυστήριον, he used it in its basic sense: a cloak-and-dagger, something unrevealed. Why complicate the straightforward and simple?

©2012 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but information technology may non be sold.

Updated 2013-03-21.

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Source: https://doctrine.org/paul-chief-of-sinners

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