“THE SAYING IS sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:15–16). We have heard the saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners so often that it has lost its punch. That is the most startling thing that could ever happen or ever be imagined.
The Hindus are a deeply religious people and have speculated concerning God as no other people ever have done; yet the highest they could reach in their speculation concerning the redemptive purpose of God was this: “Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and unrighteousness is in ascendance, then I body myself forth. For the protection of the righteous, for the destruction of evil doers, and for the establishment of righteousness I am born from age to age.” Note: for the destruction of evil doers! The difference between destruction of evil doers and “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” is so vast that they are not in the same world of ideas and attitudes.
Some time ago a government official in the Congo said to one of our pastors: “You are cleaning up whole villages and tribes and sections in this amazing revival—cleaning them up from evils of crime and superstition, even cannibalism. And you do it so gently and easily. We beat them to get them to change with no result. It is a miracle.” And it is! The miracle is wrought on cannibals and on a Pharisee like Paul—it is the same miracle. A part of the miracle was that Paul’s past was made redemptive. It was to be used as an example to help others. He not only redeems from the past, but He redeems the past and makes even that redemptive. We help others through it.
“To believe in him for eternal life”—when you really believe in Him you have eternal life now. Eternity simply unfolds it.
O Blessed Lord and Savior, Thou dost save me and save my past. Thou dost pick up the pieces of a broken past and put them together in a new and glorious pattern. Thy touch upon everything is redemptive and always redemptive. I thank Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Jesus Christ can display me as an example of His saving power.
