The Unlikely Apostle Pt. 5: “The Chief of Sinners”

Perhaps the greatest pleasure of my life is getting to talk with people about Jesus. Though these conversations are built into my regular routine on Sundays and Wednesdays, it’s the gospel conversations that happen outside of those times that often feel the most impactful.

I’ll never forget an interaction I had with a soldier one day about Jesus, Paul and the power of the gospel to transform lives.

There I was at my table, when he came up beside me and sat down. Knowing that I’m in ministry, he began to ask a few questions about God and various spiritual matters. I felt led to investigate what might be prompting him to seek me out, so I asked him to tell me a bit of his story.

This man was a highly intelligent officer who had fought bravely in the Middle East for several years. During the line of duty and throughout several intense battles, he had killed many, many people, sometimes in extremely violent ways. He was so overwhelmed by the things he had done, said and thought that if anyone was irredeemable, he was sure it was him.

I said that it would be foolish for me to try to empathize with him, but I knew of someone who could. So I paraphrased the Apostle Paul’s testimony from 1 Timothy 1:12-16.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, 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. – 1 Timothy 1:12-16

I reminded the man that Paul said his testimony in 1 Timothy is a trustworthy statement that deserves full acceptance. These are words we can bet our lives on. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and Paul is the worst who ever lived.

Not you. Not me. Paul.

Not only did Jesus save the worst sinner who ever lived, He transformed him through the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit into one of the most influential people in history. And we should humbly accept this fact that we cannot change, because Jesus specifically chose Paul as an example for us of the love and power of the gospel.

If Jesus wanted Paul to be a part of the kingdom of God, He certainly wants you and the people you hate. If Jesus could save Paul, He can certainly save you and the people you hate. If Jesus could transform Paul into a mighty, church-planting Apostle who wrote half the books of the New Testament, He can certainly transform you and the people you hate.

Jesus can take violent, blaspheming persecutors of the Church and turn them into compassionate, godly pastors who love their enemies and seek to see even their oppressors become disciples of Christ. Jesus can take hardened, cold hearts and melt them with His touch.

It was powerful seeing the Holy Spirit working in my friend’s heart that day as he began to believe Paul’s testimony. May you too believe and be changed by the words of that unlikely Apostle. And may you bring that message of hope and transformation with you wherever you go.

“This is a faithful saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief.” … Paul … after being a persecutor of the Church of God and a bitter opponent of believers, who went so far even as to deliver over the disciples of Jesus to death, so great a change afterwards passed over him that he preached the Gospel of Jesus from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum … to places where the Gospel of God in Christ had not been proclaimed at all. – Origen 225CE, Volume 4, p. 730 [CD-ROM]

Grace Pt. 4 - The Yoke of Grace

While driving down the chaotic streets of Houston last week, I noticed a bumper sticker taking an awkward pro-life stance. Though I have to sensor it, you won’t have any difficulty ascertaining its point.

“All lives matter except _______.  _______ those guys.”  

As much as I hate to say it, that bumper sticker sounds very much like Christianity from the middle of the 4^th century onward. "Jesus loves all people, so we should love all people, except the people that we don’t like, or that don’t like us, or that don’t look like us, or that are at war with our earthly country, etc."

Can you imagine what the world would be like if Ananias of Damascus had a bumper sticker Christianity? You know, something like, “All lives matter except for that lunatic Pharisee Saul. #$*@ that guy.”

To be fair, if anyone in the history of humanity deserved the death penalty, it was Saul/Paul. He himself said that we are supposed to fully trust that he was the worst sinner who ever lived (see 1Timothy 1:12-16). However, aren’t you glad Ananias laid hands on Saul to heal his blindness rather than to slit his throat (see Acts 9:1-31)?

Aren’t you glad Ananias submitted to the leadership of his leader, Jesus, who came to save sinners? Aren’t you glad Ananias chose to believe in the empowerment of grace? Many people believe the Apostle Paul was one of the most influential men who has ever lived.

Personally, I believe Ananias had a strong impact on Paul’s writing of 2 Corinthians 5:13-16. Here, Paul says that if it seems like he is acting like he is out of his mind, it’s because of and for Christ. The love of Christ is compelling him to no longer live for himself, but for Jesus. The grace of Christ has transformed him, and is empowering him to no longer no longer regard anyone from human point of view. He wants every person alive to follow Jesus. 

Similarly to how Ananias saw the way grace could change the worst sinner who had ever lived into one of the most influential men who ever lived (for the kingdom of God), Paul urged the Corinthians to adopt the same grace goggles. Not to see everyone as already in Christ. Heavens no! But to have the mindset toward all people of, “What could they become if Jesus came into them?”

To the early Christians, this concept of being compelled and empowered by Christ was analogous to taking up His yoke.

For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves. … “He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.” … You see, beloved, the example which has been given us; for if the Lord thus humbled Himself, what shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace? – Clement of Rome 95CE, Volume 1, p. 16-17.

What is a yoke? It is a wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair of animals so they can pull together; it unites them to move and work together as one. Clement of Rome said that yoke of grace unites Christians with Jesus Christ, and the yoke of grace empowers Christians to follow Jesus’ example as we come under it. 

Consider the concept of the yoke of grace as you read this second passage by the Apostle Paul:    

For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. …

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. – Romans 6:5-6, 14-16

Most of the time when I’ve heard this passage taught, it’s been with the idea that Christianity is not about keeping rules, it’s about a relationship of grace. Could it be that that kind of teaching is causing Christians to completely miss Paul’s point?

Being under grace means we (those united with Christ) have become divinely empowered TO follow the teaching and way of Jesus Christ.

Have you come under Jesus’ yoke of grace? If so, you have been united with Him in His death, which He died for all people. And you have been raised with Him to live by His power for His purpose of reclaiming the world for the glory of God. That is good news!

So today, may you believe in and act on the powerful words penned by Fanny Crosby on the yoke of grace and its power to transform Sauls into Pauls.

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter

Feelings lie buried that grace can restore

Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness

Chords that are broken will vibrate once more

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it

Strength for your labor the Lord will provide

Back to the narrow way, patiently win them

Tell the poor wanderer that hope has arrived