Bible Studies

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume11

by Clifford Tate 
03/10/18
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Paul Gives Glory to God for His Grace Part 5

1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting. KJV

Paul begins this very next verse with the conjunction 'howbeit' in order that he might join together the fact of him being (in his own soul) the worst sinner ever born of a woman on the earth with this reality as written for Timothy with these words, "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting." (1 Timothy 1:16) (KJV). The little English phrase 'for this cause' is translated by one Greek word dia which is a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act. The little English phrase 'I obtained mercy' we defined in part 2 and so we repeat again that it is translated by one Greek word eleeo meaning to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine grace): - have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on). That is, in other words, it was the fact that Paul was a sinner and the worst sinner according to himself that he was granted the Mercy of God that brought to him the Grace of God that turned him from a hater of Jesus Christ to being in love with our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and caused him to no longer persecute other Christians to imprison or murder them, but now Paul was compelled to care for, protect, and love his now new brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

When Paul writes here to Timothy these words 'that in me', first he is telling Timothy and everyone else that has read this letter that our Lord Jesus Christ showed to the whole world that no one, that is, no human being or human sinner has sinned too far from His Mercy and His Grace that they (mercy and grace) cannot retrieve them and bring them into a relationship, a loving relationship with the very God (Jesus Christ) that created them and loved them before the foundation of the world was even formed by Him. Secondly, Paul is saying to his brethren in the flesh (other Jews) that our Lord Jesus Christ has never abandoned them as a Nation because He was rejected as the Messiah and then Crucified by the Jewish leaders by turning Him over to the Romans to be murdered, as it is written for us by Dr. Luke documenting what Peter spoke to his fellow countrymen with these words, "The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified His Servant {and} Son Jesus [doing Him this honor], Whom you indeed delivered up and denied {and} rejected {and} disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to let Him go. But you denied {and} rejected {and} disowned the Pure {and} Holy, the Just {and} Blameless One, and demanded [the pardon of] a murderer to be granted to you. But you killed the very Source (the Author) of life, Whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses." (Acts 3:13-15) (Amplified Bible).

Christ ordained it to be this way, yet He will at all times and on any occasion that a Jew or Gentile turn to Him show mercy and give grace to the sinner, for let us remember what our Lord Jesus said while He was nailed to the Cross suffering in agonizing pain and pouring out His Life Blood for all sinners, He said, "And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments {and} distributed them by casting lots for them." (Luke 23:34) (Amplified Bible). When Paul writes the word 'first' concerning himself, here he is telling Timothy that he as a high ranking member of the Sanhedrin, even he was not blocked out or barred or blotted out from the mercy of God and with this being seen now by all the Jews, Paul considered himself as the first example to the obstinate, stiff-necked ruling body of the Jewish people (remember what Steven said to them and about them before they stoned him to death), "You stubborn {and} stiff-necked people, still heathen {and} uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers [were], so you [are and so you do]! Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? And they slew those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you now have betrayed and murdered--You who received the Law as it was ordained {and} set in order {and} delivered by angels, and [yet] you did not obey it! Now upon hearing these things, they [the Jews] were cut to the heart {and} infuriated, and they ground their teeth against [Stephen]." (Acts 7:51-54) (Amplified Bible).

Paul was there when this murder happened and he was complicit (holding the coats of the murderers) in this brutal act of violence carried out against a man who only witnessed to them the truth, yet now Paul has come full circle to find himself in the same shoes as Steven telling other Jews like this that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and that in Him only is their forgiveness of sins and salvation because he received mercy. The little English phrase 'might shew forth' is translated by one Greek word endeiknumi meaning to indicate (by word or act). The English word 'longsuffering' is translated by the Greek word makrothumia meaning with long (enduring) temper, that is, leniently: - patiently; that is, (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively) fortitude: - longsuffering. In other words, the Apostle Paul's sin was not greater than the patience of Almighty God Jesus Christ in waiting for the opportunity to open his blind spiritual eyes that he would see the truth of the Gospel and the truth of the Messiah being Jesus Christ, that is, Paul could not stoop low enough or long enough in sin to outlast the longsuffering of God just as the Apostle Peter wrote with these words, "The Lord does not delay {and} is not tardy {or} slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) (Amplified Bible). The life of Saul who became Paul served then and still serves now as a sketch, a survey, a study in the willingness of our Lord Jesus Christ that any sinner be pardoned for his sins, no matter how bad the rest of the world may view a man's sin, for it is only the maker of Heaven and Earth that can declare a sinner forgiven and Saul/Paul's life serves as a pattern to humanity that Jesus Christ has indeed come into this world to save sinners (all types of sinners) and none are disqualified from His Mercy and His Grace and His Life which is Eternal, that is, forever lived with Him.

"the fact that great sinners have been pardoned, is a proof that others of the same description may be also. The same mercy that saved them can save us - for mercy is not exhausted by being frequently exercised. The Blood of Atonement which has cleansed so many can cleanse us - for its efficacy is not destroyed by being once applied to the guilty soul. Let no one then despair of obtaining mercy because he feels that his sins are too great to be forgiven. Let him look to the past, and remember what God has done. Let him remember the case of Saul of Tarsus; let him think of David and Peter; let him recall the names of Augustine, and Colonel Gardiner, and the Earl of Rochester, and John Newton, and John Bunyan - and thousands like them, who have found mercy; and in their examples let him see a full proof that God is willing to save any sinner, no matter how vile, provided he is penitent and believing." Albert Barnes

"The smallest of God’s creatures, if it were only a gnat dancing in a sunbeam, has a right to have its well-being considered as an end of God’s dealings. But no creature is so isolated or great as that it has a right to have its well-being regarded as the sole end of God’s dealings. That is true about all His blessings and gifts; it is eminently true about His gift of salvation. He saves men because He loves them individually, and desires to make them blessed; but He also saves them because He desires that through them others shall be brought into the living knowledge of His love. It is most especially true about great religious teachers and guides. Paul's humility is as manifest as his self-consciousness when he says in my text, 'This is what I was saved for. Not merely, not even principally, for the blessings that thereby accrue to myself, but that in me, as a crucial instance, there should be manifested the whole fulness of the divine love and saving power.' So he puts his own experience as giving no kind of honour or glory to himself, but as simply showing the grace and infinite love of Jesus Christ. Paul disappears as but a passive recipient; and Christ strides into the front as the actor in his conversion and Apostleship." Alexander MacLaren

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…