To Save Sinners
15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:15
Here is the great truth that brings joy to the hearts of all humankind! God's own Son, Christ Jesus, came into our own world, not to condemn, but rather to save sinners.
What is a sinner? A sinner (αμαρτωλους) is one who has missed the mark, not been counted as with those who share in the lot, one who makes the mistake of wandering from the path that Yahweh has set down for us. A sinner is one separated from God through his own faults.
When we come to the place of Paul, seeing the greatness of our own sin, we may say with him that of those sinners we are chief.
16However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16
At such a point, God's grace is superabundant, totally sufficient, completely willing to deliver us. As we see our own falling short of God's glory we come to understand our need for He Who is without sin.
13although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:13-14
The Anointed One of Yahweh, His own Beloved Son, was made flesh for you. He left His place of eternal glory with the Father Almighty, choosing to condescend to your low position, where you had wasted the riches you were given at creation. He chose to alter His own nature forever, taking on the nature of Man.
16Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16
This He did to save us, to deliver us, to rescue us from our own ways. Already having been condemned by our own sins against and lack of trust toward Him (John 3:18), He did not come to shame us for those things, but rather to save us!
14As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. John 3:14-17
11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost. Matthew 18:11
High & Holy, Comforter & Reviver
15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15
Here is the great duality of the glorious God, Yahweh. He is high, above all creation, living in eternity, whose very Name is separate from all earthly names. But He also comes to the side of the humble, the one with a crushed spirit.
What is a contrite and humble spirit? "Contrite" (דכא) is an adjective form of the noun meaning "dust." It comes from the root word meaning "to crush, to break, to shatter." We may probably all relate to having our spirit crushed within us, from the many evils in this world, as well as through our own foolish actions. "Humble" (שפל) is from the root verb meaning "to be low." We are brought down in our spirits through this evil age, through our own sins and wickedness. Together, we see the totality, that our spirit within us has become crushed, shattered, brought low. We are in need of healing, someone to put that spirit back together.
Not only does Yahweh come to such a one, but He also revives that person's spirit and heart (Psalms 147:2-3) (Luke 4:18-19). He brings life again to that which has lost its life. His high place does not restrain Him from also being with the lowly.
6For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but the proud, he knows from afar. Psalms 138:6
The proud, or "high one," He knows from a distant place, far off. However, it is the humble that He sees. We are not hidden from His sight, as we reside in the low places and He in the high; rather He sees us. But the proud, or exalted one (through his own self-deceit), He simply knows from a far removed place. It is a great blessing to be seen by God (Genesis 16:13).
This is Yahweh, this is the Son of God, Jesus Christ—He comes into the world to save us, sinners. For as we humble ourselves, His face turns toward us. Although He resides above our universe, yet He sees us in our humble position. As we turn unto Him, confessing our sin and repenting of that lifestyle that separated us from Him, He descends from the heavens to restore our souls.
This is true sacrifice unto Yahweh, giving Him all that we are in our broken and humble condition—and He will most certainly accept us as we are.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalms 51:17
For we gain nothing if we hold onto our brokenness, but it is in the giving of our sinfulness and humbled heart and soul to the Lord Jesus that gains us back all that we had lost, and much more (Mark 8:34-38)!
Faithful is the word, and worthy of all acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.