super-abundant grace and the chief of sinners

In Sunday School this morning, I led the gang through a discussion of I Timothy 1.

The highlight was Paul's self-description in 1:13-16, bookended by his two bursts of praise in 1:12,17.

In 1:14, Paul points to the grace of our Lord being "poured out on me abundantly". In the Greek, the term "abundantly" starts with "hyper"-- as in super-abundantly. The word would have been used, for example, to describe a river overflowing its banks. But as John Stott notes, "What the river of grace brought with it, however, was not devastation but blessing..."

Then, in 1:15, he notes that Christ Jesus "came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst". Not "was the worst", but "am the worst". Paul's pre-Christian history is staggering. But even after his conversion, Paul still sees himself as the chief of sinners. At the same time, Paul was a great hero of the faith and exhorted those around him to follow his example.

The tension here is remarkable-- the amazing amount of sin that all of us commit, in tandem with the super-abundant grace of God for those who accept it. Putting it another way: the call to follow Christ with all of our heart-- and to lead others in that walk-- but to do so humbly, recognizing our sinfulness.

It is easy to relax this tension one way or the other-- to diminish the extent of our sin &/or to minimize God's grace. But it is ideal if we can hold this balance.