To catch up on our adventure through 1 Timothy, click here and read from the bottom post up.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NIV):
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
We can learn from Paul in this passage about how to love the unlovely.
Christians can be subject to a special temptation. A "holier than thou" attitude can come upon us where we tend to judge those around us. Much like the Pharisees in Jesus' time, we can get a false sense of our own self-righteousness. People who don't conform to our own image can become suspect and even repulsive to us. Instead of loving and reaching out to the lost around us, we stay locked up in our Christian cocoons (our churches, our homes, our Christian schools, our Christian stores, our Christian radio, etc.), just being critical of those around us.
This is a big problem of many churches today. They just sit around cursing the darkness instead of being the light.
But it's not just churches that fall into this trap. Each individual Christian is also at risk.
It's easy to criticize my neighbor for his foul mouth...it's harder to love him by being his friend.
As we look again at 1 Timothy 1:12-17, we see how God helps us do this.
First, we know that God has given us strength, considered us faithful, and appointed us to service (v. 12). We know we can do this because God has given us the strength to do it. We can have confidence because God has considered us faithful. And it's not just our idea--God has appointed us to service.
Even though people may blaspheme God, persecute us, and even be violent, we need to show them mercy and realize that they act in ignorance and unbelief (v. 13). (Of course, use wisdom...keep your family safe.)
Realize that God's grace, faith, and love have been poured out on you abundantly (v. 14), and God stands ready to do the same for the lost around us.
Remember the key John 3:16-type saying here in 1 Timothy 1:15: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--of whom you were one of the worst. If God can show mercy to you, to me, and to Paul, he can show mercy to anybody.
Finally, remember that Christ Jesus displays his unlimited patience on us (v. 16), so we should be patient with the sinner. The goal is for them to believe on Christ and receive eternal life.
Father, help me to not become a Pharisee and just be critical of those around me. Help me instead to show God's love to a lost and dying world. Because You have shown great love for me and unlimited patience with me (and continue to do so), help me to show that same love and patience to those around me who I may consider unlovable.
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