Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt (Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland 
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org

FREE PRESBYTERIAN  ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES -- MAIN
READ: 1 TIMOTHY 1:1-20 TEXT: v12-17  [SERIES 3]

Paul reminds me a little of Abraham’s servant who was sent forth to secure a bride for Isaac, who was Abraham’s son
When (in the providence/God) he found the beautiful Rebekah, he went with her back to meet her folks and to effectively arrange the marriage Rebekah’s brother (and guardian) Laban was very keen to entertain this stranger and to enjoy his company
He therefore arranged that a beautiful spread be arranged and that they could all sit down and eat first and enjoy the food
But Abraham’s servant had a slight change of plan
And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. (Genesis 24:33)
It was only after the message was conveyed that they began/eat

Likewise in this epistle
Paul seems to have had an errand that he must first deliver
After the initial greetings, he gets down to business first:
Avoid false teaching and false teachers
They are a serious threat to the church as they pervert the law
Here is what the law was given for (v8ff)
Charge any who profess to be teachers (v3) that they keep to the old doctrine of the word/God and teach no other
True, he is going to return to this subject again/again
But having  at least mentioned it once in the opening verses, it seems that he can in these verses/passage sit down and eat!
He has told his errand and now he can relax a little and enjoy the spiritual company of his own son/faith and colleague/ministry

There are 4 things to observe in our passage:

1) THE DANGER WHICH PAUL AVOIDED: (v12)

A/ Although he has been (and will be) hard on false teachers, yet let us not think that Paul was exalting himself
Spiritual pride is something which is apt to grow in any heart

Are we tempted to think: we are the mighty Free Presbyterians?
 We trace our roots back to the great Reformers: Calvin via Knox
We are great Authorised Version people too!
Our name evokes memories/strong undiluted stand against Rome
Did not our Moderator be the first man (it is thought) to publicly confront a reigning Pope and brand him as Antichrist?
And the modernists – how many of them have felt our lash?
Every attack – some from the very government itself – against us signally failed and the period that saw the highest growth in congregations was when the jackboot was going in the hardest

These things are true and cannot be denied
But let us be extremely careful as we so think along these lines
This is the very soil in which spiritual pride flourishes
We might be tempted to look at others in the same period
They failed to take any sort of a real stand
If there was any protest, it was half hearted and weak
Consequently, we observe, that their churches gave away their faith as they succumbed to every new doctrinal departure
But we stood! And we still continue to stand
But again: Beware of the danger of this position

B/ Let us not be proud of what we have done!
Whether it is as a church or as individuals reflecting upon some spiritual achievement(s) then let us follow Paul’s example here:

C/ Let us thank the Lord Jesus who has enabled us to do these things in our service as Christians

Paul was always very careful in this regard
Perhaps his Pharisee background helped him be aware of this:
But consider his dealing with those who would elevate him:
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (1 Corinthians 3:5)
And there are several verses in this strain in Paul’s writings

It is very fitting that Paul should so say esp. after his lambasting of the false teachers – men who turned aside (v6)
This didn’t happen to Paul…because he was enabled by Christ

D/ Having said that…let us not think: we have no responsibility
Yes, Paul had been enabled to do these things:
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.  (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Yet (human point/view) Paul was faithful to his charge
It is not pride to record what is simply true
It might lead to pride (danger) but truth is truth
Just as these false teachers may be charged with swerving (v6) – something for which they are criminally responsible – then it must be said that Paul did not and that he will be rewarded by God for his conscious efforts (under God) to be faithful
These are his own standards, set forth in 1 Corinthians 4:2
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

2) THE DARKNESS THAT PAUL REMEMBERED: v13

A/ Perhaps he could feel the pride swelling up as he wrote
It’s one thing to know that it shouldn’t – but it still does
Therefore Paul gives it another good dose of weed killer
He remembers his unsaved and sinful past

B/ He tells us two things here:

[i] What he did:
He blasphemed God and persecuted and injured the people/God
We have all read Acts 7-8 where it is recorded in narrative form
We have all read the charge laid against him by the Risen Christ on the raod/Damascus:
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
These are serious charges which will surely stick, unless forgiven

It is no light thing for people to blaspheme God in any day/age
We can hardly turn on our TV’s/radios and God is not blasphemed
There are columnists/newspapers who regularly engage in it
What can they offer by reason for their blasphemies?
That everyone is doing it? That it sells newspapers?
No excuse!
In fact- these must rank among the silliest excuses ever
These men/woman have souls who must answer to God
Do they think that they can say what they say or write and that there is no day/Judgement
Do they not think that there is a Day/Judgement?
What would happen if they publicly criticised their radio bosses or had a pop at their editors in print?
Would they not be summonsed to the head/office and probably be dismissed from their positions?
Do they think that God, who is infinitely greater, is going to by pass their blasphemies without a second thought?
What madness it is for souls to think so lightly of God

What is it to persecute the people/God and injure them?
I remind you that it is as if they strike out at Christ Himself
He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. (Zechariah 2:8)
You can hardly get a closer or dearer relationship than that
Therefore when people – whether journalists - or even just the non-influential man in the street take sit upon himself to harm Christians – whether physically, mentally, socially or financially etc., then he takes on too much for he takes on God

Paul had to hang his head at this point and plead guilty
You can just see those weeds/pride that were starting to shoot up, so defiantly, starting to wilt

[ii] But Paul also tells us why he did it (or how he did it)
He blasphemed God and persecuted/saints ignorantly/unbelief
He is not excusing himself here by saying this
Sins in ignorance/unbelief are still accountable and punishable
But what he can say is this:
I did not persecute the church to get at God or defy God
You get all kinds of people doing that
They hate God as God and hate His word because it is His word
Paul was not like that
He honestly thought that he was doing God service by ridding Israel of these pesky heretical followers of Jesus
Although not meritorious, yet that made a difference

C/ It rally helps us keep the feet on the ground to remember the pit from which we were dug and the rock from which/hewn
This is why the bible gives us some very graphic descriptions of our unsaved days to ponder upon:
A spiritual corpse – an unwashed abandoned child – a rotten, stinking leper etc., 
How can pride flourish when we remember these things?

3) THE DELIVERANCE WHICH PAUL EXPERIENCED:

A/ I suppose it is natural that having begun to relate his past (especially his sin) that he should relate his salvation
Also, he is emphasising that he was put into the ministry/word because he was converted to Jesus Christ
Bible knows nothing/unconverted ministry being acceptable: God
A man who has not himself experienced salvation cannot speak of it or recommend it by experience to others
Why isn’t he saved himself if it is no necessary/beneficial?

B/ Paul obtained salvation even while still a blasphemer/injurious
Indeed, he was saved even as he went about that very deed
There was murder on his heart as he set off/Damascus
He was no anxious prospective convert to the Christian faith

C/ Some people find this very heard/accept
Perhaps this is why in v15 Paul feels it necessary to emphasise it with the words:
This is a faithful saying and worthy/all acceptation
Christ Jesus did not come into the world to save good people
They don’t need to be saved: Luke 5:31-32
Jesus Christ did not die for good people: Romans 5:7
He came to die for sinners and to save sinners (v15)
Paul saw himself (by inspiration) as the chief/sinners

D/ Not hard to argue from the greater to the lesser
If Christ can save the chief/sinners…then who is beyond reach?
This is why the gospel is to be preached to every creature
If Paul can be saved – then we can say/sinners; “You can be…”
What a trophy was won when Paul was converted to Christ

E/ Look at what words Paul uses in relating his conversion:
He tells us that he obtained mercy (v13)
He tells us God’s grace towards him was exceeding abundant
(It had to be because his sin was exceeding black and sinful)
He uses the word mercy again (v16) because it is a fundamental matter with him

4) THE DISPLAY WHICH PAUL EXHIBITED: v16

A/ Paul’s conversion was very unique
Despite what a few deluded souls tell you – Jesus Christ die not appear to them as he did to Paul
They might have gotten saved, but not in circumstances like this

B/ However, that said, Paul described himself as a pattern (v16)
Many of the before, during and after details may change:

[i] Not every convert persecuted the church in the past
[ii] Not every convert is struck down/blinded by the light
[iii] Not even convert becomes a pastor (never mind an apostle)

But fundamentally the pattern is the same for all:

[i] Every convert was a deep dyed sinner needing mercy
[ii] Every convert was saved by a spiritual meeting/Christ:
Revelation 3:20
[iii] Every convert is saved to serve Christ in some capacity

I don’t believe that there are any exceptions to this rule
Or if there is – then they are practically unique
Even the Dying Thief in all his restrictions served Christ

C/ Paul’s conversion is very instructive  and encouraging:

A/ It show that religion cannot save the soul
Paul’s religious credentials before his salvation were impeccable
He relates them to us in Philippians 3:4-6
But what use were they to him when it came to salvation?
They were nearly blinding his eyes because he was abusing them
Anything Biblical he had in there was to point him to Christ
But his religion was not Christ and he needed a Saviour
Like Nicodemus – even with all his religious privileges – he needed to be born again if he would enter the Kingdom/God

B/ It shows also that although repentance is needed for salvation (Luke 13:3) yet there is no NT requirement for a long period of repenting time before hand
Some of the old Divines almost insisted on this, but it is simply not here in the life of this pattern convert
How could it be so when he was going down to Damascus to hale the Christians into prison and batter them into denying Christ?

C/ Also shows that the Lord patiently pursues sinners (v16)
Underline those words; “All longsuffering”
Gently and long did He plead with my soul…Calling for me…for me
How long did G/Shepherd seek for the lost sheep? Till He find it

D/ Shows too that the moment the sinner believes, he has the present possession of everlasting life (v16)
This is justifiaction by faith alone without the deeds/law
Either deeds done before or after salvation

E/ Shows too that God ordinarily has people on hand to help the new convert and seek to see him discipled and mature in faith

F/ Best of all – many more people will believe (v16) May it be so!

THE END
FREE PRESBYTERIAN  ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES -- MAIN PAGE