Contemplation #112
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14
Grace is thoroughly undeserved. Our difficulty in understanding this fact leads us to read this autobiographical reflection of Paul as saying that his ignorance and unbelief were somehow facts in his favor that were the basis on which he was given grace. In other words, God knew that he was really a good guy despite his actions, and so God was gracious to him. On the contrary, Paul is not giving excuses but naming the exact nature of his failures. He was a violent man, a blasphemer of God who persecuted the faithful . . . and in addition he was ignorant and in living in unbelief. None of these are virtues to be admired, but statements of his own unworthiness. His failures were why grace was given – because he was ignorant and in unbelief. Grace is poured out on unbelievers so they might believe. We don’t deserve grace, and there is no reason to be merciful. We have no goodness to boast about.
Contemplation #113
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14
To see how grace is given to us precisely because we don’t deserve it, we have to only read Paul’s repetition of how he received grace: “. . . Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy . . .” 1 Timothy 1:15-16. He received grace because he was the worst of sinners. Paul never cites a reason why God should have been merciful to him. On the contrary, he is clear in saying that grace is never deserved, and is the action of God toward us because of who He is and not because of who we are. The only qualification for grace is to be wholly undeserving . . . and that we all are!
Contemplation #114
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14.
Ignorance and unbelief cannot be used as excuses, as Paul himself states in Romans 1:20 when he says all men are without excuse. Paul knew that his own “ignorance and unbelief” were not excuses but evidence of his unwillingness to see or hear God in anything around him. Paul, as a Jew and Pharisee, was even more responsible than the pagans, for the light which he was resisting shown more brightly around him than many others. By grace, God increased its intensity until he was blinded and knocked from his horse. Paul was shown mercy because he was stubbornly refusing God by living in the rebellion of ignorance and unbelief despite all God’s revelation. Grace is what we in no regard deserve.
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14
Grace is thoroughly undeserved. Our difficulty in understanding this fact leads us to read this autobiographical reflection of Paul as saying that his ignorance and unbelief were somehow facts in his favor that were the basis on which he was given grace. In other words, God knew that he was really a good guy despite his actions, and so God was gracious to him. On the contrary, Paul is not giving excuses but naming the exact nature of his failures. He was a violent man, a blasphemer of God who persecuted the faithful . . . and in addition he was ignorant and in living in unbelief. None of these are virtues to be admired, but statements of his own unworthiness. His failures were why grace was given – because he was ignorant and in unbelief. Grace is poured out on unbelievers so they might believe. We don’t deserve grace, and there is no reason to be merciful. We have no goodness to boast about.
Contemplation #113
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14
To see how grace is given to us precisely because we don’t deserve it, we have to only read Paul’s repetition of how he received grace: “. . . Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy . . .” 1 Timothy 1:15-16. He received grace because he was the worst of sinners. Paul never cites a reason why God should have been merciful to him. On the contrary, he is clear in saying that grace is never deserved, and is the action of God toward us because of who He is and not because of who we are. The only qualification for grace is to be wholly undeserving . . . and that we all are!
Contemplation #114
“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 . . “ 1 Timothy 1:13-14.
Ignorance and unbelief cannot be used as excuses, as Paul himself states in Romans 1:20 when he says all men are without excuse. Paul knew that his own “ignorance and unbelief” were not excuses but evidence of his unwillingness to see or hear God in anything around him. Paul, as a Jew and Pharisee, was even more responsible than the pagans, for the light which he was resisting shown more brightly around him than many others. By grace, God increased its intensity until he was blinded and knocked from his horse. Paul was shown mercy because he was stubbornly refusing God by living in the rebellion of ignorance and unbelief despite all God’s revelation. Grace is what we in no regard deserve.
posted by Greg at 10:44 AM
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