There are individuals that say they cannot obey Christ. They do not say it because they do not think they could live right. They say it because they do not think the Lord will accept them. They think they are so bad, or have done so many bad things, that God will not forgive them. Paul addressed this argument in 1 Timothy 1. In verse fifteen, Paul said that he was the chief sinner. Paul had done many very bad things. He had tortured Christians. He had blasphemed Christ. He had killed Christians. He had made it his goal to destroy Christianity by killing every Christian or making every Christian turn away from Christ.
Paul truly hated Christians. He hated Christ. He did not believe that Christ was the Son of God. However, in 1 Timothy 1:16, Paul says, “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” Paul said he was converted by Christ so that no one could ever again use the argument, “I am too bad to be forgiven.”
What a marvelous Savior we have. He lived on earth as a man. He allowed Himself to be put through terrible agony and died on the cross. He was raised and went to heaven. Then, He waited for the right time to appear to Saul on the road to Damascus. Saul went into Damascus and was baptized by Ananias. Saul later took on the name Paul. Paul made it his life’s goal to convert as many people as he could to Christ. Through Paul, Christ had the Gospel preached throughout the Roman Empire. Many were converted to Christ. No one could say he was a worse sinner than Paul.
Read your Bible. Obey Christ. Help others come to Christ. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
