1 Timothy 1:17

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

St. Paul could not even think of, nor mention, his part in the furtherance of the Gospel without expressing his gratitude to the Lord for His forgiving kindness and stimulating confidence: Thanks I render to Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given me ability, because He considered me faithful in placing me into the ministry. Paul emphasizes the grateful attitude of his heart as he broaches this topic, which never fails to excite his humble and admiring thanks. From Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Church, he had received the ability and strength for the work of the ministry, of preaching the glorious Gospel of the atonement through the merits of the Savior. When Jesus had called him, placed him into office, He had deemed him trustworthy for the work of the ministry; He Himself had been his Leader and his Model in faithfulness, 1 Corinthians 7:25. Note: This thought offers food for thought to both pastors and parishioners, the former feeling the dignity and responsibility of their office, a fact which should stimulate their faithfulness, the latter realizing the fact that ability and faithfulness are God's gifts to their pastors, and valuing them highly for that reason.

The apostle now shows why he, for his own person, had cause for such humble thanksgiving, writing of himself: Who formerly was a blasphemer and persecutor and insolent; but mercy have I experienced, because in ignorance I acted, in unbelief. The grace of our Lord, on the other hand, superabounded with faith and love in Christ Jesus. At the time of Paul's conversion the scales fell from his eyes with regard to this life during his youth, when he was surrounded with the darkness and blindness of Pharisaism. He now knew that he had been a blasphemer, that he had blasphemed the person and the office of Christ, Acts 26:9. More, he had been a persecutor, he had shut up saints in prison, and when they were put to death, he had given his voice against them, Acts 26:10; Acts 9:4; Acts 22:4; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6. To these facts was finally added the feature of insolence, of despitefulness, of scornful meanness. This characterizes the condition of man's heart before the regenerative power of the Word of God has exerted its power. Paul's frank confession shows his humility and the consciousness of his utter unworthiness for this great office. His jubilant cry, therefore, rings out all the more gratefully, praising the mercy of God which he had experienced in being brought to faith. Upon the sinner who was unwittingly loaded down with such a great measure of guilt the inexpressible mercy of God was poured out. In continuing, the apostle first gives an explanation of God's merciful kindness in his case. He had acted in ignorance, in unbelief. His entire life and education in Jewish teaching had been of a nature to keep him in ignorance of the grace of God in the redemption of Christ. He does not offer an excuse, but he gives an explanation why forgiveness in his case was still possible. Having shown that his ignorance had not yet reached the point where it became wanton perverseness, by which he would knowingly and maliciously have made the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart impossible, Matthew 12:30; Mark 3:28; Luke 12:10; Hebrews 6:4, he lays all the emphasis upon the only reason for his having obtained grace, namely, that God wanted to show the superabundance of His grace and mercy in this vessel of His grace. The measure of his sins being so great. Paul stood in need of an unusually great measure of mercy. And the grace of God was accompanied by, and wrought in him, faith and love in Jesus Christ. Faith and love can exist only where they are firmly founded and daily renewed in Christ Jesus, where they daily gain strength and life from Him. Instead of blaspheming, Paul now believed in Christ with all his heart; instead of persecuting the believers with scornful insolence, he now practiced the love which gave evidence of his fellowship in Christ.

The apostle's own experience with regard to the grace of God now prompts him to set forth a brief summary of the grace of God in Christ Jesus: Trustworthy is the word, and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. This sentence is evidently a summary of Gospel truth as it was in use in the early Church. See Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10. The saving of sinners, of lost and condemned mankind, was the object of Christ's coming into the world, John 3:16. Paul emphasizes this message over against the false doctrines of the Judaizing teachers as altogether trustworthy, absolutely reliable. This being true on the part of God, it follows that it may and should be accepted by men with all readiness of heart and mind, trusted in with simple faith. It is certainly true, an assurance of priceless worth. The last words of this verse are not to be regarded as a specimen of false modesty, but as an example of true and adequate knowledge of sin. When a sinner, through the application of the Word, becomes conscious of his sin, he sees in himself nothing but guilt and damnation. He no longer frames any excuses, he no longer makes any invidious comparisons; he knows that in the long list of sinners he stands at the head, because he is best acquainted with his own guilt.

The frankness of the apostle in humbling himself beneath the meanest of sinners now serves to bring out the more beautifully the merciful love of Christ Jesus, the Savior: But on this account I received mercy, in order that in me, as the first one, Jesus Christ would show all long-suffering, for a pattern to them that would believe on Him unto eternal life. Paul is here set forth as an example, a pattern, a type for those men of all times that would be brought to faith. Just as Paul at one time belonged to the fierce enemies of Christ, to those that opposed the preaching of the Cross, so he now, through the immeasurable grace of Christ, is saved and believes in his Redeemer. In his case we see that no sin is too great for the merciful love of the Savior. All men, no matter what their transgression, that accept this doctrine that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, will, by this faith, obtain eternal life. In the presence of their Savior, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light, they will enjoy the life for which they were intended to the full, world without end. Let every Christian, therefore, apply these words to himself with a firm trust in the mercy and grace revealed in the Gospel.

The mere thought of such ineffable bliss as promised to him in the Gospel and accepted by him in faith, causes the apostle to lift up his voice in grateful acclaim: But to the King of the Ages, immortal, that cannot be seen, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen. The apostle praises God as the eternal Ruler, who lives and reigns from everlasting to everlasting. This great King is immortal, deathless, beyond the power of destruction, in contrast to the temporal, transitory world. The opening of new world periods, the rise and fall of nations, everything that concerns this mundane sphere, does not influence the everlasting Ruler in His essence. He dwells in a sphere beyond the ken of mortal men; no man has seen nor can see Him, John 1:18; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 11:27; 1 John 4:12. His glory is too great and overpowering to be seen by the eyes of sinful men, Exodus 33:20. And He is the only God, the blessed and only Potentate; there is none beside Him, His glory will He not give to another nor His praise to graven images, Isaiah 42:8. To Him, therefore, the apostle and with him all Christians give glory and honor forever and ever. This is most certainly true.