His Mercy is More (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

A man named Daniel Whittle captured the mystery and marvelous nature of salvation with a poem which has been put to music and has become a great hymn of the faith. He said this …

I know not why Gods wonderous grace to me he hath made known, Nor why, unworthy, Christ and love, redeemed me for his own. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.

The wonder of salvation is that God would redeem unworthy depraved people to adopt them as his own children. As great as our sin and failure is, God’s mercy is more. As great as our struggle and frustration is, God’s mercy is more. Nothing can overwhelm it; nothing can remove it; nothing can change it. God’s mercy stands forever. 

As Paul addressed the false teaching in Ephesus, we saw last week that he took exception to the false teacher’s use of the law. Apparently, these teacher where taking the law and using it as a billy club against the believer. They emphasized God’s wrath and they missed God’s mercy. So, Paul addressed the proper use of the law. It is to convict us of sin and drive us to Christ. An in Christ, we find mercy. In our text today, Paul uses his personal testimony to demonstrate the amazing mercy of God.