THE JOYFUL TRANSITION FROM LAW TO GRACE
1 Timothy 1:8-17
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INTRODUCTION:
1.) With the greatest of joy and excitement, one of the old Sunday School choruses proclaims:
“It’s bubbling, it’s bubbling, it’s bubbling in my soul; there’s singing, and laughing, since Jesus made me
whole. Folks don’t understand it, nor can I keep it quiet. It’s bubbling, bubbling, bubbling, bubbling, bubbling, day and night.”
2.) Do you have that kind of excitement because of the knowledge you are living in the abundant love, mercy, and grace of God?
3.) If you are a Christian, there had to be a definitive point when you lost the burden of your sin, and received the joy of living in the grace and mercy of God.
4.) Today, I want us to look at this turning point in the life of the man we know as the Apostle Paul.
I. THE APOSTLE PAUL HAD KNOWN LIFE UNDER THE LAW.
1.) The law of God is good.
A.) 1 Timothy 1:8
B.) The very fact that the law came from the hand of God, shows that it is good, and not only good, but perfect.
C.) It is the law that reveals the perfect will of God for mankind.
D.) Even though God’s law is perfect, it fails to meet the needs of mankind.
E.) If we were perfectly holy and righteous as God our creator is, we would never have a problem with the law.
2.) The law is not made for the righteous.
A.) 1 Timothy 1:9a
B.) The righteous do not need the law because they are already righteous and perfect.
ba.) The problem is that only God the Father, and Jesus His Son fit into that category.
bb.) For the rest of us, the law gives us God’s standard to live by even though we consistently have failed to keep it.
3.) Paul reminded Timothy that the law was made for law breakers and rebels.
A.) 1 Tim. 1:9b-11
B.) Most of us as we look through this list or the many other lists of sinfulness given in the New Testament Scriptures can excuse ourselves as being better and more Godly than most of the wickedness described in these lists.
C.) It is easy to say this is referring to those who are truly vile and wicked by what we would describe as the more wicked sins.
D.) Paul also addressed sin in a more general manner in this passage: He speaks of: “the ungodly, and sinners, unholy, and irreligious.
da.) We can be sure that each of us are found in that list, and though we perceive our sinfulness as small, God considers our sinfulness as a very major violation of His Word and Will.
db.) It is not just the big sins. When Paul speaks of being unholy, and irreligious, he is not speaking of what we would call the big sins.
dc.) Paul is talking about sins that we would consider quite small. He is talking about the kind of sin where we do not necessarily engage into something of a terrible nature that will raise the eyebrows of those who hear it.
dca.) Some of what Paul is describing to Timothy here is just the matter of taking God for granted.
dcb.) He speaks of being irreligious. That is not something we see as a major sin. It is simply the idea that at times we not whole- hearted in our dedication to God. It means that at times we are careless in what we say and do.
E.) Now Paul records this as being sin, but does God actually see it as being that bad and sinful as
how Paul describes it?
ea.) To answer that question, we need to realize that God’s Old Testament standard as revealed in the law is a standard based upon absolute obedience at all times and in all circumstances.
eb.) Under a standard that is as holy and pure as God himself, the only thing of any merit
is to be like God, without even so much
as even one sin in our lives.
ec.) Jesus himself expressed the sentiments of
God to those under the law:
eca.) Matt. 5:48
F.) Paul and everyone else who has ever been under either the law of God, or the law written on our hearts has found that it has accomplished not our salvation, but only an acknowledgement of our sinfulness before God.
fa.) Romans 3:10-12;20, 23
G.) So the question comes, what is God’s view of us
under the law?
ga.) Rom. 6:23
gb.) See under the law, the way God will deal with us is on the basis of the wages owed to us which is death.
gc.) The good news was that Paul found he did not have to receive the wages due his life of sin, but that through Jesus Christ he could receive God’s gift of eternal life.
II. THE APOSTLE PAUL HAD EXPERIENCED THE GRACE OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST.
1.) Prior to Christ Paul had been a wicked man.
A.) As Paul was looking back on his life, he had come to realize that he had been a very wicked man.
aa.) 1 Timothy 1:13
B.) We would have to look back at Paul’s life and agree that he was wicked.
ba.) As one who persecuted the church, was instrumental in having Stephen murdered, a blasphemer, a violent man, etc.
bb.) We could not have called him a good man.
C.) It was not until Paul had come to Christ that he came to realize his own wickedness.
D.) In his former life as a Pharisee with a great education, he thought and felt he was pretty good before God.
2.) It was when Paul was still wicked that God showed him both mercy, and grace.
A.) 1 Timothy 1:13-14
B.) His sins had been done in ignorance.
ba.) The fact that what Paul had done with a good conscience thinking that he was in fact doing the will of God in no way made his actions less wicked.
bb.) Likewise, today when people violate God’s Word out of ignorance of the Word and will of God it is still no excuse for disobedience to The Creator, and God of this universe.
C.) His sins had been done while in a state of unbelief.
ca.) When Paul was so vile and wicked he believed in God and to a certain degree had faith in God, but he did not have faith in Jesus Christ.
cb.) It was there in that state of unbelief, that God did something which God does not usually do.
cba.) By means of the miraculous, God allowed Paul to have an encounter with Jesus Christ in which Paul was left blind.
cbb.) For three days Paul was in a state of deep repentance in which the heart and soul of Paul was so burdened that he could neither eat nor drink.
cc.) It was at this point that God had sent the man Ananias to restore his sight, and to also give him the opportunity to receive both the mercy and also the grace of God.
D.) While Paul was still a wicked man, Ananias instructed Paul what he must do to receive the mercy and grace of God.
da.) Acts 22:16
E.) Just to recount these events:
ea.) By means of an unusual and miraculous encounter with Jesus, Paul came to have faith in Jesus Christ.
eb.) For three days Paul was in a state of repentance deeper than most people ever come to know.
ec.) while in that state of Godly sorrow, Ananias came, preached to him, and restored his physical sight.
ed.) Once his physical sight had been restored, Ananias told him he needed to wash away his sins in the waters of baptism calling on the name of Jesus Christ.
ee.) Paul was obedient to the commandment he had been given.
eea.) Acts 9:18b.-19
F.) It was at that point that Paul experienced the mercy (verse 14) and the Grace (verse 15) of God.
fa.) The grace of God was poured out on Paul abundantly.
fb.) What a beautiful picture!
fba.) When it comes to the Wonderful grace of God, it is freely given and poured out on us generously as we need it, along with the faith and love that are in Christ.
fbb.) Paul experienced firsthand the abundant grace of God.
fbc.) Romans 5:19-21
G.) Once Paul had received the mercy and grace of God, by a saving obedient faith in Jesus Christ through the waters of baptism, his soul was finally at peace.
ga.) It was only then when he had received the mercy and grace of God, that his heart had become content in the joy of salvation that he could restore his strength with physical food.
III. THE APOSTLE PAUL ASSURES US THAT WE TOO CAN EXPERIENCE THE GRACE OF GOD.
1.) Paul’s personal experience is a testimony for us.
A.) 1 Tim. 1:15
B.) For the most part the majority of people do not have the guilt of taking the life of another human being.
ba.) The fact that Paul had that against his conscience, as well as many other crimes is a powerful testimony to the mercy and grace of God given to man through Jesus Christ.
C.) Paul was used by Jesus Christ as an example of the greatness of the love, mercy, and grace of God.
bba.) 1 Timothy 1:16
bc.) Paul was solid proof of the forgiveness, mercy and grace of God.
bd.) If God could show this love to Paul, he can show it to you and me.
CONCLUSION:
1.) Today we have looked at that joyous transition from law to grace.
A.) Whenever a person comes to experience first-hand the love of God and to live in the mercy and grace of God, it is an exciting time.
B.) The thoughts of what God had done had brought Paul to greatly rejoice in a song of praise.
ba.) Hear Paul’s song of praise in 1 Tim. 1:17:
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honour, and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
2.) Today as we leave here can you sing a song of Praise as the Apostle Paul did about his relationship with God and Jesus Christ?
A.) Today if you cannot leave here with praise, joy, and excitement in your heart because of your relationship with Christ, then you are not living in the love of God, and need to experience His mercy and grace today.
B.) If Christ Jesus is calling to your heart today, do not turn Him away. do not resist Him. do not reject Him, but come to the one who died for you.
