Blasphemer and Minister

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. — 1 Tim. i. 12, 13.

The intellectual argument in support of Christianity should always be attested by the pathos of personal experience. The apostle Paul not only argued his Christian positions, and made them logically invincible, he also drew upon his experience, so as to clothe his doctrinal and controversial statements with the attractiveness of a holy and unassailable example. The apostle was never afraid or ashamed to speak of his own Christian experience. Again and again he recurs to what Jesus Christ did in his own heart, and never hesitates to use the language of exultant thankfulness when reviewing the work of grace in his soul. He never thought that the dignity of an argument was impaired by an abrupt exclamation of personal thanksgiving for personal mercies. A Christian should always be an argument to himself in respect to the validity of the Christian faith. Strong in his own convictions, he will also be strong in all his social relations and services when attempting to enforce the claims of Christian truth. In the text we have —

I. A HUMILIATING AND PAINFUL RECOLLECTION. —

“Who was before a blasphemer,, and a persecutor, and injurious.’^ Men should diligently study the true uses of the past. The past is rightly used (1) when it deepens our sense of personal guilt; (2) when it illustrates the greatness of Divine mercy; (3) when, it inspires with courage in relation to the future. A man should never allow himself to forget that, however exalted his present spiritual state, he was a sinner when Jesus Christ found him.

II. A humiliating and painful recollection relieved BY THE HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. ‘^^ I obtained mercy.^^ Not, “I recovered myself; not, “I outgrew my moral blemishes;” not, “I saw the intellectual error of my way,^^ — but, “I obtained mercy J’ The fact that sin must be met by the mercy of God shows (1) that sin deserves punishment; (2) that escape from such punishment can only be secured through the sovereign mercij of God; (3) that there must be a personal realization of this Divine mercy. The work of Jesus Christ does not form the basis of a universal amnesty. Every man must go to the cross for himself, as if he were the only sinner in the universe.

III. A humiliating and painful recollection succeeded BY A HOLY AND SUBLIME VOCATION. ‘’’Putting

me into the ministry.’’^ Look at the contrast — “blasphemer ‘’^ minister. “The past is ahused when it is regarded as a disqualification for the highest service. The fact that Jesus Christ employs converted sinners in the ministry of His Gospel serves three important purposes. (1) It puts the minister into moral sympathy with his hearers; he knows their condition their temptations, their excuses, their susceptibilities, etc. (2) It exemplifies the power of the Gospel to do what it irroposes. The preacher is Itimself an argument and an illustration. He goes into his own experience as into a strong tower. To every objector he can say,” Once I was blind, now I see.’“’ (3) It stimulates the study of Divine things. We are to search the Scriptures, etc.; we are to admonish one another, etc.; we are to be wise householders, bringing out of the treasury tilings new and old. Advantage may possibly be taken of the apostle’s words, “Because I did it ignorantly in unbelief,” The apostle did not regard this as a justification, otherwise lie would not have needed to refer his spiritual change to the mercy of God. These are words which no man ought lightly to use. Where is there a man who can honestly say that he sins in ignorance? Who can say that he is without power to distinguish between right and wrong? When this plea is withdrawn, the sinner is left absolutely without justification or excuse before God. What then? The mercy of God, as shown in our Lord Jasus Christ, invites him to a new standing ground, and offers him the conditions which can meet the torment and weakness of his depravity.

Application: — (1) This text appeals to the worst of men, — blasphemer, persecutor, injurious; (2) explains the vehemence and urgency of an earnest ministry — men like the apostle, who realize a sense of their obligation to the mercy of God, cannot hold their tongues or regulate their services by the standard of common proprieties; (3) exalts and illustrates the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ. If the Saviour has done so much for one man. He can do the same for all. His mercy is a great sea, receiving the impurities of all, yet remaining itself untainted and undiminished.

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