PAUL’S SAVIOR....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

I Timothy 1:15 NKJV

Paul makes a simple plain statement and embellishes it with the requirement that it be accepted and believed.

The purpose of Christ in His mission is to “save sinners”.  The word “save” is in the aorist tense.  The importance of this is in the fact that aorist is completed action.  “Saved” as it is written is thus an accomplished fact.  He did not aid in saving—He did it.  He did not make it either available or possible.  He did it.  He did not come for some other purpose, fail in the purpose, and do this “saving thing” as a backup plan.  He came into the world for this purpose.

The interesting fact is the information John gives us in his Epistle as some of the ways this is accomplished.  It is worth our time to look there.  I John 1:2   the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.  The “life” was plainly made known.  John 1:4 In Him was life.  This was life without death.  This was life that enlightened all others.  This was life that revealed God  (John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.)  as no other ever had, now can, or ever will do.  It is the life that refused death in the grave and reveals all that our resurrected life will be.  He was manifested not only to reveal life but to be life.  The poet has well said, “There is life for look at the crucified one.”

I John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.  He was plainly made known as the “sin bearer” of Isaiah 53:4-6.

 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The scholars debate whether “take away” in this verse will bear the weight of “bear or carry away”, but we know that Isaiah 53 was ever near the mind of John and this leaves us with not doubt.

Again the verb “take away” is aorist.  It is not the past that is intended but completed action.  Here we find something that He accomplished.  He “took away” sin.  We can’t do this.  We can’t aid Christ in His atoning for the sins of His people.  This is done, completed, finished and it cannot be done again in any way.

And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain- For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Chorus:
Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Tis mystery all! Th’ Immortal dies: Who can explore his strange design?

In vain the firstborn seraph tries to sound The depths of love divine.

This mercy all! Let earth adore, let angel minds in quire no more.

He left His Father's throne above So free, so infinite His grace-
Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray-I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th' eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Charles Wesley, 1738

I John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.

What a great foe the Devil is.  This is understood by what was done to destroy Him.  The works of the Devil  is nothing less that the whole of his person and power.  We, the elect, are no longer under his control.  We are free.  Paul in Colossians 1:13 states this same truth in a different way.  By the new birth we have entered the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of His dear Son.  Here the Devil who takes men as he desires.  II Timothy 2:26

and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

The victory of Christ over Satan is a great favor of this age of Grace.  Satan’s purpose and power is to defeat God and if not to embarrass Him.  We find him attempting this in Job.  As Christians we live in a Kingdom of victory and we can always call to mind that we are more that conquerors through Him who loved us.

In the life that He is, in the atonement He accomplished, and in the victory He won, we are saved.  He came, He saw, and He did.  He left nothing undone.  In the final accounting in I Cor. 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched, Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity joined with pow'r:
He is able, He is able, He is able, He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance, Ev'ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money, Without money, Without money,  Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden, Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better, You will never come at all:
Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth Is to feel your need of him;
This he gives you, This he gives you, This he gives you; 'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! th'incarnate God, ascended, Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good.

Joseph Hart, 1759