Sinners Saved

Q: What does the Bible say about salvation for sinners?

The Bible states that Christ Jesus came into the world specifically to save sinners, as highlighted in 1 Timothy 1:15. The Bible is clear that salvation is specifically intended for sinners. In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul states, 'This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.' This verse underscores not only the purpose of Christ's coming but also the nature of those He came to save—sinners. This is a gracious declaration of hope for those who recognize their sinful state and need for salvation. It affirms that no one is beyond God's saving grace, as Christ came to redeem the very worst among us, showing that His mercy is sufficient for the most desperate of circumstances. Through this, we see the heart of the Gospel which revolves around the truth that we are all in need of God’s saving grace.

Q: How do we know that Christ came to save sinners?

We know Christ came to save sinners because of the biblical declaration found in 1 Timothy 1:15 and supported by numerous scriptural accounts. The truth that Christ came to save sinners is firmly rooted in Scripture. 1 Timothy 1:15 is a pivotal verse in which the Apostle Paul affirms, 'This is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' This statement reflects the core of the Christian faith, where Scripture consistently reveals man's sinful nature and God's provision for salvation through Christ. Passages like Luke 19:10 further affirm this, where Jesus Himself states, 'For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.' The teaching is transformative, emphasizing that Christ's mission was to reach out to those who are spiritually dead, indicating His purpose was always to save those who are unable to save themselves.

Q: Why is the concept of being a sinner important for Christians?

Recognizing ourselves as sinners is crucial for Christians as it underscores our need for God's grace and the redemptive work of Christ. Acknowledging our identity as sinners is foundational for the Christian faith because it highlights our absolute need for God's grace and redemption. Romans 3:23 states that 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' This illustrates that every person, regardless of their moral standing, is in need of salvation. When we recognize our sinfulness, we are positioned to appreciate the depths of God's mercy and the significance of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5). This understanding cultivates humility and gratitude, prompting believers to respond in faith and obedience. Moreover, it reinforces the central tenet of sovereign grace theology, affirming that it is by grace alone that we are saved, affirming our reliance on Christ for our righteousness rather than our own efforts.

Q: What does it mean that Christ is the prototype of sinners?

Christ being the prototype of sinners signifies that He embodies the perfect fulfillment of God's plan to save the unworthy. When Paul refers to himself as the 'chief' of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15, he establishes a profound truth about the nature of salvation. By identifying as the prototype of sinners, he illustrates that despite his previous righteousness as a Pharisee, all have fallen short of God's glory. This embodiment points to Jesus, who, while sinless, came into the world in a way that allows Him to relate to humanity's suffering and sin. Christ did not come to redeem the righteous; rather, He assumed the role of a servant, engaging fully with those deemed unworthy. This identification serves to remind believers that no one is too lost to be saved and that the grace of God is sufficient for those who acknowledge their need. The prototype signifies not only the nature of Jesus' mission but also encourages a posture of humility among believers in recognizing their own sinfulness before a holy God.

Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. If you would, turn with me to 1 Timothy 1. 1 Timothy 1. I'm only gonna read one verse. 1 Timothy 1. And verse 15, very familiar to you. If you remember, Joe did a message on the three faithful sayings, at least the ones he had selected. I'm just gonna concentrate on this one.

1 Timothy 1 verse 15, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Faithful, that is trustworthy or true. Acceptation, that is praise or approval. and chief that is the prototype. This is a true statement and worthy of all approval that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the prototype. We have a gracious gospel statement here and it is a statement that is true and you can count on it. It is worthy of us giving our praise or approval of it. And that praise and approval goes to God. But this salvation that is done is not just for anyone.

It's not even just for any sinner. And by that I mean those that you always hear them say, we are all sinners. Because they are okay if everyone is in the same boat. But to have themselves to be the prototype of a sinner, no way. And I've just basically given you my message. That's what I want to talk about this morning. A faithful saying, who came and sinners. So a faithful saying. As I said, this saying is trustworthy. You can trust it. You can count on it. It is the truth. But as we look at this one statement, we can see that it is full of faith on all sides, if you will.

We can see the faith of Christ Jesus, and we know these sinners have been given faith to know what Paul admits. Because of the actual statement, and that is that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, it is worthy of praise or commendation. It is an acceptable saying. Because knowing who it is that it is mentioned here as doing something, Christ Jesus, here it is said Christ Jesus and not Jesus Christ.

And although either way, it's talking about the same one, but I believe there is a reason it is said like this. The way this statement is said, we can also see that this was the whole purpose for Christ to do this, because it says he came into this world to. So what is said next is what his intentions were. So whatever is after that to is what his purpose was for coming into this world. Why is this saying so worthy? Because of the one who did it and the ones he'd done it for who came.

As I said, it says Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the promised one, his godness, if you will, and then his manhood. and don't misunderstand me. I know it could probably be said another way. You cannot separate the two. He is both God and man at the same time. But I think it's said this way to be sure it is known who it is that came into this world.

This one came into the world to save sinners. He did not come to save good people because there are none, Joe. There were none and there are none. This one, as we will see in a moment, came into this world to save sinners. Sinners are the only ones he came to save. It's the only kind of people he saves, as Art Nguyen's wonder has said. So who came?

Christ is the one who existed before anything else. Christ is the one who created all things. Let me add, he also did this as a man as well, but I'm trying to point out who it is that this is speaking of as Christ. He was the one where we read at the very beginning who said, let there be light. And it was so. Christ is the voice of God. He is the one who came walking in the cool of the day in the garden after Adam had failed. But let's look at who God is.

If you will, turn to me to Isaiah chapter six, please. And you all were very familiar with this one as well. I wanted to find a few passages that talks about the holiness of God, and I think this is a real good one. Isaiah six and verses one through five. Isaiah 6-1, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Above it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings. With twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke. When you see who God is, then you will see who you are, Joe. Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And we'll stop right there.

This word holy here is derived from a word that means to be clean, totally clean. And this word itself means sacred or a sanctuary or holy one or saint. This God is one who is clean. His cleanliness is said to be whiter than snow. But as we read here in Isaiah, his cleanness is so great, it causes any other who see him to want to cover their face so that he does not look upon us and see what we are. Here is what Isaiah said, oh me, I perish. Sounds like there's a little fear there of this one who has just seen him. Because he knows now how clean this one is.

I also looked at this word for unclean where it says I am a man of unclean lips. This word means foul in a religious sense. Isn't that strange? Not foul in an immoral sense, but my religion is foul in God's sight. We know that because we're told in scripture, this one is so clean that even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in his sight. Keep in mind here that the ones who have come into knowing this God are one, angels, those angels who have not fallen, and then a man, of course, but one who is one of God's children. This is what they see and know about God. Does my knowledge match that knowledge of Him? We also see this in the New Testament, so turn with me to Revelation chapter one. Revelation chapter one. Revelation chapter 1 and we'll read verses 13 through 18.

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one likened to the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet likened to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not. I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore, amen, and have the keys of hell and death. This Christ that came into the world to save sinners is one that is so clean, so holy, that those for whom he saved fall at his feet as one dead. We do not come to Him chewing and popping our bubble gum. We don't come up right alongside to Jesus. We are not giving this one our heart. We are falling at His feet as one dead.

That is the one who in this passage came into the world. But then we have Jesus, and this is Christ manifest in the flesh. That is that one who was spoken of in Isaiah, Isaiah 9, 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So here we see that we cannot separate Christ from Jesus because this one who came down is the Son of God given to man.

To what? Save sinners. So this tells us this is no ordinary man. The scripture speaks about man and that he is nothing and yea less than nothing. But this man is not nothing nor is he less than nothing. He is wonderful. The word means a miracle. He is a counselor. This word means to advise or to deliberate. He is the advocate for some, that some being sinners. He is, and see how it says it, the mighty God. There is only one. He is not a mighty God, but the mighty God. He has done whatsoever has pleased him.

But the beautiful thing about it is, what this mighty one was pleased to do is to save sinners. So next we have sinners. We have passages that tell us what sinners are. Romans has a lot of it, but let's read just verses 20 and 21, Romans 1, 20 and 21.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Sinners are those who do not give God the glory. They do not believe God. Being a sinner is as simple as not believing God. That is foul religion. Because of this, it then says this in verse 24 of Romans 1, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. not believing God, not giving God the glory to whom it belongs, that is our uncleanness. And because of that, we then begin to do the immoral things. Romans 1, 29 through 31. being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

If there is anyone who hears this message, I just want to say, these are not good things. The way things are going today, it would seem that some folk thinks these are some good things, but they are not. Now turn over with me to 1 Corinthians 6. We'll read some more of this, 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians 6 verses 9 through 11.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. and such were some of you.

So who is it then that this Christ and this Jesus came to save? We will know them as this group of people who it is said that they were these very things. But because this Christ, this Jesus came into the world to save sinners such as them, because of this, or because of what he came to do in this world, then Paul was able to go on to say in verse 11, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. because of what he did when he came into this world. And he can then come to them in this world and change them, making them whiter than snow themselves in him.

But our text verse goes on to say, as I told you, there are a lot of people who will quote and say, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. but they don't think they are really that bad. We at one time didn't think we were that bad. But the fact is, we are that bad. Every man born forth from Adam is that bad. But the facts are that not all of those who are born of Adam know it.

But to those who this Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, know this very truth, of whom I am chief, or I am the prototype. All those sinners that Christ Jesus came into the world to save will know themselves to be the very same prototype.

Let's just look at what Paul knew about himself, Philippians 3 verses 4 and 5. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee. This is what your foul religion is, in verse six, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. His foul religion persecuted the church, and so did ours. Christ told Saul, later Paul, that he was persecuting Christ Jesus himself.

This is what Paul knows about himself, and so does all other believers who God has done this for. When we do not believe God, and that means if we do not believe that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and we do not know we are a sinner, then Christ may have not died for you. Paul says to us that he knows that he is a sinner. All of God's people know they are a sinner. Whether anyone else is a sinner or not, they know themselves to be a sinner. but they can give praise to God because they know that the very purpose that he came into this world was to save sinners, and he did. We know this is a faithful saying because we know the one who did this work. This is the God Almighty manifest in the flesh. Christ Jesus is the one who did this. It was the very purpose for why he was given.

Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5, but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. The very God of heaven took our place. He could have done whatever he wanted. He could have destroyed us all.

But this one who came down, who was given to fallen sinful man to take the place of the guilty, so that the guilty might go free. Christ Jesus, as he has said in his word, did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He has saved from every kindred, tongue, tribe, and nation, so He has saved the whole world. The whole world is represented right there.

But He was compassionate even to those who would not believe on His name. He helped people. He fed people who were hungry. He healed some of their diseases, but not all of them followed Him. Some of those who followed him stopped following him once he started to speak. Getting their bellies filled was okay.

But for this God, this man to say he had all the power to save, some did not want it and some do not want it even today. This is why he gets all the glory, because he deserves it. It is a faithful saying because of who he is and what he has done. But it is also faithful because of who he did this for. He did this for sinners.

Those who by nature, as they are born from their mother's womb, hate the very God who saved them. These sinners were the enemies of God, but now because of his work, they are the friends of God. These are they who are and were not better than any other. They in fact look no different than anyone else. But because of him, they know themselves to be sinners. Those who hated God and persecuted him because of their unbelief. These lawbreakers are the fountain from which sin comes forth. There is an abundance of sin when it comes to these who know they are the prototype.

But then we have Romans 5.20 that says this.

Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but, thank God for his but, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Their sin is great, but his grace is greater. in that they can rejoice. Our Lord told us, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Oh my, what a glorious gospel we have right there. We can see this in this faithful saying. What graciousness we can see in this one saying, this is a faithful saying worthy of all praise, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.

Can you take your place there? If you can, it is a safe place to be. It is full of salvation and worthy of praise because of what he has done and that he has done forever. There is no doubt that he finished the work that he came to do because he is no longer in this world. But he is advocating for those whom he is bringing to himself. Praise to his holy name, amen.

Thank you, dear Lord God, for once again allowing us to gather together, dear Lord. It is a comfort to gather with God's people, dear Lord. When we can't, dear Lord, we miss it. We miss it, but we thank you for all your mercy and your grace, dear Lord, which can only come from you. all these things we ask in Christ's name, amen.

♪ Come all ye chosen saints of God ♪ ♪ Whose souls are washed in Jesus' blood ♪ ♪ Hear what he says, his word is true ♪ ♪ My grace sufficient is for you ♪ I am your sure, almighty friend, who loving loves you to the end. I will be near you and will show my great sufficient is for you. I know how numerous are your foes. ♪ Which they oppose ♪ ♪ I know their cunning malice too ♪ ♪ My grace of vision is for you ♪ ♪ Though Satan tries your soul to snare ♪ ♪ You're still the objects of my care ♪ Do you want proof of this, my God? See how the ransomed millionaires rise. is for you. I'll guide you safely in the way through life's dark night to heaven's bright day. And there with wonder you shall view My great salvation is for you.

Sinners Saved

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about salvation for sinners?

How do we know that Christ came to save sinners?

Why is the concept of being a sinner important for Christians?

What does it mean that Christ is the prototype of sinners?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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Sinners Saved

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about salvation for sinners?

How do we know that Christ came to save sinners?

Why is the concept of being a sinner important for Christians?

What does it mean that Christ is the prototype of sinners?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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