Paul offers a number of encouragements to the early churches and the young preachers. We often quote him when we're trying to encourage one another. He knew that our God is a God of encouragement, so he labored to reflect that.
But perhaps the greatest encouragement is the one Paul says most bluntly, early in his first letter to Timothy:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst (1:15).
In other words, do you need a truth to hang your hat on, Timothy? Do you need one thing to cling to? One thing you ought to know by heart about God? It's this:
God sent His Son to save sinners.
Period.
He didn't send Him to be a good teacher, though He was that, too.
He didn't send Him to tear down the corrupt establishment, though He did that, too.
He didn't send Him to establish the church, though that happened out of His life, too.
He didn't send Him to stick it to the devil, though it's pretty well stuck at this point, too.
He sent His Son to save sinners.
To redeem fallen men and women.
To bring us back to Him.
To make it so that we could turn around and look Him in the face again and see what grace and goodness look like.
So that sinners become saints who sing His praise in glory.
Sinners of whom we are the worst.
You and me. And Paul. And Timothy. And Noah. And David. And every other person who has ever dared to love God and live in the flesh at the same time. We're sinners. We're the worst of them. Because our hearts know better, but our humanity just can't seem to help itself.
Christ Jesus came to save us.
That is a trustworthy saying.
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