Worst Sinner in the World & Podcast

Apostle Paul, Chief Sinner

Sometimes it’s possible to overstate your case. While riding about two miles outside Burns, Oregon near a lumber mill, I spotted a small café. The sign in front read in large letters, “The Worst Food in Oregon Since 1970.” That almost made us stop. We wanted to see if they’d overstated their case or not. A hyperbole, we might say, perhaps an exaggeration or a play on words.

Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am foremost the worst.”

Was he exaggerating? The worst sinner on the face of the earth? He further claimed in 1 Corinthians 15:9, “I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” In Ephesians 3:8, “I am less than the least of all God’s people.” In 2 Corinthians 12:11, he states, “I am nothing, nobody.”

So, how rotten was Apostle Paul?

He confessed to be a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor (1 Timothy 1:13). At Stephen’s stoning death, Paul as Saul gave hearty approval (Acts 8:1).  Then he ravaged the church, going house to house to drag off men and women to prison. Saul breathed out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples (Acts 9:1). Then he went to the high priest to ask for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, “so that if he found any there who belonged to the way, whether men or women, he might take them bound as prisoners to Jerusalem.” Later, he persecuted believers to death and tried to force them to blaspheme (Acts 22:4,5; 26:9-11). In furious rage, he pursued them to foreign cities too. He had much to regret.

Bible List of the Infamous

The Bible catalogues a whole list of rotten people. Old Testament saints include a nice fellow like Moses. This great man of God started out his career by murdering an Egyptian who picked on an Israeli. He spent the next forty years hiding in the wilderness while God prepared him to be the leader he needed to be. Later, in disobedience he beat a miracle stick on a rock. He did this in pride with wrath against the people he led. God had to punish him for his arrogance. King David earned a reputation as the most famous sinner in the Bible. He committed murder and adultery, out of covetousness, greed, and pride.

I hear some people say, “I would like to know God, but it’s too late for me.” Their past prevents them. So much water under the bridge. I can tell you how rotten you are. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). “For the heart is desperately wicked. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) No one can walk into God’s presence and say, “Lord, I did it! I’m perfect!” All of us experience some level of failure. Why is it we humans must admit we’re sinners?

Some Reasons Why

~~ We have a defective life scope.

We try to live without absolutes. Our society promotes that. We end up living like “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Do whatever you think you can get away with. There’s no right or wrong, just decide for yourself what’s good or bad.

~~ We underestimate the power of habit.

A habit controls you. If you’re still in control, it’s not a habit yet. If an action controls, you can’t stop if you wanted to. Apostle Paul portrays the whole spiritual side of the dilemma in Romans 7. Study that chapter. He wonders why he keeps on doing things he doesn’t want to do, but also provides the solution.

~~ We don’t understand the rewards of righteousness.

We’re deceived into thinking righteousness always means giving up something. Less fun, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Meanwhile, everyone else seems to live life better. But Jesus said, “I have come to give you life and to give it abundantly” (John 10:10). He wants good things for us.

Evil and Judgement

~~ We forget Satan’s influence.

Our enemy blinds the minds of unbelievers. Satan is real. He has a powerful effect in our world. He’s not only at work in horrible events around the face of the globe, but also in domestic relationships, and right here in our own families. On our own, we can’t live a holy life. We need the help of God’s Holy Spirit.

~~ We neglect the judgement of God.

Hell-and-brimstone preaching went out of vogue a long time ago. That’s not nice to talk about. Yet Hebrews 10:31 proclaims, “It is a dreadful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” We deserve condemnation. And without Jesus Christ, there’s a day of accounting coming. We get exactly what we deserve.

~~ We procrastinate.

Decisions, decisions. Some jobs are easy to put off until later, like cleaning the garage or washing windows. They can wait. We can do it next week. We may place our commitment to Christ in the same category. It’s serious, important, and has to be done, but it can wait.

“And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. And now who will own what you have prepared for yourself?’” (One of Jesus’ parables, Luke 12:19,20).

Apostle Paul insisted he was the worst of sinners. The Bible says, we’re just like Paul. So, how do we deal with our sin?

What God Does with Sinners Like Apostle Paul

First, he doesn’t expect anyone to be sinless.

Jesus said, “I’ve come to save sinners.” Righteous people can’t be saved. He saves only sinners. Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He does not expect us to get our act together before we come to Him. Otherwise, no one would ever make it. Come just as you are.

Second, He takes care of the just punishment.

God does not say, “Oh, you’re sinful. That’s alright. Just forget it. It’s nothing. No big deal. Why be so worried about it?” No, He says to you and me, “Your sin is horrible and deserves condemnation and death. But I’ve already taken care of the penalty through my Son, Jesus.” That’s the difference. He forgives us if we confess, agree with Him where we blew it. And acknowledge Christ’s sacrifice.

1 John 1:9 … “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

When He forgives, He forgets. He doesn’t bring it up again. He doesn’t point it out to other people. We restore our relationship with Him. He forgives us so thoroughly He can accept us as pure. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Now we can also accept ourselves.

Apostle Paul didn’t beat himself on the head with his statement, saying, “Wretched worm that I am.” He proclaimed the kind of person he was, but God still accepted him. In fact, as the ultimate example, if God could receive him, He will reach out to anyone. It’s never too late. Nobody’s past keeps them from a full relationship with Jesus right now. But you must respond.

Your Choices

• Actively reject the message of Christ.

Any person can hear and say, “I don’t want to accept Christ. I don’t want forgiveness.” Some people have done that for years, as much as hundreds of times. Each time they become more callous to the Gospel. It’s a little more difficult to penetrate and may not sink in at all. That’s why we should come like children. They receive the message so openly.

• Take time to think about it.

You want to ponder such a crucial, life changing decision for a while. But the idea of asking God for forgiveness and receiving Jesus as Savior will most likely get crowded out with all sorts of distractions and diversions. Chances are you won’t think about it at all, when the moment of conviction passes. Such a disconcerting subject will be lost among life’s pleasures and entertainment, harassments and trials.

• You could act right now.

When Jesus calls to you, respond immediately. Release the past and the big doubts. Receive His love. Claim Him as your Lord and Savior. No matter how much you’re competing with Apostle Paul as the foremost of all sinners, God stands ready to accept you as His child. You’re lost and I’m lost without Him, but we can be fully forgiven.

We need balance in our lives, to see ourselves for who we truly are but also what we can be for Him. Keep both views in mind and in the midst of our darkness, He will break through with His light.

Stephen Bly

Copyright©1984
Sorry Board Sign Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Man Praying at Cross Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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“Worst Sinner in the World” audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.  Recorded 1984 by Fillmore Bible Church, Fillmore, California. 

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