Paul’s Before and After

Text: 1 Ti.1:3-17

Introduction:

· The Charles Atlas ads on comic books twenty years ago always featured two panels: A before panel showing a 98 lb. weakling, and an after panel featuring his transformation to a muscle man as the result of using the Charles Atlas regimen.

· Jenny Jones show and her ilk that often have programs devoted to “makeovers” where they take an average looking person, give them a professional haircut, make-up, etc. and then show the difference from before to after.

· The modern glamour shot studios that transform the looks of the average person.

· Historical makeovers:

o Auca Indians who killed the five missionaries became Christians

o Billy Sunday

o Author of Amazing Grace

· Biblical makeovers: Matthew, Paul

I. Paul’s Previous Condition

A. Blasphemer

1. Note that he was a blasphemer while he was “serving” God in Judaism

2. Blasphemy is not just in the jurisdiction of unbelievers or the profane

3. It is possible to blaspheme while thinking you are serving God

4. It is also possible for a Christian to blaspheme

5. Blasphemy is speaking evil or wrongly about Christ

a) Paul did both of these

b) He tried to get Christians to do this and to recant

B. Persecutor

1. He received letters giving him the authority to seek out Christians and imprison them

2. He approved of the stoning of Stephen

C. Injurious

D. Ignorant

1. Some are willfully ignorant

a) About creation (2 Pe. 3:5-6)

b) About God’s judgment (Ro. 1:16-32)

2. There is a difference in sins of ignorance and deliberate sins

E. Unbelief

F. Chief of sinners

1. Personally, I think that there have been greater sinners than Paul: Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin

2. However, I think most of us feel that we are the worst of sinners when we are thinking about ourselves

3. From Romans 7 we find that the closer we get to God, the more we realize how sinful we are.

4. I think Paul was so close to God that he saw how wretched he really was. “Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

II. Paul’s Present Condition

A. Enabled

1. When God calls, he also equips

a) Moses made excuses about his ability to speak

b) God responded with “Who made man’s mouth?”

c) He gives each of us gifts and abilities (1 Cor. 12, 14)

2. You have the necessary abilities to do what God wants you to do

a) You must use it or lose it

b) You must be a good steward of those abilities

B. Counted faithful

1. He stood by the stuff

2. He stuck to the task

3. He was “instant in season and our of season”

C. Put me in the ministry

1. His calling came from God, not himself

2. He recognized God’s purpose for his life

D. Obtained mercy

III. God’s Purpose in Paul’s Transformation

A. God’s ultimate goal is the salvation of men

B. The primary purpose of salvation is not man-centered, but God centered

1. The primary purpose of salvation is to bring God glory (1 Cor. 10:31)

2. In the benediction here, it is God who is to get the glory

3. Primary purpose of salvation is not so that we can escape hell, but so that we can bring God glory.

C. Paul was to be an example (a pattern) for believers

1. Example in long-suffering

2. Example of what Jesus is like