And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, (13) although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (14) And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (15) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (16) However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. (17) Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory for ever and ever, Amen
The letter to Timothy is a pastoral letter written by the Apostle Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy. This letter was written near the end of Pauls life and the purpose of Paul was to charge Timothy to reject those who were preaching a false gospel.
Paul is using his personal testimony to the gospel he preached – that salvation is through God’s mercy and free grace. The source of grace is through Christ Jesus and not through any merit on the part of man. Faith itself is a gift from God and comes with grace – faith is not of ourselves. The gospel is a message of God’s transforming grace for sinners and Paul presents himself as chief of those sinners – if Paul could be transformed, anyone could be a new man/woman in Christ.
Only in the pastoral letters does Paul use the phrase “this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance”. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – and man is a sinner by nature. Verse 15 summarizes the gospel on which Timothy should base his ministry.
God transforms lives and the whole passage is praise to God for salvation in Christ Jesus. Further, in using himself as a model for the transformative power of God, Paul makes a distinction between ignorance of the truth and willful rejection of the truth. The latter rejection by man puts him in danger of losing out on God’s grace forever. That poor soul may be hardened beyond repentance.