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Ask Pastor John

Was Paul Really the World’s Worst Sinner?

Ask Pastor John

Desiring God

John Piper, Unknown, 163859, Pastor, Ask, Theology, Desiring God, Religion & Spirituality/christianity, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Questions

4.83.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2023

⏱️ 12 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 1 Timothy 1:15, the apostle Paul claims to have been “the foremost” of sinners. Is Paul speaking in hyperbole here, or was he really the world’s worst sinner?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The Apostle Paul writing in 1 Timothy 115 declared himself to be the world's worst sinner.

0:11.6

The world's worst sinner.

0:14.0

So is that hyperbole or is that apostolic self-deprecation or is that true?

0:20.2

Was Paul really the world's worst sinner?

0:23.5

You want to know?

0:24.6

I want to know.

0:25.8

A listener named Joel wants to know, and so he asks Pastor John.

0:30.3

Joel writes this, Pastor John, hello to you.

0:32.2

Paul makes this claim in 1 Timothy 115,

0:34.8

saying, is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world

0:39.4

to save sinners of whom I am the foremost.

0:43.4

The foremost.

0:45.6

Must be true because this is the authoritative word of God, but is Paul exaggerating his claim here.

0:51.5

The context seems to suggest that Paul meant he was truly the worst sinner.

0:56.2

He goes on to say in verse 16 that he was saved as an example that if he, the chief of

1:00.5

sinners, was saved, then surely others can be saved as well.

1:05.0

So was Paul really the world's worst sinner?

1:09.9

Paul said, the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came

1:16.9

into the world to save sinners of whom I am foremost.

1:23.7

But I receive mercy for this reason that in me, as in the foremost, Jesus Christ might

1:32.0

display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal

1:37.1

life.

...

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