1 Timothy 1.14 - Highly Unlikely

1 Timothy 1.14 - Highly Unlikely

Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ - that fits quite nicely in our minds. We have grown up spiritually standing upon this bedrock truth. But this title for that man would have mixed like oil and water to the first followers of the Way. Saul of Tarsus betrayed no warm affinity for Jesus or His rag-tag-alongs. You know Paul’s dramatic turnaround story – another great pillar of our faith. But don’t let its familiarity blunt the shock value. As we used to say in Uganda, “Saul of Tarsus was a ‘gone case’!” Even people of faith doubted whether God Himself could reach him. Saul cut through churches and terrorized Christ-followers like ISIS forces now rape Iraq.  But, as he gratefully confessed, “the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1.14). God trumps Saul…and ISIS…Boko Haram…any ‘gone case.’