Results ARE Typical
1 Timothy 1:15-16
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
We’ve all seen the ads on TV. A man or woman is smiling, holding a giant pair of blue jeans. Then they say, “I lost 700 pounds in only two weeks using Slim So Fast shakes. I used to blot out the sun when I passed groups of children, but now I am a super model…” Then in really small type at the bottom of the screen it says, “Results not typical.”
The only thing most people who fell for these scams lost was money.
“Results not typical.” What a lovely way to gently say, “This isn’t going to work that way for you. You can try, but you aren’t going to lose 700 pounds in two weeks, two months, or even two decades.”
When Paul wrote about salvation, he did it with a passion that comes from being forgiven of terrible things. Before Paul met Christ, he had Christians beaten, tortured, and killed. In Acts 26:11 Paul told Agrippa that he had punished them often and compelled them to blaspheme. Paul was not a nice guy. In fact, he says he was the biggest sinner of them all.
Then came the commercial pitch: “And if Jesus can forgive my sins, he can absolutely forgive you!” Look closely at the bottom of the screen, it says, “Results ARE typical. Yes, Jesus can save even you!”
We’re not selling a miracle cure, it’s better than that. Accepting Christ as your Savior is more than a miracle, it is grace. It is a loving God showing mercy when we deserved death. Salvation is our Heavenly Father blotting out the stuff we did in the past and loving us anyway.
The only thing you bring to salvation is your sin and brokenness. Jesus already paid the price for you on the cross. Now it is up to you to accept his love, forgiveness, and grace.
Today’s Readings: 1 Timothy 1-4
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