“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 1:12-14.

If ever someone needed mercy and forgiveness, it was the apostle Paul. His own descriptive words convey his guilt: blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor. Completely misguided in his religious zeal, he violently opposed God’s own Son. But, great as his guilt was, “the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.” Grace far outweighted guilt.

None of us are guiltless. There is a temptation to categorize guilt to greater and lesser degrees, but “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. Some sins carry greater consequences, but all sin will cost us the kingdom unless there is grace and forgiveness. And this we have with God through Jesus.

It is important to clarify that this abundant grace applies to those who have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. Lest we convey a false hope and message, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1. For those who are NOT in Christ Jesus, there IS condemnation, as there was with Paul prior to his conversion. How we come to be in Christ is clearly detailed in Acts 2:38.

As a child of God through Christ, perhaps you need this reminder today that, no matter your past offenses and guilt, there is freedom through grace that is more than abundant. Needless guilt over that which God has already given is crippling and debilitating. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.

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