“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15
The amazing thing about this statement is that Paul knew very well the crimes of Nero, a most wicked and cruel man. He knew what Judas had done, clearly a crime of immense magnitude. Surely these men were more wicked than Paul, and yet, his testimony is that he is the chief of sinners. The word of God is true and cannot be broken (John 10:35), so we must accept the truth of Paul’s statement.
So here is the question each of us must ask ourselves: Is there more than one chief of sinners?
One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a Christian is to lose sight of his own universal sinful condition. This was the problem with the tribe of Ephraim (Hosea 12:8), and it is the same problem with Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22), the church of the last days.
Daniel, a man beloved by heaven and of whom the Bible records no fault, identified himself in his prayer as a wicked and rebellious sinner (Daniel 9:3, 4). Likewise, not one prophet or apostle ever claimed to be without sin.
We all must realize that throughout the history of mankind, every man, woman, and child born in this world—except Jesus—was and is sinful within. In speaking of the human condition, Paul wrote, “Now we know that whatever things the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19, 20
“The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 5, 1902
“No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ.” Steps to Christ, 65