Thursday, April 22, 2021
Month Theme: Explode
Topic: They Will Not All be Destroyed
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-16
Main Text:
1 Timothy 1:13
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
The above scripture reference reveals the works of the apostle Paul as a sinner before God saved him and put him into the ministry. He was a sinner who did not perish in his sins but received the mercy option of God. The word sinner means wicked, stained with definite vices or crimes, heathen. It stands for all human beings who have fallen short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness.
The apostle Paul mentioned three marks of a sinner:
1. Blasphemer — The word blasphemer means slanderous, evil-speaking, revilers and abusers. The overt blasphemer speaks evil things against God whereas the disguised blasphemer speaks evil things against Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and the Church (Matthew 12:31-32). The apostle Paul blasphemed Jesus Christ and the works of the Holy Ghost.
2. Persecutor — The word persecutor means to pursue, put to flight, press, run after, mistreat or be hostile towards. Persecutors may pretend to love God; may not blaspheme God but persecute the believers in Christ. The apostle Paul persecuted the believers (Philippians 3:6).
3. Injurious — The word injurious means to be violent, insolent, aggressive, insult, maltreat or proud. The apostle Paul was injurious towards the Body of Christ (Acts 9:13-14).
The apostle Paul described himself as the chief sinner before his conversion to Christ. The explosion of the power of the Holy Ghost may not destroy all sinners – blasphemers, persecutors and injurious people. Some of them will be saved like the apostle Paul was saved – he obtained mercy (1 Timothy 1:16). We must pray for sinners to experience God’s mercy option instead of destruction.
Prayer: Pray for a soul somewhere that God will touch his/her heart to be converted to Christ; ask God to show him/her mercy.
Recommended Reading: “Jesus Christ the Healer” by Eastwood Anaba
(Find other e-books at www.amazon.com)
www.eastwoodanaba.com
