HE CAME TO SAVE SINNERS

I Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

At this time of the year, many are busy celebrating the miraculous birth of Christ, but too few remember why He came. What does it mean? Why did He come? It is not important whether He was born in December. The important thing is that He was born. God became a man. Deity was robed in humanity. The eternal Creator died for sinners. Our text reminds us that he “came into the world to save sinners.” This is the Gospel or good news. When Mary was informed of God’s plan for her to give birth to Christ, she was instructed in this way, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Her Son would be the Savior. Her baby would be the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. He came to save sinners. When the angels announced His birth to the shepherds, they said, “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The Christ child is the Savior. He came to save us from our sin. He came to pay our sin debt that we might be forgiven, reconciled to God, and born again. We must personalize the Gospel. Jesus did not come to die for sinners in general, but to die for individuals. Paul says in our Scripture, “of whom I am chief.” Of all the sinners that Jesus came to save, Paul felt that he was the chief of them. He considered himself the foremost of all sinners. Who did Jesus die for? He died for you. He died for me. Undeserving does not begin to describe the desperate condition of our souls. We were without hope and without God in the world. We were lost and undone, turned to our own way, on the broad road of destruction, with an eternity in hell awaiting us. He came to save us. He came to this earth on a mission. His love for you and me and all mankind motivated His supreme sacrifice. He came to redeem us from our sin and bondage. He came to pay our sin debt. He came to ransom us. He took our sins on His own body on Golgotha’s cross. He died in our place and then rose triumphantly from the grave offering eternal salvation to all who will receive Him. What a Savior! What a Friend of sinners! We could never love Him as He deserves.

A devotional thought by Pastor Smith of Mt. Zion Baptist Church