GOD LOVES US…WARTS AND ALL!
1 Timothy 1:12-17
“Warts and all” is a familiar saying that we often hear. It means “the whole thing: not concealing the less attractive parts.”
This phrase is said to derive from Oliver Cromwell’s instructions to the painter Sir Peter Lely, when commissioning a portrait. At the time of the alleged instruction, Cromwell was Lord Protector of England. Lely had been portrait artist to Charles I and, following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, he was appointed as Charles II’s Principal Painter in Ordinary.
Lely’s painting style was, as was the norm at the time, intended to flatter the sitter. Royalty in particular expected portraits to show them in the best possible light, if not to be outright fanciful. Cromwell did have a preference for being portrayed as a gentleman of military bearing, but, as a Puritan, he was well-known as being opposed to all forms of personal vanity. If he had defects, they were not to be hidden!
The beginning of Paul’s story is also “warts and all” as portrayed in the New Testament. Paul himself summarized it like this: “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (1Timothy 1:13)).
The first time the Bible mentions Paul he is described as standing guard over the clothes of those who were stoning Stephen. Paul quickly moved from supporting the persecution of Christians to leading it as he went from house to house to drag Christians off to prison. In truth, Paul was not any different from today’s terrorists because he too thought that he was fighting a holy war and doing God’s will.
Because of his past it does not surprise us that Paul humbly calls himself the worst of sinners (v.15); after all he had caused God’s people great pain and suffering. But when Paul claimed to be the worst of sinners he was not just referring to the past. He used the present tense saying, “I am the worst” (v. 15).
We can all see something of ourselves in Paul’s story and we should acknowledge that we too are chief of sinners. Don’t let Satan deceive you into thinking that you are not so bad a person compared to others and therefore will be accepted by God just the way you are.
A long-serving Christian minister neatly summed it up like this: “Thankfully neither Paul’s story nor ours ends in the court of God’s justice; it ends in the palace of his grace.” Paul went on to write: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” v.15).
Praise God for His mercy and wonderful gift of salvation to us through our Lord Jesus Christ!
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ASCENSION DAY SERVICE
7.00 p.m.Thursday, 5th May 2016
Guest Preacher: The Rev. Huw Stephens
(Bethesda and Cefn Wood. Rogerstone)
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BAPTISMAL SERVICE
A Baptismal Service will be held at the evening service on 15th May (Pentecost Sunday). Those being baptised are Lyn Brown, Jodi James (nee Spiers), Hyeran and Yena Cho. We pray that God will bless each of them.
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WORKSHOP
Leaders of the American team will be with us 13th – 15th May to take part in a workshop on Saturday, 14th, with four other local churches in preparation for the Summer Bible Clubs.
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Speakers for Sunday Services in May
1st: a.m. Pastor Peter Cho
p.m. Rev. Richard Harrison
8th: a.m. Pastor Peter Cho
p.m. Rev. Robert James
15th: a.m. Mr John Gibby
p.m. Pastor Peter Cho (Baptismal Service)
22nd: a.m. Mr Geoff Champion
p.m. “ “ “
29th: a.m. Pastor Peter Cho
p.m. Vision of Hope
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