“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15 

A friend of mine once told me that I probably shouldn’t waste my time praying for him. I asked him why and his candid response was, “Because God can’t save me. I’ve been too bad. There’s no way he would forgive me for what I’ve done.”

Of course, this opened the door to share the truth and power of the gospel with him, starting with the verse above, written by the great Apostle Paul. In this verse, Paul acknowledged God’s awesome power to save anyone who turns to him, even the worst of sinners. And Paul knew first hand. Before experiencing God’s saving grace Paul was a notorious sinner, ruthlessly persecuting and murdering Christians. Yet By God’s love and grace even Paul came to trust in Jesus, whom he had persecuted. He went from being the worst of sinners to being Christ’s most devoted follower.

In the very next verse Paul writes that God saved him to show his mercy and to encourage other sinners to repent and turn to him. “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:16)

Using these scriptures I told my friend there was no one God couldn’t save; that Christ’s blood is sufficient to pay for every sin. And I told him the wonderful news recorded in the Old Testament by the prophet Joel (Joel 2:32) and repeated by Paul in Romans 10:13, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Not just some people, but everyone, including horrible sinners like me. 

Pray for opportunities to share the power of God’s love and the shed blood of Jesus to save sinners. Tell your friends that, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”