My post above is sufficient, but I'm going to respond to this:
You said "Paul is not speaking of himself, nor of any saint in Christ Jesus, even as he was not calling himself the chiefest of sinners." I'm just going to quote him here (from 1 Timothy 1:12-15), with a couple of interjections:
This is obviously in the past tense. He obviously is no more a blasphemer, persecutor, or insolent opponent of Christ. Now. Continued:
Paul is still speaking in the past tense here, but his use of the word 'but' obviously indicates a wholescale shift from his former modus operandi because of something that happened to him. The grace of the Lord overflowed him with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. So in light of that fact, he is able to say with certainty the following, which is quite obviously in the present tense (though because of something that had already happened):
Paul says not "I was," but rather "I am the foremost of sinners." And in saying so, he is stating that he is no better in any way than anybody else in and of himself ~ and even acknowledging himself to be far less deserving of God's grace than they are ~ even presently. So what you said about Paul not speaking of himself or any other believer is patently false.
Aside from that, again, what I said above is true: You are directly opposed to and refuting, either unwittingly or knowingly, those passages in God's inerrant and infallible Word that I quoted (and others). Quite frankly, you have a very pharasaical take on things, or at least the subject at hand.
Grace and peace to you.
You said "Paul is not speaking of himself, nor of any saint in Christ Jesus, even as he was not calling himself the chiefest of sinners." I'm just going to quote him here (from 1 Timothy 1:12-15), with a couple of interjections:
"I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent."
This is obviously in the past tense. He obviously is no more a blasphemer, persecutor, or insolent opponent of Christ. Now. Continued:
"But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."
Paul is still speaking in the past tense here, but his use of the word 'but' obviously indicates a wholescale shift from his former modus operandi because of something that happened to him. The grace of the Lord overflowed him with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. So in light of that fact, he is able to say with certainty the following, which is quite obviously in the present tense (though because of something that had already happened):
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."
Paul says not "I was," but rather "I am the foremost of sinners." And in saying so, he is stating that he is no better in any way than anybody else in and of himself ~ and even acknowledging himself to be far less deserving of God's grace than they are ~ even presently. So what you said about Paul not speaking of himself or any other believer is patently false.
Aside from that, again, what I said above is true: You are directly opposed to and refuting, either unwittingly or knowingly, those passages in God's inerrant and infallible Word that I quoted (and others). Quite frankly, you have a very pharasaical take on things, or at least the subject at hand.
Grace and peace to you.