Paul was adept at using a literary device---a kind of contrast that enforces this righteous man's humility and the contrasting depth of depravity in which he once walked by using the PRESENT TENSE. Of course, Paul was a violent sinner at one time, but he was no longer since being changed by his encounter with Jesus Christ and the immense mercy of God.
To use this scripture for anything but to point out Paul's righteousness and ours in Christ is foul.
Paul wrote, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not.” (1 Corinthians 15:34), and again he asks the question, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?“ (Romans 6:1-2). Strange that Paul should exhort others to quit sinning and keep right on himself. Where would be the consistency?
He that would make out Paul as saying that he was at this time the chief of sinners, flies in the face of reason, of the Word of God, of Paul’s own testimony and experience. He would make him to be not only false and hypocritical, but a deceiver.
He is speaking of two things that came into his life—one was sin, and the other was salvation. He calls attention to the fact of his being the chief of sinners, and as the chief of sinners Christ saved him, thus giving hope for others. If Christ could save the chief of sinners, then might all have hope. The word chief is mentioned simply to show the power of Christ’s salvation. Notice the verse below: “For this cause I (the chief of sinners) obtained mercy.”
This power was brought to bear upon one who was the chief of sinners. But that power acted long years in the past at his conversion. Then the word “chief of sinners” must apply to the time when the power of salvation was exerted. Hence, we see that it was not at the time of that writing, but at the time of his conversion—not the chief sinner now, but the chief sinner saved then. It makes a great deal of difference when we wake up to the fact that he is writing of the chief sinner
saved instead of the chief sinner still in his sins. It would be a poor salvation that left him still the chief of sinners. Adding a word or two to the text by way of explanation may throw light upon it: “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’ (or, the chief one saved). Not now a chief sinner, but a chief saved one who was a sinner.
So that Paul, instead of lowering the standard, and confessing himself to be the chief of sinners, is doing the very opposite; confessing his great salvation, and showing that he is the chief saved one, by formerly being such a sinner, and now by having such a wonderful salvation.
One of the great delusions of the day is, that one may be a Christian, and at the same time be a sinner. Never did the devil hatch up a greater soul-deceiving lie. Even the expression, “I am a sinner, saved by grace,” is not only misleading, but unscriptural. As scene one has said, “They will emphasize the word
sinner and whisper
saved.” If one is a sinner, he is not saved. Of course, the majority may understand what one means by it, but the fact is, salvation and sin do not mix. To say, that I
was a sinner, but am now saved by grace, would be the truth. If we stick to the Word of God there is no possible way to harmonize the two states—sin and salvation. There is as much propriety in saying, I am a liar, though truthful by grace; or, I am a corpse, alive by the power of God; or, I am a drunkard, made temperate by the gold cure; as to say, I am a sinner, saved by grace. The fact is, the expression a put in the present tense, when it should be in he past, showing when the work was done. If a man is a corpse, he is not alive; if one is a liar
, he is not truthful; if he is a drunkard, he is not temperate.
The word of God does not mix things. It puts them where they belong. If one is a sinner, he is
not saved; he is of the devil, out of Christ and not born again. All of this John makes plain.
Why people want to hide behind some wrested Scripture to their soul’s destruction, when there is so much light shed on the pathway, is a mystery indeed. May the Lord save the people from being sinners.
http://www.eternalse...f%20Sinners.htm