1 Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 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. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Apostle Paul was a great Jewish leader in the time of Jesus. There is much we could say, but I will simply quote this section from Holman's Bible Dictionary:

Paul eventually went to Jerusalem to study under the famous rabbi, Gamaliel. He was probably 13 to 18 years old...Paul had been well trained by the best Jewish teacher of that day (Acts 22:3). Paul became very zealous for the traditions, that is teachings, of his people (Gal. 1:14). He was a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5).

This zealous commitment to the study of the Old Testament laws and traditions is the background of Paul's persecution of his Jewish brothers who believed Jesus was the Messiah. Luke introduced Paul in the Book of Acts at the execution of Stephen. Now Stephen was executed because he placed Jesus (1) superior to the law and (2) superior to the Temple. Furthermore he claimed (3) that the fathers of the Jewish nation had always been rebellious. Paul, from his training, vigorously disagreed with Stephen's point of view. Stephen opposed the very foundations of Judaism since the days of Moses. Stephen's sermon apparently stimulated Paul's persecution of the church (Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-2; 26:9-11; Phil. 3:6; Gal. 1:13). To be an effective persecutor, Paul would need to know as much as possible about Jesus and the church. He knew the message of Christianity: Jesus' resurrection, His messiahship, and His availability to all humankind. He simply rejected the gospel.

One would think that if any man would not call himself the chief of sinners, it would be Saul of Tarsus (later, Paul). But, we have all heard of his experience on the Road to Damascus and how that changed him forever. After he came to know Christ, these surprising words came forth from him in his epistle to Timothy: "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" (1 Tim. 1:16). His conclusion:

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

What makes the Apostle Paul of deep significance in the early Church was that God revealed to him the mystery He had kept hidden for 4,000 years. In Romans 16, Paul said,

25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Paul said that when God sent His Son Jesus, He was revealing the entire Gospel, meaning all that He wanted to say to man concerning the coming Kingdom of God and those who would inherit it. What I related in the very first article of this section was how to enter God's kingdom now. What we will discuss now will be the various parts of that salvation in order to give you, as a new Christian, an understanding on the salvation to be revealed in us when Jesus return.

Paul made other astounding statements as well, truths he learned after coming to know Jesus Christ, statements that are pertinent to salvation and the Christian life that follows. Let's look at these important spiritual truths, beginning on the next page. These will be written in short form with just the basics of each of these blessings from the Lord.