He Refuses to Play That Game

1 Timothy 1:15-- "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."


Keller comments,

"Not I was chief, but I am chief. Or 'I am the worst.' This is off our maps. We are not used to someone who has incredible confidence volunteering the opinion that they are one of the worst people. We are not used to someone who is totally honest and totally aware of all sorts of moral flaws--yet has incredible poise and confidence.

We cannot do that. Do you know why? Because we are judging ourselves. But Paul will not do that. When he says that he does not let the Corinthians judge him nor will he judge himself, he is saying that he knows about his sins but he does not connect them to himself and his identity. His sins and his identity are not connected. He refuses to play that game. He does not see a sin and let it destroy his sense of identity. He will not make a connection. Neither does he see an accomplishment and congratulate himself...So, although he knows himself to be the chief of sinners, that fact is not going to stop him from doing all the things that he is called to do."


Tim Keller, The Freedom of Self-forgetfulness, p.30 (emphasis added)

Hesed

Today we talked about a word. One word. Not for the whole eleven hours, but if we were to talk about it for eleven hours, I think I would remain interested. This word summarizes the character of God as demonstrated through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The word in Hebrew is Hesed. This word is commonly seen is the Psalms, as well as other Old Testament books. One example is seen in Psalm 48. “We have thought on your steadfast love, O God.” Our english translations use the phrase “steadfast love” to convey this Hebrew meaning of Hesed. As our professor noted, this translation serves its purpose, but we don’t capture the full meaning. It is better captured as the unfailing, unlimited, unbroken, committed covenantal faithfulness of God towards us that demands a response. 

This is the essence of Hesed that is extended towards us. How do we know this? How can we be sure that this is the type of love our Heavenly Father extends towards us? We look to the cross. In Jesus, we see the perfect picture of Hesed. We see God, in his abundant mercy, accomplishing for sinners what we can’t accomplish for ourselves. We see Jesus, the great friend of sinners, God with us, living the life we should have lived, dying the death we deserve to die, and giving the gift of righteousness we cannot earn. How magnificent it is, that because of this great savior Jesus, we may now forever dwell in the resplendent Hesed of God.