“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).

Paul had a history of violently opposing Jesus and His Church. He specified the nature of his own sin in this chapter: “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (verse 13). He wasn’t proud of his past but he wasn’t in denial, either.

We may not have sinned as Paul did but we have all sinned. Each of us has a history that follows us when we come to Christ. This verse summarizes the gospel in the simplest and clearest way. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” The entire purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth was to die for our sins and bring us salvation.

Karl Barth was a well-published theologian. When he spoke at the University of Chicago late in his life, he was asked to summarize what he had learned about Christianity. He briefly stated what He had learned: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Paul summed up the gospel with this same simplicity. Jesus came to save sinners. Since all of us have sinned this statement offers hope to the best and the worst of us. I often reflect on Karl Barth’s description as summarizing my own faith. “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”