Many religious people take the Lord Jesus Christ as their pattern in life. They call Jesus “The Great Example.” When problems arise, they ask themselves: “What would Jesus do?” They seek salvation by trying to “walk in His steps.”

PROBLEM: Nobody can be sinless as Jesus was, neither before their salvation or after they believe. As believers “sin in the flesh” cause us to stumble at times. If you live under the Law the you should know what James said to Israel - James 2:10 ¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. In and of ourselves we are helpless sinners even after salvation.

ANSWER: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)  

We are saved and forever forgiven of ALL our sins – past, present and future – by His grace that brought salvation to us through His sacrifice of the Cross on our behalf – paying ALL our sin debt … once and for all time.

While our Lord Jesus’ moral and spiritual virtues are indeed worthy of emulation, there were many details in His conduct which we should not imitate.

For example, none of us would be in a position to pronounce upon the religious hypocrites of our day the bitter woes which our Lord pronounced upon the Pharisees of His day — simply because we all have so much of the Pharisee in us. We cay be counter forgiven a d perfect in Father God’s eyes we yet live in corruptible “bodies of sin,” having Sin in the flesh.

It’s clear from Paul’s epistles that we cannot be saved by “following Christ,” or striving to live as He did. His perfect holiness would only emphasize our unrighteousness and condemn us. He came to save us, not by His life, but by His death. “CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS” (ICor.15:3), and sinners are “reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Rom.5:10), not by their own good works.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5 (KJV)

But God has given us a pattern for salvation. It is none other than the Apostle Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace. Hear what he says by divine inspiration:

“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” (ITim.1:15).

Paul, as Saul of Tarsus, had originally led his nation and the world in rebellion against God and His Christ. He was “exceedingly mad” against the “little flock” believing Jewish disciples of Jesus of Nazareth and he “breathed threatening and slaughter” against them.

Why then, did God save Saul who later became “Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13)? Paul goes on to tell us in the next verse:

“Howbeit [but] for this cause I [Paul] obtained mercy, [so] that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering [patience], FOR [to be] A PATTERN [Gk. protos, prototype] to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (Ver.16).

The moral of Paul’s life:

Take your stand with Paul. Admit you are a sinner and Paul’s Saviour will save you too.

- Adapted from Cornelius Stam by Arthur J Licursi -