Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:15-16 NIV
Is anyone so bad that they are beyond the hope of experiencing the love of God? We can easily identify people whose lives are destructive, not just to themselves but to others. Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were responsible for the deaths of millions of people. The news is filled with accounts of people who kill, abuse, and otherwise cause great harm. And you may have been directly impacted by someone whose actions were destructive. Can God love a person like that?
Paul says here that Jesus took on humanity and came into the world to save sinners. And it was not just for the “good” sinners, those whose lives we consider decent. Paul tells us that Jesus came to save even the worst of sinners, a category that Paul identified himself as having been in. He had persecuted the church (Acts 22:4-5), trying to destroy it (Acts 8:3).
Transforming the Worst of Sinners
But God’s love reached out, even to this worst of sinners, and transformed his life. And in doing so, he demonstrated that no one is beyond the hope of salvation. Even the worst person you can imagine. God can take even the “worst of sinners” and transform them into a great champion of the church. So we should be careful not to write anyone off as being beyond God’s love. Be willing to pray for, and share God’s love with, even the worst of sinners in your world.
