None can be too bad for Christ. If the enemy of our souls cannot keep us from coming to Christ by deceiving us with the notion that we are good enough for God without Him as our Savior, he will often attempt to make us believe we are too bad ever to be saved. But this is impossible, for “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom,” says Paul, “I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15).

Surely, since the chief of sinners has been saved already, none need to despair. “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom. 5:20). God delights to show His grace to the lowest and vilest, as well as to those who have fancied themselves righteous, but have learned that all their righteousness is as filthy rags in His sight (Isa. 64:6). There is no more successful way to influence others than by the personal testimony of one who has been saved himself. Mere theory, however true it may be, is not enough. There must be a personal experience of saving grace if one would be a winner of souls. To be able to say, “He has saved me,” gives power to the message and produces assurance in the hearts of the hearers as they realize that the speaker is bearing witness to what he himself has experienced.

Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the Church of God, but even then the heart of God was going out toward him until the time when His grace should be revealed to him, and Saul the persecutor should be changed into Paul the ambassador for Christ. It was grace that so mightily changed Saul and grace empowered him to go forth and preach the gospel. There are many professional ministers today, but a merely professional minister is an abomination in the sight of God. The servants of God must be motivated by the love of Christ. That was what characterized Paul.