1 Timothy 1:12-13a

(12) I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service

Paul has just made mention of his status as an apostle in v. 11 – simply because his responsibilities are explicitly tied to the Gospel itself. The Gospel was enacted in Christ, and the apostles were given the responsibility of giving direct witness to Christ.

It’s as if in the following verses Paul wants us to know that it’s all about God and not about him. He starts in the verse with ‘thanks’ – which means that there has been joy granted through the sovereign love of God – not through human effort. He goes further to show that Christ is the ‘strength-giver.’ Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior, the King, God Himself – and he is the giver of strength.

Paul thanks Jesus because of Jesus’ considering Paul faithful. And this has something to do with being appointed to his office as an apostle.

Was he appointed on the basis of his faithfulness? Absolutely not. Christ here is the strength-giver. Christ is the one who gives mercy (13). Christ is the giver of grace (14). Christ is the creator of faith and love (14). And this all shows Christ’s mercy (16).

So what is he saying? Here’s another way to translate the verse: “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he treats me as a faithful person, having appointed me to his service.”

In other words, that word ‘judged’ in Paul has the connotation of how one is treated. Or in other words, Jesus treats Paul as a faithful person. Just as in 1 Timothy 6:1, Christian slaves were to treat their masters as worthy of all honor. Does that mean that they actually were worthy? Not really. It’s a matter of treatment.

Paul is thankful because he’s being considered faithful, even though, as he’s about to point out, he was the worst of sinners. And what’s the justification for his statement about this treatment? Jesus the Lord made him one of his chief representatives. Now, the grace from Jesus is transformative. When Jesus saves, he changes a person; he certainly changed Paul’s character! And so some faithfulness was created in Paul.

So Paul is absolutely not saying that Jesus saw some faithfulness in Paul and therefore made him an apostle. What Paul is saying is that Jesus treated him as faithful as an act of mercy, and created faithfulness in him by his appointment to serve.

This is explained in v. 13

(13a) …though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.

It is all grace. Strength is from Christ, mercy is from Christ, ministry is from Christ, life change is from Christ, forgiveness is from Christ – and all of it is given to people who are wicked and depraved rebels.

Paul serves here as an example to pastors. The charge to preach the Gospel is tied up in the Gospel itself. It isn’t tied up in the messenger. It’s tied up in Jesus’ salvation of sinners and appointing people to proclaim Him. And its specifically tied up in the salvation of and merciful appointment of the minister.

And God should be publicly thanked and honored as such!

In sum:
1) Thanks should publicly be given to Christ
2) These thanks should be for salvation
3) These thanks should also be for gracious appointment to ministry