Turned from Transgression

But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.–I Timothy 1:8-11

There is a significant concurrence on the part of mankind when it comes to good and bad behavior, although in these latter days every effort is made to blur the distinction between right and wrong.

Each and every example from this list of bad behaviors presents self-evident wrongdoing to anyone who has a conscience. It is rare, but not impossible to find someone who “has no conscience,” but even then it is only by appearance, and not in fact, for everyone has a conscience.

This text is read in the Church in connection with the parable of the shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to look for just one, and when he finds it, brings it home with much rejoicing. It is a way of listing out your former life so that you may recognize what you have been rescued from, and know that your dear Savior wants to rescue all from the body of death that would pursue unrighteousness and wickedness to the hilt.

You may want to excuse yourself from this list of wicked behaviors, but it is better to consider it as precisely what your dear Savior came to deal with in His flesh and take away. It is precisely such wickedness that He came to eradicate, first by making payment for its consequence (eternal death), and join Himself in love to those who were once dead in trespasses and sin (eternal life).

The upshot here is that the Law, in the strict sense, is used in its lawful sense when it accuses of sin. In its function as a mirror it is not made for the ninety-nine who are righteous, but for the one who will be sought out in love and rescued from the terrors and consequences of a self-chosen path to destruction. Such were you.

You who are righteous may rejoice in seeing other poor sinners sought out and joined to the Church, and help them in their weakness as you are given to do while living in the same, eternal grace and favor of Christ Jesus, Whose precise and certain joy is to receive sinners to Himself.
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