Follow Christ's Salvation Pattern Shown First In Paul
by Mike McGlathery
All Scripture Is Inspired of God
The Bible tells us that all scripture is given by inspiration of God (2Tim.3:16). The Bible also tells us that those same scriptures are preserved intact down through the centuries to us today (Psalm 12:6-7), including copies and translations brought down to our language today. The King James Version of the Bible uses manuscripts from the ancient "Byzantine Text" from the apostolic churches, and rejects the corrupted, error filled "Alexandrian Text" that is used by almost all of the translations since 1900. The King James Version of the Bible is the complete revelation from God for English speaking people, and it is the only revelation from God still with us today. It is our final authority. If we do not agree with the King James Version of the Bible, then we do not agree with the Bible, or with God.
Rightly Divide
It will greatly help us when we come to understand the divisions that God has placed in the Bible. Most, but not all, of the Bible was inspired by the Holy Ghost (2Pet.1:21). The Bible says that the prophecy portions of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Ghost (2Pet.1:19-21). But the Bible also says that the remainder of the Bible, the mystery portions, were inspired by the Lord Jesus Christ directly to Paul (Acts 26:16; Gal.1:11-12; 1Cor.14:37; 2Cor.12:7). Jesus Christ commissioned Paul as His only "apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom.11:13) and also sent him to the Jews (Acts 9:15, 23:11, 26:17), and to the Greek Gentiles as Paul's manner was (Acts 17:1-2; Rom.1:16; Acts 26:17), and to kings (Acts 27:24), and to all men (2Cor.10:15-16; Php.4:15-16; 2Tim.4:17). Peter also agreed by using his keys of the kingdom to bind himself (Mt.16:19) to go to the circumcision, while loosing himself (Mt.16:19) from his commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel, and binding over (Mt.16:19) the heathen (like us) for Paul to go to (Gal.2:9).
Paul's Epistles TO US
Although all the scripture is inspired of God, and profitable to us, and to be studied, when we are reading the Bible to find God's information and instructions that are specifically to us, we need to go to Paul's epistles to find what God says to us today (2Tim.2:15, 4:17). Also, Paul's Acts period epistles additionally contain special instructions and ordinances for the believing Jews and Greek Gentiles, at that time (Acts 15:19-29; 1Cor.11:2), to help to promote the salvation into the body of Christ, of the Jewish remnant according to the election of grace during the diminishing period (Rom.11:12; Rom11:5) from Acts 7 to Acts 28.
1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 ¶And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 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.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Christ Saves Sinners
If you think you are a sinner, Christ came into the world to save you. If you think you are not a sinner, you are like Saul. He was one of the world's most religious persons who thought God owed him eternal life because of his righteousness (Gal.1:13-14). But when the living Word of God shined down on him, Paul thereafter saw himself as "a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious", and as chief of sinners (1Tim.1:13,15). The Lord Jesus Christ chose this man, Saul, in which to show his mercy, grace, faith, love, and longsuffering (1Tim.1:13-16) "for a pattern" (1Tim.1:16) "to save sinners" (1Tim.1:15) that thereafter "believe on him to life everlasting" (1Tim.1:16). 
In Paul First, Christ Patterned the Salvation Prototype To Be Followed
In 1Tim.1:16, Paul used the term "that in me first Jesus Christ might shew". The actual word that Paul used for "first" is "PROTOS", which is where we get our word "prototype". It can mean "first, foremost, chief". The prototype is the first of many to follow, but it starts as being one of a kind. Paul intensifies the meaning of it by using the word "a pattern" in the same sentence. The word Paul used, that is translated "a pattern", can mean "a die, a stamp, a model, a pattern". That amplifies the meaning of the way Christ saved Paul, as being both unique at that time, and as being the new way of saving those who after Paul, believe the gospel revealed to Paul, which Paul believed to life everlasting.
Believe The Words On The Page, Regardless
First Tim.1:16 is often overlooked, glossed over, explained away, or misunderstood, but if we are going to be King James Bible believers, then we must let the words on the page mean what they say, and believe them, in context, as they were written, to whom they were written, rightly divided, regardless of the changes that makes to our beliefs. No one can honestly ignore the fact that in 1Tim.1:16, something new and different began that affected all them which believe on him to life everlasting, after Paul. 
At first, Paul only knew the he was changed (Gal.1:11-24) and that he was commissioned to tell others about the change in him that Christ had revealed to him (Acts 9:6-21). But Paul had much time to learn from Christ. For at least three years he was out in the desert of Arabia and back to Damascus and then to Jerusalem (Gal.1:15-24). So, as Paul progressed, Christ revealed to him, much mystery and doctrine and change that had happened to him (2Cor.12:1-7), that was all part of the pattern of mercy, grace, faith, love, and longsuffering that Christ showed in Paul first. 
As we can see from the scriptures, Christ patterned a many-sided prototype salvation in Paul first. In contrast to the salvation that God had provided up until that time (Acts 13:39), Christ's new means of saving people involved many formerly unknown simultaneous benefits that are spiritual blessings associated with Christ's new gospel of salvation to Paul and us. Some of our benefits from this new way of being saved, that were never before available, include either having, or being: salvation offered to all men apart from Israel (Acts 22:17-21; Acts 20:17-27; Titus 2:11; 1Tim.2:4-7; Rom.11:15), saved immediately by the new gospel of salvation (Rom.5:11; Eph.2:5,8), baptized into Christ (Gal.3:27; Eph.4:5), baptized into Christ's death (Rom.6:3; Eph.4:5), baptized into Christ's body (1Cor.12:12-13; Eph.4:5), crucified with Christ (Gal.2:20; Rom.6:6), buried with Christ (Rom.6:3-4; Col.2:12), alive with Christ (Rom.6:5-11), redeemed (Titus 2:14), adopted (Eph.1:5), being members of the body of Christ (1Cor.12:12-13,27; Gal.3:26-28; Eph.5:30,32), sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph.1:13-14, 4:32; 2Cor.1:21-22), accepted in Christ (Eph.1:6), forgiven (Eph.1:7; Col.1:14, 2:13), atoned for (Rom.5:11), washed (1Cor.6:11), justified (Rom.3:28; 8:30), sanctified (1Cor.1:30; 6:11); made the righteousness of God (2Cor.5:21), reconciled (Rom.5:10; 2Cor.5:19; Col.1:21), a new creation (2Cor.5:17; Gal.6:15; Eph.4:24; Col.3:10), complete in Christ (Col.2:10), the temple of God (1Cor.3:16-17; 2Cor.6:16; Eph.2:21), not appointed to wrath (1Thess.5:9), delivered from wrath (1Thess.1:10), a heavenly hope (2Cor.5:1; Col.1:5), caught up together with Christ (1Thess.4:13-18; Gal.1:4; Col.3:3-4; Php.3:21), seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph.2:6).
Good News, Gospel Revealed
That which was revealed to Paul, was good news! He explained and defined that good news, that gospel, in more detail in Gal.1:11-12, 1Cor.9:16-18, 1Cor.12:12-13 and 1Cor.15:1-4. 
The word "gospel" just means "good news". The term "gospel" is different from the term "gospel of salvation". "Gospel of salvation" is a specific kind of gospel, or good news. Whereas, the word "gospel", alone can mean (1) any kind of good news, or (2) several kinds of good news. The phrase "gospel of salvation" refers to God's terms of what must be done or believed to be saved from God's coming wrath. First, let's look more closely at the gospel of salvation that Jesus Christ revealed to Paul. 
Gospel Of Christ Revealed To Paul
In Gal.1:11-12, we find Paul relating information that coincides with the information he gives in 1Tim.1:14-16. Paul tells us that the new information that was revealed to him by Christ, was "the gospel which was preached of me" (Paul). To make certain that everyone understands that Paul's gospel of Christ was never taught by anyone before him, Paul assures us that the gospel which he preached is not after man, or of man, or taught to him by man. Paul certifies that he only got that gospel of Christ by the revelation of Jesus Christ. What had formerly not been revealed, was now revealed to Paul by the revelation of Christ. 
Galatians 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
To Paul Was Committed The Gospel of Christ
In 1Cor.9:16-18, Paul gives us further information about this momentous incident. He first tells us that this new information, this gospel of salvation, was not only revealed but it was committed unto Paul to dispense to us. Then he also tells us that the name of this new gospel is "the gospel of Christ".
1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Paul Was To Dispense The Gospel Of Christ TO US
Since Paul was the first in which this pattern was shown (1Tim.1:16), Christ commissioned him as His only apostle of the Gentiles (Rom.11:13), to dispense to all men that good news, that gospel of Christ (1Cor.9:16-18), starting with the Jew first (Rom.1:16; Acts 26:17) and also the Greek Gentiles that feared God and blessed Israel during the Acts period diminishing of Israel according as Paul's manner was (Acts 17:1-2; Rom.1:16, 11:11-12), and to all men (Acts 22:21; 2Cor.10:15-16; Php.4:15-16; Titus2:11; 1Tim.2:6; 2Tim.4:17)
The Gospel Of Christ Saves Believers In It
We see that the description of the gospel of Christ, in Rom.1:16, coincides with the description we originally saw in 1Tim.1:14-16. Paul says that "the gospel of Christ…is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth". So the gospel of Christ is God's power to save us, and it saves every one that believes on Christ to life everlasting. That reiterates what Paul said in 1Tim.1:14-16, that Christ, does "save sinners" "which...believe on him to life everlasting" after Paul was saved ("hereafter").
Next, lets see how Paul defines and explains the gospel of Christ which saves us. 
1 Corinthians 15:1 ¶Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Believe The Pattern Gospel That Saved Paul
Paul tells us in 1Cor.15:3 that this gospel of salvation is what he believed, by which Jesus Christ saved him "for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting". In 1Cor.15:3-4, Paul tells the Jews and Greek Gentiles in Corinth, the prophesied facts of what happened at Christ's crucifixion, that the death wages of their sins, were paid by Christ (Rom.4:23-25; Isaiah 53:6,11; Daniel 9:26), and that he rose again, which proved that all 
their sins were forgiven and their justification was purchased (Rom.4:23-25; Psalm 2:7, 16:10). 
But amazingly, in 1Cor.15:1-2, Paul reveals an unprophesied secret which Christ testified to him, that God will save those of them who trust Christ to save them according to those facts in 1Cor.15:3-4, that Christ died for our sins and rose again the third day. That was Paul's "gospel of Christ" or "good news"! It was "good" because neither Paul, the blasphemer, nor those that Paul wrote to could have been saved immediately by the gospel that still existed at that time, the gospel of the circumcision. But now, they could be saved by Paul's gospel of Christ. It was "news" because Paul's gospel was a new, unheard of, unsearchable, "pattern" that God revealed to save them that believe on Him to life everlasting, starting with Paul. 
Both Paul and we needed this gospel that was given him of Christ because we needed an exemption. Paul needed an exemption because he had become unsavable by the gospel of the circumcision due to his speaking against and stoning the Holy Ghost filled Stephen (Mt.12:32; Acts 7:51-8:3), as well as Paul admitting to being a blasphemer (Mt.12:31; 1Tim1:13) which was probably the same event. 
But, we needed an exemption, a different way to be saved than the circumcision's way, because God knew that the circumcision would soon be blinded, snared, and cast away, and no longer a valid way to God (Gen.12:3; John 4:22; Rom.11:25). This new pattern of being saved (1Tim.1:16) apart from Israel (Acts 20:24; 2Cor.10:15-16; Titus 2:11), was eventually going to be available and preached to "all men", not just to the circumcision as Christ had done while He was on earth (Matt.15:24).
Pattern Followers Are Baptized Into The One Body
Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
1 Corinthians 12:12 ¶For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we (pattern followers, believers in Paul's gospel of Christ to be saved) all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
27 ¶Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
All those who are saved by following Christ's pattern which saved Paul, are sanctified by Christ being made sanctification to us (1Cor.1:30, 6:11). As saints (1Cor.1:30; Eph.1:1), we are members of Christ's body (Eph.1:1, 5:30), for there is one body (Eph.4:5). It is by one Spirit that we all are baptized into one body (1Cor.12:12-13; Eph.4:5). The followers of the pattern which saved Paul, are spiritually baptized, not into water, but into the one body (1Cor.12:13), into Jesus Christ (Rom.6:3; Gal.3:27; Eph.4:5). We are Spirit baptized into the one body of Christ, not born into it, not grafted into it, and not waiting to get into it. We are proclaimed to immediately be "the body of Christ".(1Cor.12:27; Eph.5:30), and it is made up of the "we all" in 1Cor.12:13, the followers of the pattern shown to Paul. When Paul said that we "are the body of Christ", that is what he meant, that we "are the body of Christ", and there is only "one body" (Eph.4:4). For someone to say that the body of Christ is made up of more than, or less than what the Bible says, is to say that the King James Version Bible is not accepted as the final authority. Those before Paul could not have been in the body of Christ that was shown in Paul first as "a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting" (1Tim.1:16). Only Paul tells about the body of Christ and it is in both his early and late epistles.
The PATTERN
The pattern is that "in Paul first", Christ does "save sinners" "which...believe on him to life everlasting" after Paul was saved ("hereafter"). With Paul first, Christ patterned a many-sided new means of salvation that involved many formerly unknown simultaneous benefits that are spiritual blessings associated with this new gospel of salvation from Christ, known and available only through Paul's apostleship. That is not only good news or gospel, it is "the gospel of your salvation" (Rom.1:16; Eph.1:12-14; 1Cor.1:18), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom.1:16), and, "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24; Col.1:5-6).
Pattern Sequence
The reason that the body of Christ could not include anyone before Christ first showed Paul that pattern, was that to get into the body of Christ, a person needs to be baptized "by one Spirit" into one body. No one could be baptized by the one Spirit into the one body of Christ, until they had heard and believed the gospel of Christ to life everlasting, later called the gospel of the grace of God (Rom.10:14; 1Tim.1:15-16; 1Cor.12:12-13, 27; Eph.4:4-5). No one could hear and believe the gospel of Christ until it had been dispensed and preached to them (Rom.10:14,17). That gospel of Christ could not have been dispensed and preached by Paul to anyone, until it had been dispensed and committed to him (1Cor.9:17-18). The gospel of Christ couldn't have been dispensed to Paul until it had been revealed to him (Gal.1:11-12; 1Cor.9:16-18; Acts 9:6-18, 26:16). That gospel of Christ was not revealed to anyone before it was revealed to Paul or it wouldn't have been a revelation (Gal.1:11-12), or a pattern (1Tim.1:15-16).
Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
The Pattern Following Path of Paul the Preacher
So, that's what (pattern) happened to Paul, the preacher (Rom.10:15; 1Tim.1:11-16), and how he became appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles (1Tim.2:7; 2Tim.1:11), and how he was shown the dispensation of the gospel (1Cor.9:16-18) in the mercy, grace, faith, love, and longsuffering of Christ to save sinners, as a pattern to them which would then believe on Him to life everlasting (1Tim.1:16), receive all spiritual blessings, and be Spirit baptized into the one body of Christ (1Cor.12:12-13,27).
Ephesians 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Spirit of promise,
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise (resurrection) in Christ by the gospel.
- Mike McGlathery