1 Tim 1:15 – “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.”
It is God’s pleasure to save sinners, to see them repent in faith and turn to Him and receive the gift of the forgiveness of sins.
Paul is explicit: ego eimi (I am) chief of sinners. Why the present indicative? He could have said, ‘among whom I WAS the foremost.’ But, the emphasis is not on the fact that his sin is in his past, which we all know it is because he no longer persecutes and blasphemes. Since it is evident that his sins are not present, Paul is emphasizing that he is the worst of sinners. (one of the uses of the Present Indicative in Greek is emphasis.)
He also emphasizes that he is the foremost of sinners because through him Jesus Christ ‘might demonstrate his perfect patience’ to other sinners looking for mercy. If Christ can save Paul, he certainly can save you, sinner. That is Paul’s point. To demonstrate how far the mercy of Christ will reach.
So, Paul is not the greatest sinner in the present, he is the greatest sinner before he came to know Christ. Paul would be appalled that people would think that as a Christian Paul was the greatest sinner. Once a Christian, no longer a sinner. Yes, Christians sin, but it is not an identifying trait and not normative. (That is why gay Christian is an oxymoron).
Feasting on God's Word 