How did God save Paul even though he persecuted Jesus' name?
God saved Paul by grace, extending mercy to a rebel who tried to stamp out every instance of the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul became the first or head of the line of sinners saved by such grace, demonstrating that salvation is not based on human merit.
Les explains that Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, admitted it took the grace of God to save that rebel who was trying to stamp out every instance of the name of Jesus of Nazareth. God saved him by grace, making him the head of the line, the first to be saved by such grace. The verse does not imply Paul was the worst, most wicked, or most vile sinner, but rather the chief or most prestigious example of a sinner saved by grace, so that others coming after him would be saved the same way. Even those who have not persecuted someone or put people to death are just as great sinners in God's sight as Saul of Tarsus was, and every one of us were sinners, just as vile in God's sight. Paul says, such were some of you, and such were some of us, but the chief was saved first, and now we come down through the ages. Les notes that commentaries often skip over verses like this, but he teaches it as it appears in Scripture.
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.