It is my understanding, and in my own study of these

passages that you mention, that in 1 Tim 1:15-16, the

Apostle IS saying that he was chief or "first" in

rank/number...first in line.

Like you said, the greek word for "chief" and for

"first" is the word "protos", which we get our english

word "prototype". That word is used when they make

robots or new cars...it's the first model that all the

rest are built like.

So yes, when Paul uses the word "chief", you are

correct, he is saying not that he is the worse, but

that he is first in rank, first in succession, at the

head of the line, the pattern of all that are saved

eternally by grace thru faith in the shed blood of the

Lord Jesus Christ plus nothing in the present

dispensation of grace.

Now onto the passage in Romans 16:7...Salute Andronicus

and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are

of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ

before me.

It is my understanding from scripture that the Apostle

is not saying that these people are members of the Body

of Christ, but that they were members of God's "church"

before the Body was revealed, that is, the Messianic

kingdom church of Matthew thru early Acts.

These people who were "of note among the apostles" and

Paul's "kinsmen" were JEWISH saints who trusted Jesus

as their Messiah way before Paul came on the scene.

Early in Paul's ministry, the Lord Jesus used some of

those Messianic kingdom saints to help Paul labour in

getting this new program out (Barnabus for example).

Just because their kingdom program was on hold does not

mean that God did not use them to serve Him until they

all died off, and many of them helped the Apostle early

in the book of Acts.

As far as them being "in Christ before" Paul, that just

shows that they had faith "in Him". Even in the kingdom

program to Israel, the Lord made it clear that those

members of His little flock were saved "in Him".

Isaiah 45:17...But Israel shall be saved in the LORD

with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed

nor confounded world without end.

 

Isaiah 45:25...In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel

be justified, and shall glory.

John 6:56...He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my

blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

John 14:20...At that day ye shall know that I am in my

Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

1 John 4:13...Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and

he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

1 John 5:20...And we know that the Son of God is come,

and hath given us an understanding, that we may know

him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even

in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and

eternal life.

So ALL true believers are "In Christ" whether in

the kingdom program of time past and the age to come,

or today in the Body of Christ in the dispensation of

grace, ALL who trust Him are said to be "in Him",

although we today are in His "Body" which was a Mystery

until revealed to and thru Paul.