Everything Is by Grace

Everything Is by Grace

Paul was a blasphemer and persecutor, but “the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”

By this grace Paul could be put into the ministry so that he could testify and say, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.” He had experienced this salvation. He had become a completely new man by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. For this reason and in this way he became a witness. He writes further: “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.”

Paul had been so humbled that he understood that everything was by grace. What he was, what he had become, and the ministry he performed were not based on the strength of his personality, but on faith.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Cor. 15:9-10.

“Everything is by grace” is an expression much used among religious people. By it they do not mean that grace has done anything in them or through them, but that the work which Jesus did will be imputed to them with the result that they are perfect in Him.

When Paul, on the other hand, says that everything is by grace, he speaks about himself as the chief sinner, as someone who was not worthy to be called an apostle. He also says that the grace shown to him had not been in vain; he had become an example to those who should be saved. He had become proof of what God’s grace and mercy and longsuffering could do with a sinner. By grace he had done more than all the others. He could ask the others to follow him as he followed Christ. He could say, “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Phil. 4:9. Quite a bit had been done with Paul and through him because of the grace he had received.

Now we must ask this question: What has been done with and through those who say, “Everything is by grace?” What has become of this “everything”? When Paul spoke of his weakness and that the Lord’s grace was sufficient for him, he also said that His power was perfected in his weakness, and that when he was weak, he was strong. 2 Cor. 12:9-10.

Because Paul saw that everything that was done with him and through him was done by faith in God’s grace, he also saw that his boasting was excluded. Rom. 3:27.

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”