By the Grace of the Lord: Understanding God's Unmerited Favor

Grace is one of the most powerful concepts in Christianity, yet many believers struggle to fully grasp its meaning and impact. The Apostle Paul understood grace deeply when he wrote, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:10). This profound statement reveals how God's grace shapes our identity, purpose, and effectiveness in the Kingdom.

What Does It Mean to Live by God's Grace?

There's a story about a man who died and went to heaven in his dreams. When he arrived at the pearly gates, Peter told him he needed 100 points to enter. The man began listing his accomplishments:

• Regular church attendance: 2 points

• Faithful tithing: 2 points

• Supporting church ministries: 2 points

• Sharing Jesus with others: 5 points

Frustrated by his low score, the man exclaimed, "At this rate, I can only enter by the grace of God!" Immediately, the gates swung open as Peter declared, "By the grace of the Lord—that's worth 100 points!"

This illustrates a fundamental truth: we cannot earn our way into heaven. It's not about our church attendance, tithing, ministry support, or evangelism efforts. We have access to God by His grace alone—what theologians call "sola gratia."

Why Did Paul Need to Explain Grace to the Corinthians?

The church at Corinth was struggling with several issues. Paul had spent a year and a half with them during his second missionary journey, but after he left, problems arose. The Corinthians were confused about doctrine, and many were either misunderstanding or abusing God's grace.

One significant issue was their disbelief in bodily resurrection. While they believed Jesus had risen from the dead, they couldn't accept that believers would also be resurrected. Paul needed to correct this misunderstanding by explaining that Christ's resurrection was the "first fruits"—meaning more resurrections would follow.

How Does Paul Define His Identity Through Grace?

Paul makes a powerful statement about his identity in 1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by the grace of God I am what I am." This reveals the ascribed value of God's grace. Paul acknowledges that everything he is comes from God's grace, not his own merit.

Before meeting Christ, Paul (then Saul) persecuted the church. He was the least deserving to be called an apostle. Yet God's grace transformed him completely. This teaches us an important lesson: our value doesn't come from what we do but from God's love for us.

When you experience moments of low self-esteem or feel disrespected, remember Paul's words: "By the grace of God, I am what I am." Any good you've done, skills you possess, or authority you've been given is by God's grace.

Is God's Grace Ever Wasted?

Paul continues by saying, "and his grace toward me was not in vain." This addresses the avoidance of vanity in grace. Paul wanted to make it clear that God didn't waste His grace on him—he put it to good use.

This raises an important question for all believers: Am I a waste of God's grace? What does wasting God's grace look like?

• Being saved but not serving God

• Being too busy serving others to glorify God

• Only serving when others are watching (eye service)

• Serving only to receive recognition and praise

Remember, we're not saved by our works, but we are saved for works. As Charlie "Tremendous" Jones said: "I'm not what I used to be. I'm not what I shall be. But by the grace of God and through the blood of the Lamb, I shall become what I'm supposed to be."

How Does Grace Empower Our Service?

In the final part of the verse, Paul says, "On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." This reveals the astonishing vitality we receive from grace.

Paul wasn't bragging about working harder than the other apostles. Instead, he was acknowledging that God's grace empowered him to serve beyond his natural abilities. Grace gives us supernatural strength and endurance:

• Grace gets you up when you want to sit down

• Grace makes you speak out when you want to keep silent

• Grace takes you farther than you want to go

• Grace keeps you longer than you want to stay

• Grace costs you more than you planned on paying

Like an iceberg, where most of its mass lies beneath the water's surface, your faith has more depth than what others can see. That deep-rooted faith, empowered by grace, carries you day by day.

How Did Jesus Demonstrate God's Grace?

Even Jesus operated through grace. To Him was ascribed the value of grace when God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus avoided the vanity of grace by humbling Himself to death on a cross. His work was not in vain, and His grace was astonishing.

Despite the agony and pain, Jesus stayed on the cross to save us. He rose on Sunday morning with all power in His hand and now sits at God's right hand, dispensing grace daily:

• Walking grace

• Talking grace

• Loving grace

• Forgiving grace

• Living grace

• Peace that comes with grace

• Blessings because of His grace

Life Application

As you reflect on God's grace in your life, consider these questions:

• Do you recognize that everything you are and have is by God's grace alone?

• Are you using God's grace effectively, or are you wasting it?

• How is God's grace empowering you to serve beyond your natural abilities?

• In what areas of your life do you need to rely more on God's grace?

This week, challenge yourself to acknowledge God's grace in every aspect of your life. When you succeed, remember it's by His grace. When you face difficulties, rely on His grace to sustain you. And when opportunities to serve arise, allow His grace to empower you.

Amazing grace will always be our song of praise, for it was grace that brought us liberty. God didn't love us because we were valuable—we're valuable because He loved us. By His grace, we've come a long way, and by His grace, He'll lead us home.