“But by God’s Grace I am what I am, and the Grace that He gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God’s Grace working with me” – 1 Cor. 15:10, Good News Bible

Barely months after joining the university, Marvin became extremely unruly and defiant.

He started getting involved in fights with fellow students and getting in all sorts of trouble with his lecturers and the authorities.

He was abusing alcohol and drugs.  Eventually, Marvin was suspended from the university though he was a child of a very prominent national leader.

Deep inside, Marvin was ashamed that he had become a total mess and an embarrassment to his well-known family. Everyone shunned him.

However, his dad called him up and told him just four words; “Marvin, just come home.”

In one way or another, we’ve all been beneficiaries of grace – I mean someone, for some reason, dealt with you in a manner that you did not deserve.

When you deserved condemnation or judgment, you were shown grace rather than resentment. 

It’s a special feeling, you know, in a world where we tend to care for those who meet our expectations.

As a marriage counselor once  said, there is no perfect spouse; only perfect grace!

In our meditation today, Paul, in defence of the Gospel, argues that given his terrible background, his own salvation was a powerful evidence of the transforming power of the Gospel of grace.

“By God’s Grace I am what I am,” he says. Then he adds that his concerted labour in God’s work was the evidence of the grace of God being at work in his life.

“His grace in my life is not in vain,” he adds.

“What then makes you so special or superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you just received it, why do you boast as though you did not?”

1 CORINTHIANS 4:7

Since the days of the Early Church, the notion of Grace – God’s unmerited favour – has been a subject of great controversy in Church circles.

But should it be really? Not according to Paul who argues that there’s absolutely no righteous work that a human being can do in order to merit the acceptance of the holy God.

Everything we are; everything we have; everything we can do; is just by grace and nothing but grace through Christ’s finished work of reconciling us to God.

 “What then makes you so special or superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you just received it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Cor. 4:7.)

We’re neither superior nor inferior to anyone; everything that was given to us was by grace!

Our part is to ensure that the grace of God upon us is not in vain.

However, even that enablement is by God’s grace, which leaves us with absolutely no chance to boast or judge another person, purporting that you’re not like them.

It’s all by God’s Grace; not us!

Prayer:

Almighty God, I know that I am what I am by grace through faith in Christ. On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. May your grace continue to abound in my life and help me to extend the same grace to my fellow man. For the glory of your Name, Amen!