I Corinthians 5:9 ....I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am,....
It strikes me that without grace we have no worthiness. Sure we may be loved, have friends, money, and all the other things that go with keeping us alive, but ultimately in the deep parts of our hearts we are empty and we feel this profoundly. Whether we admit it or not we are all and always striving for worthiness. Consider Paul, before grace he persecuted, jailed, and murdered people associated with the church. Before grace only Paul's beliefs were acceptable. Before grace Paul relished the spotlight of fame. And then he had an encounter that floored him, and from that encounter transformation occurred.
After grace Paul clearly saw himself for what he was, and while his past cannot be undone, grace made him what he became, and that is the difference. Paul did not become an apostle through his own labor and strength, it was grace that changed the course of his life. His search for worthiness brought him to the thing he needed the most, yet this was the very thing he deserved the least; grace.
Shouldn't this be my story as well? Before grace Ken was judgmental and resentful. Before grace, Ken was filled with hatred. Before grace, Ken wanted payback. Before grace, Ken wanted people to notice him and give him adulation. Can anything be said of me differently after grace? I'm really not sure at this point. Where is my flooring moment? Paul's encounter caused him to take notice of his beliefs, his teachings, his convictions. His whole life up to that moment had been in vain, because his pursuit of God was not bringing him closer to God. After Christ revealed himself to Paul, he had no choice but to rethink his whole life to that moment. I am unsure that I have had a transformational encounter that has caused me to pause and rethink. So my summary to this point is, but by the grace of God, I am what I am.
It strikes me that without grace we have no worthiness. Sure we may be loved, have friends, money, and all the other things that go with keeping us alive, but ultimately in the deep parts of our hearts we are empty and we feel this profoundly. Whether we admit it or not we are all and always striving for worthiness. Consider Paul, before grace he persecuted, jailed, and murdered people associated with the church. Before grace only Paul's beliefs were acceptable. Before grace Paul relished the spotlight of fame. And then he had an encounter that floored him, and from that encounter transformation occurred.
After grace Paul clearly saw himself for what he was, and while his past cannot be undone, grace made him what he became, and that is the difference. Paul did not become an apostle through his own labor and strength, it was grace that changed the course of his life. His search for worthiness brought him to the thing he needed the most, yet this was the very thing he deserved the least; grace.
Shouldn't this be my story as well? Before grace Ken was judgmental and resentful. Before grace, Ken was filled with hatred. Before grace, Ken wanted payback. Before grace, Ken wanted people to notice him and give him adulation. Can anything be said of me differently after grace? I'm really not sure at this point. Where is my flooring moment? Paul's encounter caused him to take notice of his beliefs, his teachings, his convictions. His whole life up to that moment had been in vain, because his pursuit of God was not bringing him closer to God. After Christ revealed himself to Paul, he had no choice but to rethink his whole life to that moment. I am unsure that I have had a transformational encounter that has caused me to pause and rethink. So my summary to this point is, but by the grace of God, I am what I am.
