Grace Effect!

Reflection: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” – Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10 In this one little verse I think Paul sums up the entire Christian life.  You might think I am being simplistic so let me explain.  The Christian life begins and ends with God’s grace.  By His grace we have been brought this far, and by His grace He will lead us home.  From beginning to end it is by grace, through faith, based on the Word of God.  This is true for our “justification” (being made right with God) and our “sanctification” (being set apart for God's work in the world)

But then we see this kicker phrase, “His grace to me was not without effect”.  As we look at Paul’s life, we see the effect. Several churches planted, several letters written to encourage and edify the churches, and sacrificially giving up his life for Christ. Tradition says Paul was beheaded for his faith and he spent many of his last days chained in a dingy, dark prison in Rome.  We see the consistent theme in Paul’s life and teaching is that everything he did was: “in view of”, “in lieu of”, and “because of”, God’s amazing grace!  Grace surely had its effect on Paul and everyone he touched with the Good News! 

So what if there is no effect in one’s life?  What if there is no fruit of a life set apart for the work of the Gospel? That’s a problem biblically!  While we may not be the apostle Paul, the bible affirms that God has given us each grace gifts to build up the church here on earth to bring God's kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.  As we use our gifts and respond to God’s grace by offering our lives back to him in thanksgiving for what He has done for us, grace will not be without effect! 

I love what Dallas Willard says and I repeat it quite often because it is worth repeating, “Grace is opposed to earning but not to effort!”  Grace empowers, enables, and fuels our life of service to God through Christ in the world! When this happens together with and through the body of Christ, the invisible Church becomes visible through grace having an effect in the lives of believers individually and collectively!  

How has grace had its effect in your life and it the life of others?  

Psalm 65:9-13

9 You care for the land and water it;

    you enrich it abundantly.

The streams of God are filled with water

    to provide the people with grain,

    for so you have ordained it.

10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.

11 You crown the year with your bounty,

    and your carts overflow with abundance.

12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;

    the hills are clothed with gladness.

13 The meadows are covered with flocks

    and the valleys are mantled with grain;

    they shout for joy and sing.

Proverbs 9:7-10:32

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;

    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;

    rebuke the wise and they will love you.

9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;

    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11 For through wisdom your days will be many,

    and years will be added to your life.

12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;

    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

13 Folly is an unruly woman;

    she is simple and knows nothing.

14 She sits at the door of her house,

    on a seat at the highest point of the city,

15 calling out to those who pass by,

    who go straight on their way,

16     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”

To those who have no sense she says,

17     “Stolen water is sweet;

    food eaten in secret is delicious!”

18 But little do they know that the dead are there,

    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,

    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,

    but righteousness delivers from death.

3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4 Lazy hands make for poverty,

    but diligent hands bring wealth.

5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,

    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,

    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

7 The name of the righteous is used in blessings,

    but the name of the wicked will rot.

8 The wise in heart accept commands,

    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,

    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,

    but love covers over all wrongs.

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.

14 The wise store up knowledge,

    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,

    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

16 The wages of the righteous is life,

    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,

    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips

    and spreads slander is a fool.

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,

    but the prudent hold their tongues.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,

    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,

    but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,

    without painful toil for it.

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,

    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread will overtake them;

    what the righteous desire will be granted.

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,

    but the righteous stand firm forever.

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

    so are sluggards to those who send them.

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,

    but the years of the wicked are cut short.

28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,

    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,

    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

30 The righteous will never be uprooted,

    but the wicked will not remain in the land.

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,

    but a perverse tongue will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,

    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

1 Corinthians 15:3-16

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.

“In this place I will give peace,” says the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:9 (NKJV)

Through Christ God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:20

Our lives, our nation, and our world are racked with sin and unrighteousness. We long for peace, Father God. Help us to turn away from evil. We pray that the peace that passes all understanding may fill our minds and hearts and keep us safe in Christ Jesus. Shalom and Amen.