Short Thoughts

But by the grace of God I am what I am:
and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;
but I laboured more abundantly than they all:
yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:10

A party spirit had developed in the church at Corinth that grieved Paul. “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:12). The church was divided into different factions that touted their favorite preacher. They cried up the passion of Paul, the eloquence of Apollos, or the boldness of Peter. They pitted Paul against Apollos and Peter against Paul. Paul wrote to rebuke them for their carnality. “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4). None of these preachers strove for preeminence over the other, so why should the church argue over the greatest?

In our text, Paul speaks about his own case. “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Paul readily owned that Apollos was a great preacher. Luke said of Apollos, “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:24-25). Apollos was a very able speaker. He had a great command of the scriptures. He was diligent and passionate in preaching. After Aquila and Priscilla helped to complete his knowledge, “he mightily convinced the Jews.” I believe that Paul rejoiced in Apollos and the fact that he used his great gifts in the service of the Lord.

However, Paul states, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Apollos was many things but Paul says, “I am not him.” Paul said, “My preaching was not with enticing words.” (1 Corinthians 2:4). He admits that his own speech was rough and plain. He was not the polished preacher that Apollos was, but his preaching was “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). It would be a mockery to try to imitate Apollos. Paul says, “I am what I am.”

No doubt, Paul would commend the ministry of Peter. Peter had companied with the Lord during His earthly ministry. He was drawn into an inner circle of fellowship with Jesus along with James and John. Peter could be fiery and wax bold in preaching. He possessed a great ability in the ministry. Paul would rejoice in these things and would not seek to copy Peter. Paul says, “I am what I am.”

Paul condemned the over-comparison that led to division. Each minister has his own work. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Often one man enters into the labors of another “reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed” (Matthew 25:24). It is foolish to heap praise on the laborers and set them up as some great one. “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Paul’s goal was to exalt Christ not Paul. All true preachers want Christ to be exalted and lament if they themselves are lifted up. They say with the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

As every one has his own work, every one has his own gifts to suit his work. “If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). Paul could not use the eloquence of Apollos or the boldness of Peter. He recognized “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (1 Corinthians 12:11). Every one has their own gifts of the Lord. Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

In the last place, we see that Paul did not seek credit for all his labors. Paul states the facts saying, “I laboured more abundantly than they all.” He is not bragging, just stating the truth. However, Paul does not glory in himself. He says, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Paul rejoices in the grace of God.

But for the grace of God, where would you be today? You and I might be the worst lot of sinners the world has ever known, but for the grace of God. Instead of seeking to do His will and glorify Christ with our lives, we could be serving the flesh and wasting our substance with riotous living. Praise God! Who saved me and washed me from my sins in Jesus’ blood! What do you know of the grace of God at this hour? Flee from the wrath to come and seek to lay hold of Christ through faith!

Princes have persecuted me without a cause:
but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
~ Psalm 119:161

Happy is the servant that can find blessings in the midst of trials. We are instructed, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). David was suffering diverse temptations. Princes were his persecutors. These were men of high station and were supposed to be men of judgment and justice. However, they were persecuting David without a just cause. Where can one turn when the upholders of the law are the very violators of the law? Nevertheless, David found cause of rejoicing.

David’s trials had particular sharpness because of his persecutors. They were princes, men of high position. Yet, these were David’s peers. They gave him no respect, only reviling. “Princes also did sit and speak against me” (Psalm 119:23). Those of his own stripe, physically speaking, afflicted him. Perhaps, he sought understanding from those of similar standing. However, he found no comfort among them. Often those that are closest to us and those that we believe should understand are the ones that smite us the worst. Let some worldly unknown speak against us and we hardly pay attention, but let one that is close speak ill words and we are cut to the heart.

He suffered grievous trials being put to it without a just cause. He was walking in the right way and his enemies were multiplied. “Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:157). An honest man is ashamed when his accusers speak the truth, but when they accuse him falsely he is grieved. David had not solicited his present abuse. His enemies were malicious. Yet there is joy for David, even in the time of trial.

David found joy in the fact that his detractors were wrong. They had not anything true to say. They were reduced to make themselves liars. Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). David was blessed in the false accusations of others. He had no reason to be himself ashamed. He was suffering for righteousness’ sake. “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:14). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). In the midst of cruel mocking, David had reason to glorify God.

David was also blessed because his faith was increased. Though his enemies were multiplied, he said, “Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.” He was persecuted without reason and said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He was resolved to hold to the Word of Life, regardless of his enemies. They may delight themselves in worldly endeavors, “but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.” He had looked into the face of afflictions and could say like Paul, “But none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). He would not allow himself to be drawn off course by these distractions.

David found greater satisfaction in the meditation of the Word than in the strife of the world. Many are sidetracked by debates and arguments. Some lose their way through needless self-defense, becoming obsessed with turning everyone’s opinion. The scriptures prophesied of Christ, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.” (Matthew 12:19). He did not occupy His time with politics, trying to make everyone like Him and agree with Him. The blessed man of God finds “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). His friends may speak vain things and engage in unprofitable debates, but he declares of God’s Word, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24). David had joy because he believed, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Lastly, David said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He had a very high opinion of God’s book. He delighted in its precepts and feared its judgments. The opinions of worldly-wise men did not shake his faith in the right statutes and pure commandments of God. The Bible has many detractors and opponents today. Some, having become wise in the eyes of men, lead others astray through their criticisms of the Scriptures. Others pervert the Scriptures to conform to their determined doctrinal bent. The man of God approaches His Holy Word with awe. He prays, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Let us remain in awe of God’s Word and hold to His unchanging testimony.

As children, mathematics is one area where we begin to grapple with the concept of infinity. Negative numbers add a completely new dimension to our world and we realize that numbers go on without end in all directions. It is amazing what little minds can do with that.

I had already been introduced to the infinite before I ever encountered it in academic textbooks. I was taught from birth about the eternal God—He Who has no beginning and no end. Isaiah said that God inhabits, or dwells in, eternity (Isaiah 57:15). I cannot say that I am any closer to comprehending this today than I was in my youth, but this is what is revealed to us by God in His Word.

Being infinite, God has all knowledge. So, there is no new knowledge possible for God. He knows everything about everything. It is not as though there is some scenario that He has not pondered. It is not as though He could find out something that would change His mind. Well did the Apostle ask, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counseller?” (Romans 11:34). I recall hearing preachers ask, “Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occurs to God?” While perhaps trite, that statement is nonetheless true.

Man, on the other hand, is a finite being. His knowledge is measured and limited. For this reason, he has the capacity to learn and grow. Obviously, the finite can never fully grasp the infinite. Let us ponder for a moment some of the consequences of finite knowledge.

Finiteness means that no man knows everything. We could further clarify that no man knows everything about anything. Not even in one subject can any man claim full knowledge (not truthfully anyway). One consequence of this is that there are different levels of knowledge—one man may know more than another in a particular area. One may know next to nothing in a discipline and another possess a large body of knowledge in that field.

Another consequence is that our minds are not closed, so to speak. We do not know everything about anything and new information is possible. New information can expand our understanding and even change our opinion. I am using ‘new’ as a relative term. There is ultimately no new knowledge to the infinite God, but there may be new knowledge to us.

Another consequence is that we must trust God. Some have supposed that we should test the various religions, experiment with the diverse ways, and choose the best for us. This is an impossible task given the multiplicity of religions and ways. We could only ever gain a limited knowledge of a limited number of religions and we could never actually be certain that we have found the best one. However, God reveals to us not only the best way, but the only way (John 14:6). We must believe and follow the bare Word of God. This is demonstrated in the life of Abraham. When God called Abram out of Ur, He told him to go to a land that would be shown to him. Abram obeyed and went, not knowing where he was going. He trusted and acted upon the bare Word of God without personally possessing all knowledge and that is faith (Hebrews 11:8).

Finally, finiteness for the Christian means humility. Let us not equate humility with vacillating. There is a great difference between saying no one knows everything and saying that no one can know anything. The all-knowing God speaks the Word of Truth and we can have complete confidence in what He has spoken. Humility keeps a proper perspective of our humanity and humility sits at the feet of a teacher to be instructed. Humility knows it is wisdom to know that we do not know as much as knowing what we do know.