I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Co 1:4–9).
I will devote little attention to verses 1 to 3 since Paul employs a typical greeting prevalent in his time and in the Greek literary tradition. In the introductory section of our devotional walk-through of the letter to the Colossians, I already discussed Paul's use of the phrase "grace and peace." Therefore, I won't repeat what was previously stated, as a significant portion would merely be a restatement.
I thank my God always concerning you
The apostle Paul's affection for the churches he established reveals his true heart as an apostle. In his letters to these churches, Paul expressed his deep love and concern for them. As their spiritual father, he considered them his own children and kept them in his thoughts by regularly praying for them. In the book of Philippians, Paul wrote, "Every time I remember you, I thank my God. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy" (Philippians 1:3-4). He also affirmed that "God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:8). Similarly, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul expressed his appreciation for their faith and love towards God's people (Colossians 1:3-4).
In contrast to Paul's relationship with the churches he established, today's church leaders may not always show the same level of deep love and concern for their congregations. While many pastors and spiritual leaders care deeply for their flocks, others may view their role more as a job than a calling. They may not prioritize prayer and intercession for their congregants or invest the same personal attention and affection towards them as Paul did. This is not to say that modern-day church leaders are inherently less caring than Paul, but rather that the dynamics of church leadership and the expectations placed on pastors may be different today than in Paul's time.
For the grace of God, which was given to you by Christ Jesus
The grace of God is Paul’s great theme throughout his writings. Paul's teachings on grace are some of the most well-known and influential in Christian theology.
In his letter to the Romans, for example, Paul writes extensively about the grace of God and its role in salvation. He says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). He says, "But where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5:20).
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of the grace of God as a gift freely given to believers. He says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
In his letter to Titus, Paul emphasizes the importance of grace in the Christian life, saying, "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:11-12).
What is grace?
This naturally leads us to ask the question, what does Paul mean by grace? Grace refers to God's unmerited favour towards sinners. Paul teaches that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ by grace alone. This means that we cannot earn our salvation by our own good works, but it is a gift from God. But still, what is grace? And how does it relate to us today?
Paul's understanding of grace is demonstrated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Grace is a gift from God, which empowers us to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Unfortunately, the concept of God’s grace has come to mean God’s fantastic ability to wink at sin. This is not the case.
When we limit our understanding of grace to a catchphrase, “God’s Unmerited favour,” we will certainly get all kinds of theological distortions. So, while it may be challenging to come up with a better definition to the question “What is Grace,” doubtless, we are given a clear indication of the effect grace has on a person’s life.
Paul teaches that grace does not give us a license to sin, but it empowers us to live a pleasing life to God. So, this sense is not strictly about forgiveness but empowerment and transformation as we have said before, the gospel is not about changing a life, but exchanging a life, as symbolized by water baptism.
In his letter to Titus, Paul says that:
the grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).
The impact of the grace of God
One example of a person in the New Testament who was affected by the grace of God and whose life was impacted by it is the apostle Paul himself. Before his conversion, Paul was a persecutor of Christians and even played a role in stoning Stephen, one of the early Christian martyrs. However, on the road to Damascus, Paul had a powerful encounter with Jesus and was transformed by the grace of God. This experience changed his life trajectory, and he became one of the greatest Christian missionaries, spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ throughout the ancient world.
Another example of a person in the New Testament impacted by God’s grace is the woman caught in adultery in John 8. When the religious leaders brought this woman before Jesus, they intended to stone her to death, as was the punishment for adultery under Jewish law. However, Jesus showed her grace and compassion, saying, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, sin no more" (John 8:11). This encounter with Jesus transformed her life and gave her a second chance. She was shown mercy and grace, and her life was forever changed. In both instances, grace was about forgiveness and transformation.
A poem that has always stuck with us, in one version, reads:
Run Jack Run
The law demands.
But gives Jack neither feet nor hands
Far better news the gospel brings
That bids Jack fly
And gives Jack wings.
Upon reflection
As we end our devotional this morning, we are reminded of the profound meaning of grace. Grace is not just a catchphrase or a theological concept; it is the unmerited favour of God that empowers us to live a life pleasing to Him. We cannot earn our salvation by our own good works, but it is a gift from God, given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But with this gift of grace comes great responsibility. We are called to live a life that reflects the transformative power of God's grace, saying no to ungodliness and worldly passions and living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
May we be like Jack, running with wings given to us by the gospel of grace, empowered to live a life that pleases God. And may we never forget that grace is not a license to sin but a call to righteousness, a call to live a life transformed by the love and power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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