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Not in Vain (1 Corinthians 15:10b)
“and his grace towards me is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:10b)
Admittedly, nothing that God does is done in vain. He effectively works out all things according to his divine purpose and pleasure, and praise God that he does, because if things were left to us, we would usually make a colossal mess out of them. Yet, you knowing that God’s grace toward you was not in vain is a bit different from your neighbor knowing it. When the world looks at you, would they say of you that God’s grace toward you is in vain?
This is the same kind of language that Peter uses when he tells us to make our calling and our election sure (2 Peter 1:10). Sure in whose eyes? Certainly not in God’s eyes! Peter is saying that we must build upon the faith that we have been given by God if we are to mature in godliness. And if you look at the list of things that Peter commends us to add to our faith you will find that nearly all of them are things that have to do with the way we live toward others. What Peter is saying and what Paul is saying is that if you have received God’s grace, you should strive for a life of integrity that draws others to the cross of Christ. People should see you and recognize that there is something different in you that they want for themselves. This is how you witness through your actions—by living out your faith before others.
Sadly, I wonder how many Christians today could make such a bold statement as Paul is making. How many times have we been in a situation where someone then looks at us and says, “oh, I didn’t know you were a Christian?” Friends, endeavor to make your actions speak for themselves. Preach the gospel and if necessary use words, as Francis of Assisi once said. Live your faith humbly for the world and do so in such a way that the world is drawn to Christ. No, we will not be judged by your works (and praise God for that), but our works are a reflection of the faith that God has worked within us. And works are visible for the world to see. May the world never say of you that God’s grace toward you was in vain.
God’s Grace (1 Corinthians 15:10)
“Yet, by God’s grace, I am what I am, and his grace towards me is not in vain; rather, I toiled more than all of the others, yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me.”
(1 Corinthians 15:10)
Paul reiterates his point once again. His apostleship is a result of nothing that he had learned or done. He did not merit anything except God’s condemnation. It is by God’s grace that he was called to be an apostle and it is only by God’s grace that he was strengthened to labor in the mission field harder than the others. Paul wants us to understand that not only is he a man who is totally sold out to God, but he is a man who works and acts totally at the good pleasure of God. There is not one success or conversion that he can lay claim to. He labored in the field, but God did the work.
Oh, how wonderful it would be if all believers were able to adopt this attitude. All too often we are quick to accept the credit for our successes in life. I have heard many preachers speak of people being converted under their preaching or laymen speaking of the people that they have “led to Christ.” This is common language to use, but it is not accurate. A person is converted because the Holy Spirit is moving in their life, regenerating their dead soul and bringing faith where there was none. A person is led to Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit as well. Indeed, our preaching or our witnessing is an important part of the process; God allows us to participate in the Holy Spirit’s work and to be vessels through which the Holy Spirit flows. Yet, if it were up to us, on our own power and strength, not one person would be converted.
Frankly, I find that comforting. While I strive to work hard in the fields, sharing the gospel with others, I am keenly aware that the success or failure of my work does not depend on just how persuasive my arguments happen to be. That takes a big burden off of my shoulders. It prevents me from staying up all night when someone rejects the gospel, wondering if I could have used different words and illustrations to make my argument more convincing. It also prevents me from taking pride in the successes that God allows me to participate in.
Indeed, there is much work to be done, and God has commanded us to go into the fields and reap. For some, those fields will be in foreign lands with peoples who speak an unknown language. For others, the fields will be close to home and consist of unbelieving family members, neighbors, or co-workers. Regardless of the locality of the field, we are to labor. But though we labor, it is the power of God working in and through us that brings any successes we might see. Paul understood that the only thing good in him was Christ in him. It is no different for you or I.
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