Young People's Group

The Grace of God in Paul’s Life and Ministry

by Mitchell Tan
January 29, 2020

SUFFERING AS HIS SERVANT

The grace of God plays a very significant part in the life and ministry of a servant of God. It is by grace that a person is saved through faith. It is by means of grace that he is enabled to serve the Lord. He is also able to suffer for the Lord, depending on His grace.

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles …”
Ephesians 3:1

The phrase “For this reason” denotes the idea of Paul being a prisoner for the sake of the Lord Jesus. He was unafraid to go through persecution for the sake of the Gentiles too. He was full of faith and courage to be a prisoner of the Lord Jesus, relying on God’s grace. Ephesians is one of Paul’s prison epistles. He wrote it while he was in prison. He was unashamed to suffer for the Lord, having a deep love for Him. He was able to do this depending on the grace of God.

THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

“… If indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery …”
Ephesians 3:2-3

One important application of the grace of God in ministry was the gift of revelation from the Lord. Through the grace of God, truths of the gospel would be revealed to God’s servants as He deemed best. The word “dispensation” in Greek has the idea of “giving”. God administered grace to Paul that the mystery of Christ might be revealed to him. This was a special privilege given to Paul. He would be used by the Lord to bring this “mystery” to the world. A “mystery” is something that was hidden beforehand but had now been revealed. That “mystery” is that the Gentiles would also have salvation through faith. They would be fellow heirs with the Jews in Christ (Ephesians 3:6). When Paul became a servant of the Lord, the Lord God gave to him much revelation about this. This must have been so exciting for Paul. This mystery was revealed personally to him for the sake of the Gentiles, according to His grace and His perfect timing. He would in turn with this wonderful and exciting knowledge of the gospel preach this truth to the world.

THE GRACE OF GOD AND UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

“… (As I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”
Ephesians 3:3-4

The mystery of Christ was something that Paul had already written on in other epistles. It was revealed to Him and he started writing in his epistles about his knowledge of the gospel of Christ. When people read them and ponder over these writings, it is through the grace of God that they are able to understand the gospel. They can also excitedly piece things together and gain insights about Christ. They would marvel at Christ as the Saviour of the whole world. We, as Gentiles, would also be able to understand what was revealed to Paul.

PERSONAL APPLICATION

Paul was able to see how the grace of God was most significant in his life and in the revelation of the gospel.

1. Let’s learn to depend on the grace of God to go through any challenges for Christ.

2. Let’s be grateful and excited that by grace we, as Gentiles, can understand and be fellow heirs with the Jews in Christ.

3. Let’s take time to read and ponder over the gospel that we may appreciate it deeply through His grace.

Back to Article Listing