As a NT major, I have spend a great deal of time looking into the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul. He is one of the men I am most excited to meet in the resurrection! “hey Paul, can you explain that whole predestination thing to me?” 😉
One of my favorite verses, in one of my favorite chapters, is Paul’s description of the sum of his life:
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
-1Cor 15:10
The Apostle Paul was who he was because God said he was. Because he was forgiven, “least of all the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle” (1Cor 15:9), he was able to dig-in and work. He worked hard for the Kingdom, not because he thought he had a right to it, but because he was made whole by the grace of God!
What an amazing thing. God says YOU are worthy, YOU are whole, YOU are made right… so let’s get with it. You don’t have to be perfect to be effective for the Church, God ONLY uses broken vessels to spread the Gospel. That’s me, and that’s you. Let’s do it!
What a great song… I am whole because He says I am!
