Forgiven and Transformed

By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

–1 Corinthians 15:10

Paul argued that the resurrection was an essential part of the Christian message. He pointed to evidence from Scripture and from eyewitnesses who had seen the resurrected Jesus. Finally, Paul said, “Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:8). Paul’s own life was evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

By “one untimely born,” Paul meant that he was born too late to be one of the twelve apostles during Jesus’s ministry on earth. But Jesus appeared in His resurrected form to Paul–not immediately after the resurrection but weeks later. Jesus had already ascended into heaven, but He appeared to Paul and called him as an apostle.

You would think Paul would be boastful because the resurrected Lord spoke to him directly. But look at how Paul described himself in verses 9–10: “I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” Paul never got over the fact that God had forgiven him. He had been a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a killer of Christians. I’m sure the things he had done in the past haunted him. Yet God forgave him, and it transformed his life. In 1 Timothy 1:15–16, Paul said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” Paul was saying, “I am Exhibit A of God’s ability to forgive.”

Some people say to me, “Pastor, you don’t know what I’ve done. God couldn’t forgive me; I’m too great a sinner.” I always respond, “You’re not as good a sinner as you think you are. The apostle Paul was the chief of sinners. Yet God saved him by His grace as an example of His willingness to forgive anyone.”

If you think you’re beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness, you’re not. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave and transformed the life of the apostle Paul can transform your life and your eternity as well. That’s the good news of the resurrection!

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Simple Answers to Sincere Questions” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2011, and “If Christ Has Not Been Raised” by Dr. Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.