Swimming in God's Grace

1 Timothy 1-Part 7
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy1:14


LET IT GLOW


A few weeks ago I turned the radio on just in time to catch an interview with a teen called Bethany Hamilton.
Who's that? Like me, you probably would  recognize her story instead of her name. She is the girl who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds, through determination and faith, to become a champion again. There is now a movie, Soul Surfer, a book, and even a kit with Bible study guides using her story. The Lord has blessed Bethany through this tragedy, making her a witness for Him. Such grace! You might say she's swimming in Go's grace. Our God is so good! I'm wanting to see the movie. It's for all ages, but will especially have an impact on teens, I think. As Paul experienced God's grace, so many others have also. I certainly have. Let's swim a little deeper into this verse.
What are the gifts of God's grace? Faith and love are God's gifts to us who have received His gracious gift of salvation.
First, this amazing grace was abundant, yet not just abundant, but exceeding abundant.
"Regardless of what a man was before he was saved, 'where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,'  says Romans 5:20. Paul appreciated the grace which became the main theme of his ministry," states Liberty Bible Commentary.

Grace (charis in Greek and pronounced khar'-ece), refers to graceousness. It is pre-eminently of that kindness by which God bestows favors even upon the ill-deserving, and grants to sinners the pardon of their offences, and bids them accept of eternal salvation through Christ. (Thayer's Lexicon)

The two words exceeding and abundant had the same reference and meaning, "to be exceedingly abundant." In the Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, the Greek word was huperpleonazo, which means to superabound.
Paul used the Greek prefix huper- (meaning an exceeding abundant amount) often in his letters: superincrease of faith (2 Thess. 1:3), super-abounding power (Eph. 1:19), superconqueror (Rom. 8:37). We speak of" hyperactive" children and "hypersensitive" people. (Wiersbe's Be Faithful)

Where would I be without God's grace, which is exceeding abundant? I hate to think. Isn't it super? (Remember when that expression was a popular as saying cool, awesome?)
It's by grace that we are saved (Eph. 2:8-9) because God is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4) and grace (Eph. 2:7).

I remember the song that says, "Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that is greater than all our sin."

The grace of God turned the persecutor into a preacher, and the murderer into a minister and missionary!
(Wiersbe)

The second thing Paul mentioned is faith. Who gives us faith to believe in our Lord Jesus? God does it.
The third word Paul used was love. I think God's grace, faith, and love are all exceedingly abundant. Don't you?

LET IT GROW

Shall we jump back to verse 13? I can't skip over it. Paul describes how he used to be.
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (v.13)

In the light of the law, Paul saw who he really was:

• a blasphemer-speaks evil of and slanders God (overt attacks against Christ); denied the diety of Jesus Christ and forced others to deny it,
• a persecutor-used physical power to try to destroy the church (1 Cor.15:9),
• injurious-violent aggressor, who mad murderous threat, consented to Stephen's stoning (Acts 8:1-4).

What was I like before knowing Jesus? Well, I wasn't as bad as Paul- a murderer. However, the sin of pride kept me thinking I was just as good as my church going friends, but in reality, I was lost and in need of a Savior. Paul didn't understand the truth about Jesus and tried to protect his religion (a Jew and Pharisee). Then he saw the LIGHT on the road to Damascus, fell to the ground, and heard Jesus speak from heaven.. The holiness of Jesus brought him to his knees of repentance.
God not only entrusted the gospel to Paul, but He also enabled Paul to minister it. Not only did Paul become a minister, but he was also an example (1Tim. 1:16). Yet, he said in referring to himself, that he was the chief of sinners. Isn't Paul proof that the grace of God can change any sinner? Even me and you?
Have you become a new creature in Christ?

LET IT GO

Be thankful for God's exceeding abundant grace.

Remember who I was, and from where that grace brought me.

It's God's grace.