The Apostle Paul persecuted the early church before the Lord saved him and set him apart for the work He had prepared for him (Acts 8:3; 9:1; 13:2). It was Paul in his role as a Pharisee who approved of the stoning of Stephen, one of Christ’s disciples (Acts 7:58-8:1). Knowing what Scripture teaches us about him, why did Paul say, “By the grace of God I am what I am?”
Based on his history as a Pharisee, it’s no wonder Paul beheld God’s grace toward him in awestruck wonder. Paul stood by as one of the Jewish leaders called out by Stephen for their history of rebellion against the Holy Spirit and persecution of the prophets (Acts 7:1-53). In his epistles to the churches, however, Paul doesn’t dwell on his past except to share how the Lord Jesus saved him (Galatians 1:11-2:21; 1 Timothy 1:12-16).
Where in the Bible Does Paul Say, “By the Grace of God I Am What I Am”?
The saying by Paul is found in 1 Corinthians 15:10:
“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.”
The context of this verse tells us much. In the scope of the whole letter, Paul is writing to the local church that the Lord used him to establish in Corinth. Corinth was a populous city that was steeped in idolatry and immorality. Paul addresses the infusion of the local culture, which had made its way into the church (the list is long and may be found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 12:4-5, 3:1, 4:6, 5:2, 5:6, 16:1, and 11:21-22).
Within the opening context of the epistle, Paul shares his heart with the Corinthian church. He considers himself their spiritual father (1 Corinthians 4:15), and his first words to them reveal his pastoral love for them. Despite their sinful issues, Paul begins his letter by extending grace to the church in Corinth. He addresses them as who they are and who they need to be reminded they are, “those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.”
He extends more grace. Verse 1:3 declares, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is from a man who understands fully the immeasurable outflow of God’s grace. Paul then gives thanks for them, praises them, and acknowledges they lack no spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 1:4-9).
By the time we get to 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul proclaims his identity in Christ as a gift of God’s grace. In chapters 1-14 (and we need to remember that the original manuscripts had no chapter and verse headings), Paul gave the indicatives of the Gospel (who God is and what He has done for us) to the Corinthians as a measuring stick against their poor and immature behavior.
And now Paul moves on to the imperatives in his charge to the church through chapters 15 and 16. Imperatives are prescriptive in nature, revealing behaviors that mimic the teachers (in this case, Christ through Paul). Imperatives always follow indicatives and can never come before or alone. Paul, by the grace given him, understood this as he wrote his letters to the churches.
Paul’s progression through chapter 15 looks like this:
- Verses 1-2: As Paul begins this section of his letter, he starts with “now.” Now is like saying “moreover,” and it serves as a transition. He reminds them of the gospel he preached to them and which they received and now stand and by which they are being saved (sanctified).
- Verses 3-4: Paul gives a clear summary of the Gospel.
- Verses 5-7: Paul follows the progression of the Gospel through those to whom Christ appeared after His resurrection.
- Verses 8-10: Paul maintains his authority as an apostle and yet with great humility, he argues for his inferiority among the other apostles, saying he is “the least of all the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
Paul makes his bold statement about God’s grace in the revelation of his unworthiness. This elevates God’s grace to its rightful place and displays the great change in Paul as one who received God’s grace to be an apostle of Christ and to share the Gospel. By what Paul said, we know it’s God’s work in Him and not anything Paul did to merit God’s favor. He is who he is (now) because of God’s free gift of grace.
He then expounds even more on the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:11.
What Was Paul Like Before He Knew Christ?
Reading the Scriptures about who Paul was before Christ saved him underscores Paul’s proclamation of God’s grace in 1 Corinthians 15:10. We know Paul was a Pharisee and sought to live out the Mosaic Covenant through the traditions of the Jewish ruling authorities (the Sanhedrin). He became a violent leader within Judaism as he oppressed the early church (Galatians 1:14), until the Lord got hold of him.
We will look at Paul’s own words:
- “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13).
- “And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:14).
- “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished” (Acts 22:3-5).
- “…formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” (1 Timothy 1:12b).
How Did God’s Grace Change Paul’s Life?
Paul is a picture for us of what God’s grace does to a life that He transforms. Twice in 1 Corinthians, Paul tells the church (and us) to be imitators of him (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1). He would not have instructed the church to imitate him had he not known Christ changed him.
When Christ appeared to Paul as he journeyed to Damascus to enact more persecution against the church, Christ said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me” (Acts 9:4; 22:7; 26:14). It was common for people in that culture to have two names. He was Saul to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles. Jesus laid a direct shot on Paul. He didn’t say he was persecuting the church. He said Paul was persecuting Him. There is no separating Christ from His church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Galatians 2:20, e.g.).
Acts. 9:1-9 gives us the narrative of Saul’s conversion. Christ blinded him for three days, and it wasn’t until he was graciously welcomed by Ananias that his sight was restored. Paul was humbled by Christ. The persecutor of the church gained solace and grace from Christ, the Head, and Ananias, a member of His body.
We learn in verse 19 of Christ’s plans for Paul, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name.” After Paul’s direct encounter with the risen Lord, Ananias prayed over him, and, by God’s grace, Paul regained his sight, received the Holy Spirit, and was then baptized.
Paul had received the grace John spoke of in John 1:14-16, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
Grace upon grace is better translated “grace instead of grace.” Paul, as a Pharisee, was transferred from the grace apportioned in the Old Covenant to the New Covenant grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. What that means is, as Ligonier Ministries teaches, “We receive a greater measure of grace under the new covenant because the new covenant features the zenith of God’s revelation of Christ, God’s incarnate Word. In Him we see God most clearly (Hebrews 1:1–4).”
Paul went from ardent persecution of the church to humble, gracious, and loving stewardship of God’s Word—the Gospel. He went from persecution of the church to shepherding the flocks given him by the Lord Jesus Christ. And not just one flock, but many churches in the Mediterranean area.
Again, Paul’s very words tell us who he is in Christ:
- 1 Timothy 1:12a: “I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service,”
- 1 Timothy 1:13-14: “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Timothy 1:15-16: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.”
- Galatians 2:19-21: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
- Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
How God’s Grace Changes Our Identity
When we consider the darkness we were in (Ephesians 5:8), our conversions are just as dramatic as Paul’s. Our transformation may not include a change from violent persecution, but the sin nature in all of us is capable of such heinous acts.
But God’s grace truly is sufficient for us. That’s why Paul, who underwent severe trials and hardships as God’s mouthpiece to the Gentiles (2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10), wrote what the Lord proclaimed to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul boasted in His weakness because, in effect, he was boasting about God’s grace. And we can boast of His grace, too. God’s grace changes our identities from lost to saved, from dead to alive, from deserving of God’s wrath to covered by the blood of Christ. God’s grace enables us to understand we are weak and in constant need of His grace—unmerited favor which He pours out lavishly upon us (Ephesians 1:6). “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Paul wrote that by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can imagine him saying, “Amen!” with every jot.
We did nothing to deserve God’s grace. It’s a gift. We are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:1-7). We can go on and on about how God’s grace changes our identity, but we can think on the following effects of God’s grace to us:
- 1 John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.”
- 1 John 3:1: “See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children — and we are!
- Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
As you study Paul’s life, you’re studying God’s grace. It’s good to imitate him as he was after his conversion, for we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for God’s glory alone. And every Sunday as you gather with your church, enjoy the ordinary means of grace (preaching of the Word of God, praying together, and celebration of the Lord’s Supper) given for our good by our most merciful, gracious Savior.
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This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.
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