The Awakening of an Apostle

Many of us would never argue that we experienced great grace when we got saved.  We knew that we had been forgiven much and passed from death to life.  However, most of us also had a sense of our own self-righteousness; the view that our own works somehow made us more acceptable to God.  After all, for the first time in our lives the Bible was alive and our prayer time brought us into the throne of grace.  However, in order to fully understand grace we have to go through an awakening.

Nobody in the Bible wrote more about grace than the Apostle Paul.  In fact, his message on grace was so radical that it was often misunderstood.  In fact, Peter said that some of Paul’s teaching was ‘hard to understand.’  However, did you ever consider where Paul came from?  In his own words, he was a “Pharisee of Pharisees,” as regarding the law “blameless.” 

So when he became a Christian do you think that he was made completely perfect and did not have to go through any “transformation?”  (To answer that, think about your own experience.)  Paul came into Christianity “blameless,” full of self-righteousness.  Yet he also had been given a revelation of Grace.  So let me show you Paul’s growth in grace.

In A.D.  57, the Apostle Paul told the Corinthian Church, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle. . . But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” 1 Co. 15:9

In A.D. 62, he told the Ephesians, ” To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Eph. 3:8

In A.D. 64-65 Paul told Timothy, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. 1 Tim. 1:16

What happened in that eight year period?  Did Paul backslide?  Did our ‘blameless’ apostle fall into sin?  My guess is that Paul began to realize more and more that all those things he once relied on for his righteousness were filthy rags.  Remember these were the things that he once used to boast in. 

Paul’s standing in society as a religious leader was very important.  Pharisee in its Hebrew form means, “The separated ones.”  They also saw themselves as chasidim or “loved of God.”  After all they were perfect, why wouldn’t God love them more than others?  My guess is that Paul worked very hard to be a Pharisee of Pharisees.  However even Paul missed the mark.  His righteousness was as filthy rags and rubbish. 

My prayer is that we come to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it. And therefore, cease from our works and enter His rest.

Colossians 1:5-6 (AMP)
⁵ Because of the hope [of experiencing what is] laid up (reserved and waiting) for you in heaven. Of this [hope] you heard in the past in the message of the truth of the Gospel,
⁶ Which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world [that Gospel] is bearing fruit and still is growing [by its own inherent power], even as it has done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know and understand the grace of God in truth. [You came to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it.]

Hebrews 4:9-11 ⁹ There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.¹¹ Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

God Will Lift You Up!

Today in a message by Joseph Prince, he brought up a great illustration.

John 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” This verse has been used many times to imply that God is going root you up and throw you out when your not bearing fruit. However, “he takes away” is not an accurate translation. In fact, in the Greek αἴρω literally means ~ “TO LIFT UP.” He then talked about something he learned while on a trip to Israel. The owner of a vineyard showed him a vine that was lying on the ground, because it did not have a trellis to climb. The owner explained that as long as it was on the ground it could not grow grapes. The owner did not cut off the vine and throw it away. Instead he lifted it up and connected it to a trellis so that it could grow and bear fruit. God isn’t out to get you. He isn’t out to cut you down. (That’s the devils job.) God wants you to bear fruit. So those seasons of your life when you’ve fallen from the trellis and are not bearing any fruit ~ Remember that God is there to lift you up! Fruit will come!