Paul, The Minister of Grace

To the unbiased believer of the word of God, that there is overwhelming proof of Paul’s unique ministry in this dispensation. That the secret of God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:11), the dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:1-4), and gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) was first communicated by revelation to the Apostle Paul. Unquestionably, Apostle Paul is God’s chosen apostle to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the gentiles (Ephesians 3:7-8). The risen Lord (II Corinthians 5:15) committed to Paul, the Apostle, the ministry of proclaiming this grace, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (Romans 16:25), dealing with God’s Eternal and Heavenly purpose “The Body of Christ” (Ephesians 3:2-6; Colossians 1:24-27; Ephesians 3:8-11).

In contrast, the dispensation of law was committed to Moses, dealing with Israel and the Nations – God’s earthly purpose. The student of the Bible should not fail to recognize its two major divine purposes. Nothing but confusion can arise from reading into one dispensation that which relates to another (II Timothy 2:15). As the law of Moses was authoritative over Israel, so Pauline revelation is equally authoritative over the church, the Body of Christ. This Grace ministry is committed to the Apostle Paul (Romans 12:3; 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:2,7-8).

Why Paul?

Permit Scripture to answer this most crucial question.

1. Paul the Chosen Vessel: (Acts 9:15-16; 22:14-15, 21; Galatians 1:15-16)

2. Paul the Apostle, Teacher, Preacher, and a Minister of the Gentiles: Romans 11:13; 15:16; Acts 22:18-21; I Timothy 2:5-7; II Timothy 1:10-12; I Corinthians 9:1-2; II Timothy 4:16-17; Acts 26:16, Romans 15:16; Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:23-27.

3. The Gospel of the Grace of God Committed to Paul: Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11-12; 2:7; I Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:2-3; I Thessalonians 2:4; I Corinthians 1:18, 23, 24; II Corinthians 4:6-7; Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 3:8.

4. Paul Preach the Gospel of Salvation by Grace through Faith: Romans 1:16-17; 3:10, 23; 4:4-5; 5:15-19; 6:23; I Timothy 1:15 (c.f. Luke 19:10 – salvation under law, for the Jews); I Corinthians 15:1-4; 1:17-24; II Corinthians 4:3-4; 5:19;11:3; Ephesians 1:13; 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-8; 2:11-15. Note that all this stands in vivid contrast to the gospel preached by John the Baptist, the Lord Himself on earth, the twelve, Peter at Pentecost of Acts 2, and in the house of Cornelius in Acts 10.

From the teaching of the Apostle Paul it will be seen that the principles of law and grace are not to be mixed. There is no question that his teachings are faithful to what was revealed to him by Christ concerning grace. It is evident by his writings that Paul contended only for the blessings of pure grace. At no point would he suffer the principle of law to intrude.

The Jewish element in the early church was slow to abandon the law, and there is evidence that, by the provisions of men, a double standard was suffered to exist for a time – one, a legality for the Jews, and the other, pure grace for the Gentiles (Gal. 2; Acts 15). This fact of a double standard is revealed in connection with the first council of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:19-21. Cf 21:18-26); but the Apostle Paul never allowed this double standard but rather had been bold about what was revealed to him by the Lord (Romans 1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 14:37).The change from law to grace was revolutionary, and the age-long covenant of works did not readily yield to the new teachings of grace, nor has it wholly yielded to this day.

THE MOSAIC LAW IS EXCLUDED FROM THE TEACHINGS PAUL. The preaching and teachings of Paul with regards to the law:

• Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

• Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

• Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

• Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

• Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

• Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

• Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

• Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

• Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

• Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

• Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

• Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

• Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

• Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

• Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it isevident: for, The just shall live by faith.

• Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

• Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

• Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

• Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

PAUL’S EMPHASIS ON GRACE

Let us begin with his proclamation of grace. We are sometimes asked: “Did not others before Paul speak of grace?” Yes, others before Paul did speak of grace, but before we assume too much from this, let us consider a few basic facts: It is not merely Paul, but the inspired word which declares that “the dispensation of the grace of God” was committed to him (Eph. 3:2) and that it was his “ministry… received of the Lord Jesus” to make known “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). This claim was made for none of his predecessors, nor did any of them even mention the dispensation or the gospel of the grace of God so far as the record is concerned.

To the believer this evidence should be conclusive that Paul was God’s chosen vessel, raised up especially to proclaim the message and plan of grace. But to those who hesitate to accept these inspired statements at their face value, we have further important evidence to offer in the fact that no other bible writer—not even all the others put together—have so much to say about grace.

The word “grace” is found only 39 times in the whole Old Testament (which is nearly twelve times the size of Paul’s epistles including Hebrews) and then not always relating to God’s grace, and never to the dispensation of Grace. In the four Gospels (nearly twice the size of Paul’s epistles) the word grace appears only 5 times and all in connection to the person of Christ (Luke 2:40; John 1:14-17), not in reference to dispensational salvation and service. By comparison, the epistles of Paul, only about one twelfth the size of the Old Testament and one-half the size of the four Gospels, employs the word grace more than 100 times, more often than all the rest of the Bible together and nearly twice as often as the whole Old Testament and the four Gospels together! And then, in Paul’s epistles the word grace is nearly always used doctrinally, in connection with the dispensation of Grace.

Every epistle signed by his name opens and close with a proclamation of grace. In the epistles we find that we are “justified freely by [God’s] grace” (Rom. 3:24), that “where sin abounded grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20) that grace might reign (5:21). There we read that we are “not under the law, but under grace” (6:14), that “God is able to make all grace abound” toward us that we may “abound to every good work” (II Cor. 9:8), that it is God’s purpose for “the ages to come” to “show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). And we could go on and on adding up the evidence that “the dispensation of the grace of God“ was indeed committed especially to Paul to make known to us.

An examination of the book of Acts reveals a similar comparison. There the word grace is found one time (Acts 4:33) before the raising up of Paul and 8 times after. Before the raising up of Paul it is not used once of the dispensation of Grace or of salvation by grace, but in later Acts, after his conversion, not only is the word used more often, but immediately it appears in connection with the dispensation of Grace.

When Barnabas “had seen the grace of God” in saving Gentiles at Syrian Antioch, he “was glad” (Acts 11:23). When Jews and religious proselytes at Pisidian Antioch received Paul’s proclamation of salvation through Christ, without the law, he and Barnabas “persuaded them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts13:38,39,43). At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas gave bold testimony to“the word of His grace” (Acts14:3). Later Peter confirmed Paul’s message, publicly declaring his conviction: “We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we [Jews] shall be saved even as they [Gentiles]” (15:11). At Ephesus, Apollos proved helpful to “them…which had believed through grace” (18:27). On his way to Jerusalem Paul declared his determination to fulfill his Christ-given commission “to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (20:24) and then commended the Ephesian elders to “the word of [God’s] grace” (20:32).

PAUL’S PATTERN OF LIFE UNDER GRACE

“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” – I Timothy 1:16

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions…” “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;” – 2 Timothy 3:10,11,14

The personal position and practice of the Apostle Paul is an evidence of a life under the principles grace.

The Spirit has prompted the Apostle to make a seven-fold exhortation to believers to be followers of himself (I Corinthians 4:6; 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9; I Thessalonians 1:6; II Thessalonians 3:7, 9).This appeal was warranted because his doctrine was revealed to him from CHRIST (Galatians 1:1,11-12,15; Ephesians 3:1-10), and was in fact, therefore, the very teachings of CHRIST; because he was an Apostle; and because his own attitude toward Judaism and his own experience was a living illustration of the power of a life in grace.

1. Paul, A Sinner – Saved by grace (1Tim. 1:14-15) – Chief Sinner

2. Paul, A Saint – Believer of grace (Eph. 3:8 – 2 Cor. 1:12; 12:9; Phil. 1:7) – Less than the least of all saints

3. Paul, A Servant – Minister of grace (1 Cor. 15:10 – Rom. 1:5; Gal. 1:15; Eph. 3:2; 1 Cor. 3:10) – The least of the Apostles

In this dispensation of God’s grace, Paul was raised up to show how even in “this present evil world” we may have spiritual victory by grace through faith, for while the Spirit does not cause us to do God’s will automatically, He does dwell within, always ready to help, and what is thus provided by grace we may appropriate by faith. What a challenge!

This is why the Apostle Paul has so much to say about the operation of the Spirit now and about our spiritual life and conduct now in this time of Christ’s rejection. This is why the doctrines in each of his great epistles to the churches are followed by practical applications to our behavior in “this present evil world.”

What a volume of Paul’s writings we could cite in support of these facts! The following are but a few representative passages:

• “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. “ (2 Cor. 12:9)

• “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.” (2 Corinthians 1:12)

• “…reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:11-14).

• “The law of the Spirit, [that] of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).

• “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” (Rom. 8:11,12).

• “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:19,20).

• “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3).

To all this much more could be added to show how no one until Paul proclaimed the truths of reconciliation, of the one Body, of our baptism into Christ, etc. How all this cumulative evidence marks Paul as the one especially raised up of God to make known the particular truths for the present dispensation!

Evangelist Rodgie Quirante

The Workman’s Treasure Study Series