Champion of Grace

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." -Acts 20:24.

Grace was the resounding theme in Paul's preaching. After his encounter with the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul's life was irrevocably changed. From that point, he became the champion of the Gospel of Grace. Paul wanted everyone to experience this magnificent grace and to understand that God's grace was the source of his life and ministry. For Paul, grace was not a license to sin, but the power to live righteously.

Paul presented grace as the basis of our salvation (Eph. 2:8), the reason for our hope in Christ (2 Thess 2:16), and the foundation of our life in Christ (Eph 2:5-6). In essence, Paul’s gospel was a profound statement of the centrality of grace in the Christian life. In his letters, he gives a clear presentation of biblical grace. Held in proper tension, grace both compels us to holiness and empowers us for godly living (Tit. 2:11-12). Scripture teaches us that grace is not earned by our good works but is granted in response to our faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul was motivated by his desire to “testify” of God’s grace. Regardless of his circumstances, he trusted in the sufficiency of God’s grace to enable him to endure hardship and maintain his passion for sharing the gospel. Paul’s life was a demonstration of grace at work. This grace enabled Paul to endure suffering for the sake of the gospel. Similarly, grace empowers us to walk through life’s difficulties with the assurance that God is with us in every trial and by his grace, we will overcome.

Our lives are filled with extraordinary opportunities to testify to God’s grace. Whether through ministry, careers, or everyday experiences, we can consistently demonstrate God's infinite power and grace. Once we have experienced the grace of God, we should be eager to share the message with others. Like Paul, we can become “Champions of Grace.”

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