When we think of Paul, we might think of someone capable and unafraid to do God’s work. In his missionary journeys, we see his resolve to preach the gospel and his readiness to even die for the Lord (Acts 21:13). In his epistle to the Corinthian church, we see him boldly rebuking the believers and correcting many of their erroneous ways of thinking and doing things. Even Elder Peter considered Paul to be a worker whom God had given wisdom to, to teach the believers (2 Pet 3:15-16).

Looking inwards

But what did Paul think of himself?

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Cor 15:9)

Though Paul did much and suffered much in his ministry, he still considered himself the least of the apostles, acknowledging his past identity as a persecutor of the church. During his missionary journeys, he personally testified of all the wrongs he did before his conversion – imprisoning men and women who believed, consenting to their executions, compelling them to blaspheme and persecuting them to foreign cities (Acts 22:4-5, 26:10-11). His acknowledgement of his sins against God made him all the more understand that God’s grace towards him was undeserved.

This reminds me of the incident in Luke 7 where a sinful woman came to Jesus and washed His feet with her tears, wiped His feet with her hair, then anointed His feet with fragrant oil (Luke 7:37-38). The Pharisee who witnessed it was skeptical, but Jesus was loving. He raised an analogy of 2 debtors who owed their creditor money, one owed a greater amount and the other a smaller amount. When the creditor let them both go, the one who owed a greater amount would have loved the creditor more. Similarly, it was precisely because the woman was full of sin, that she was also full of love for Jesus, and in His mercy, He forgave her.

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

Just like the sinful woman, and just like Paul, we too were once sinners condemned to death, and nothing we do makes us deserving of God’s grace and calling. Yet where our sin abounded, God’s grace abounded much more (Rom 5:20), and by His abundant grace He saved us from death into life. What then is our response?

Looking outwards

Paul’s response towards receiving underserved mercy was to labour for God.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured all the more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Cor 15:10)

Ever-present in Paul’s mind was the great debt of grace that he owed the Lord for forgiving him and choosing him, and he resolved to live his life for Christ by labouring for Him. Not just serving Him, or working for Him, but labouring for Christ. This entails a life of sacrifice, where he was prepared to suffer for the sake of Christ and the gospel.

Are we also willing to labour for Christ?

Looking upwards

As we labour and toil for Christ, let us hold on to the greatest hope we have in our lives as Christians – that just as Christ had resurrected, we too will resurrect on the final day (1 Cor 15:22-23), where our bodies will be raised as a spiritual body in incorruption, glory and power (1 Cor 15:42-43).

“Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor 15:58)

There will eventually come an end to our lives, an end to our suffering, an end to our labour. May God’s grace towards us not be in vain, and may we always find comfort in Paul’s encouragement that all our labour in the Lord is also never in vain.