And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
The grace of the Lord is exceeding abundant, and with it come faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. That abundance was poured out on Paul even while he had been a persecutor acting in unbelief, and his change from persecutor to follower stands as the illustration of it. Though he had persecuted God's people, Christ accepted his repentance.
Though he had blasphemed Christ's name and tried to make others do the same, Christ's revelation to him turned him into a faithful and devoted servant. Faith in Christ as personal Saviour is what leads into the faith and love of the verse, grounded in union with Him. Paul's life of tireless work and steadfast purpose to honor Christ and win souls displays the transforming power of that grace.
Those who oppose the truth in ignorance may still receive mercy and be changed by Christ, and so are not to be condemned as beyond the reach of grace.
The grace of the Lord is exceeding abundant, and with it come faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. That abundance was poured out on Paul even while he had been a persecutor acting in unbelief, and his change from persecutor to follower stands as the illustration of it. Though he had persecuted God's people, Christ accepted his repentance.
Though he had blasphemed Christ's name and tried to make others do the same, Christ's revelation to him turned him into a faithful and devoted servant. Faith in Christ as personal Saviour is what leads into the faith and love of the verse, grounded in union with Him. Paul's life of tireless work and steadfast purpose to honor Christ and win souls displays the transforming power of that grace.
Those who oppose the truth in ignorance may still receive mercy and be changed by Christ, and so are not to be condemned as beyond the reach of grace.