1 Corinthians 1:4 – Thanks for the Grace

1 Corinthians 1:4

^“4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.”

Thanks for grace. Paul was so grateful for the grace given him and all the ones He had led to the Lord. Here he was specifically referring to the Corinthians, but that extends to us all who have received the grace given us by Jesus.

I like the way Paul puts it in the verse. Naturally we know that the Holy Spirit is guiding the words because all the words of scripture are God breathed and inspired. This is the grace of God which is given to you by Jesus. Jesus administers the unmerited, unearned, favor of God.

First, the grace of God came through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He provided it. His shed blood provided the grace which would change the whole of creation. Mankind had only known law and sin and darkness and disease. Jesus showed mankind a better way—freedom from these bondages.

Paul had not only been called to preach the gospel of grace by Jesus Himself, he experienced this amazing grace. Paul, who had imprisoned Christians and consented to their death, experienced the grace of God’s forgiveness. The things he did in the past, were past and done. Jesus gave him a new life.

He has done the same for us. We were in our trespasses and sins, but now by the grace of God we are children of God and joint-heirs with Jesus. We can say every day, “I thank my God for the grace of God given us by Jesus.”

Second, Jesus is the giver of grace. This grace is given to you by Jesus. The triune God is involved in every aspect of our salvation. The law came through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus (John 1:17). It’s all about Jesus. If your gospel is without Jesus, it is no gospel at all. Preachers who preach a whole sermon and never mention Jesus are not preaching the good news of Jesus. For those who have experienced the grace given by Jesus we thank God for you.