Dear brethren,
God has given each one of us special graces to serve Him. Scripture shows us that He distributes to each differently from another to serve Him in certain capacities.
Look at:
Romans 1:5-7 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. KJV
Paul had began his letter to the Romans by greeting them as follows: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.” Rom 1:1 KJV
Paul recognized that he was first a servant and then he mentioned his office. Each of us must realize that we are first called to be a servant and then to different offices or positions in the body of Christ. You will recall that our Lord Jesus had told His disciples at a time when some of them were craving for recognition that they should seek to be servants for He Himself came not to be served but to serve. (Mark 10:43-45). The grace of God on Jesus flowed as He served mankind. Each of us has grace to be a servant like Him.
So in verse 5 Paul said He had received grace and apostleship. It takes a divine grace to be in an office of the ministry. He had received grace for apostleship. It enabled Him to stand in that particular office. It’s so vital that each of us stand in the area of our calling, within our grace and not try to intrude in other areas or to walk in someone else’s grace. Find out what you’re called to do, do that and see how that “shoe” of God’s grace for that area fits.
If you look at Rom 12:6- 8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. NKJV
“Having then gifts differing. . .” Saving and standing grace is available to all equally but serving grace is distributed in various measures according to the choosing of God. Paul had received grace in conjunction with apostleship. The grace that you see in each individual minister is based on the grace that was given. The grace determines the gift. Paul told the Philippians that they were partakers of his grace meaning they were receiving benefits from the grace that was on Him.
We have seen out of Heb.12:28 that in order for one to serve God acceptably, they must operate in the vein of grace. Then in 1 Peter 4:10-11 it says: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Manifold speaks of diversity. We could use the term multifaceted. Jesus was fully equipped with the Spirit without measure as the Apostle, the Evangelist, the Prophet, the Pastor, and the Teacher. When He ascended, He gave gifts to men some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers for the equipping of the saints for each one to do the work of the ministry. He took the equipping that was on Himself and distributed it by different measures and different ratios to different people. Each person is to be a good steward of the grace they have received.
When we each minister in our area of grace or in the ability He has given, that is when God in all things is glorified. Till next time, be faithful in your area of grace, as a servant to the body of Christ and God will entrust you with more. You are graced, gifted and uniquely enabled by Him.