Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit (Great Lives from God's Word)

by Charles R. Swindoll

My well-worn dictionary defines grit as “firmness of mind or spirit . . . unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.” I love that!

But his message and his style, as we shall see, were also marked by grace. This one, who himself claimed to be the least of all saints and the chief of all sinners, understood and explained grace better than any of his contemporaries. It isn’t difficult to understand why. He never got over his own gratitude as a recipient of it. God’s unmerited favor, His super-abounding grace, reached down to him in all his self-righteous zeal, crushed his pride, drove him to his knees, softened his heart, and transformed this once-violent aggressor into a powerful spokesman for Christ. A man with that much grit needed that much grace. Not surprisingly, grace dominated Paul’s message and ministry to the final moment of his life.

The steel of greatness is forged in the pit. It’s true of all of us. Don’t ever forget that, especially when you’re in the pit and you’re convinced there’s no way anything of value will come of it.

The better we understand the darkness of his past, the more we will understand his gratitude for grace.

Is that great, or what? The angel of the Lord had unlocked the prison, liberated the apostles, and then locked the place up again. When they came to the jail they found the guards asleep, the gates secured, and no prisoners.

“But Peter and the apostles answered and said, ‘We must obey God rather than men.

stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God” (Acts 5:38–39).

Keep that in mind when you feel your circumstances have become hopeless. No matter what you face, God is still in control, silently and sovereignly working all things out according to His perfect plan.

“So they went on their way from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (vv. 41–42).

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief ” (1 Timothy 1:12–13,

That’s why he claimed the title “chief of sinners.”

“And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground, and he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:3–4).

From the moment we’re conceived to the moment we die, we remain safely within the frame of His watchful gaze as well as His sovereign plan.

Psalm 139:12 says, “The darkness and light are both alike to You.”

“Ananias.” And he said, “Behold, here am I, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to a street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” Acts 9:10–12

“Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Thy saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name” (Acts 9:13).

“He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.”

“But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake’ ” (Acts 9: 15–16).

The crucible of pain and hardship is God’s schoolroom where Christians learn humility, compassion, character, patience, and grace.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as if insane) I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23–28

I don’t understand all the reasons we suffer for the Name. But I’m convinced of this: It is part of God’s sovereign plan to prepare us to be His instruments of grace to a harsh and desperate world.

Don’t you love the way he started? “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” What a moment of courageous faith for Ananias. He not only touched the notorious killer of Christians, he immediately accepted him, calling him his brother. That’s what I call trusting God’s plan! This was Saul’s initial touch of grace from a fellow believer.

Ananias has been called one of the forgotten heroes of the faith. Indeed he is. There are countless numbers of them serving Christ behind the scenes the world over. Most we will never meet, we’ll never know by name. They are content to remain in the shadows, oblivious to the lure of lights and applause. Nevertheless, they are heroes—giants of the faith because of their selfless, understated acts of obedience to God. Faithfully carrying on. Faithfully administering. Faithfully delivering sermons. Faithfully showing mercy to the sick in the hospitals. Faithfully counseling and giving hope to the discouraged.

“And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized. And he took food and was strengthened” (v. 18). The change was instantaneous. He regained his sight. When God performs a miracle there are two undeniable effects. It is immediate. And it is permanent.

“And all those hearing continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ ” (Acts 9:21).

“But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 9:22).

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (v.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my countrymen, being more zealous for ancestral traditions. But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Galatians 1: 10–17 (Italics mine)

But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor

did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Galatians 1: 15–17

This emphatic disclaimer of any contact with earlier believers and their leaders makes it clear that Paul did not derive his understanding of the Christian message from any who were Christians before him. Specifically, he did not learn from, nor was he commissioned by, those who had been apostles before him. It could not be said that he had had instruction and had misunderstood what earlier teachers were trying to convey to him. It is of primary importance for Paul that he had been directly commissioned by Jesus.3

I’m convinced he received all that and much more during his period of solitude, silence, and obscurity when he “went away” to a place he calls Arabia.

For three years, Saul lived somewhere in the desert, cut-off from his former manner of life—in solitude, quietness, and obscurity.

It was there, no doubt, he concluded “whatever things were gain to me, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3: 7–8).

“When I’m alone and the solitude is so quiet it’s deafening, it’s amazing how I rediscover who I am, and how things become clear that I’d never been able to unravel before.”

Your part is to get out of the traffic and set your mind on kingdom priorities—stuff that really matters.

Lord God, You are very patient and gracious with us. You allow us so much of the rope, until finally we come to an end and realize this must be addressed. Thank You for Your understanding. Thank You for the wooing of Your Spirit, who has a way of finally getting our attention. I pray for all those on some kind of maddening pursuit to make a name or somehow feeling indispensable in the equation. Stop that kind of nonsense in us! Remind all of us, Father, that only One is truly indispensable, and that is Yourself, You who dwells in absolute silence and beauty and purity. No wonder You are so deep and profound. Give us, our Father, a holy hatred for activity for activity’s sake. Force us to reevaluate why we do what we do when we do it. And may we become Your chosen vessels, fitted and prepared for the tasks You have for us. Keep the flesh away from our involvements, Lord, and give us a holy discipline to address the things that lead to the death of authenticity. Whether we’re single or married, younger or older, give us a dissatisfaction for the energy of the flesh, and show us the value of the hidden life as You prepare ours for whatever You have planned for the future. I ask it through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that that this Jesus is the Christ. And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul. And they were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket. Acts 9: 19–25

“He was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple” (v. 26). Rejected again, only this time by those he most wanted to meet.

But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked with him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. Acts 9: 27–28

Each Barnabas stands ready at a moment’s notice to come to the aid of someone in need of encouragement.

Look for those individuals who need a second chance—a large dose of grace to help them start over in the Christian life. Everybody needs a Barnabas at one time or another.

He’s looking for broken vessels, wounded hearts, and humble servants, even those with bad track records who have some scars, who have learned not to hide them or deny them—people who understand and appreciate the value of others.

They need you to be right with the Lord.

I have found that one of God’s favorite methods of preparing us for something great is to send us into the shadows to wait.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 Wait for the Lord, and keep His way, and He will exalt you. . . . Psalm 37:34 My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:

If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:17–19 Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame. Isaiah 49:23

Wait for your God continually.

Hosea 12: 6

Romans 8:25. “If we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”