1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
But by the grace of God
The phrase "by the grace of God" underscores the unmerited favor and divine assistance that Paul attributes to his transformation and ministry. The Greek word for grace, "charis," conveys a sense of kindness and favor that is not earned. In the historical context of Paul's life, this grace was transformative, taking him from a persecutor of Christians to a leading apostle. This highlights the power of God's grace to change lives, a central tenet in Christian theology.

I am what I am
This statement reflects Paul's acceptance of his identity and role as an apostle, shaped by God's grace. The Greek phrase "eimi ho eimi" echoes the divine self-identification in Exodus 3:14, "I AM WHO I AM," suggesting a profound acceptance of one's God-given identity. Historically, Paul faced criticism and doubt about his apostleship, but here he affirms that his identity and mission are divinely ordained.

and His grace to me was not in vain
The word "vain" translates from the Greek "kenos," meaning empty or without result. Paul emphasizes that the grace he received was fruitful and effective. In the scriptural context, this counters any notion that divine grace is passive; instead, it actively empowers believers to fulfill God's purposes. Paul's life and ministry serve as evidence of grace's tangible impact.

No, I worked harder than all of them
Paul's assertion of hard work, "kopiao" in Greek, meaning to toil or labor intensely, highlights the synergy between divine grace and human effort. While grace is a gift, it does not negate the responsibility to labor diligently in God's service. Historically, Paul's missionary journeys, writings, and sufferings attest to his tireless dedication to spreading the Gospel.

yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me
This phrase encapsulates the paradox of Christian living: human effort is essential, yet it is ultimately God's grace that empowers and sustains. The Greek "sunergos," meaning co-worker, implies a partnership between divine grace and human action. In the broader scriptural narrative, this reflects the mystery of sanctification, where believers are called to work out their salvation with the understanding that it is God who works in them (Philippians 2:12-13).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing the church in Corinth. He emphasizes his transformation and ministry as a result of God's grace.

2. The Church in Corinth
A diverse and often troubled congregation in the ancient city of Corinth, known for its moral and spiritual challenges.

3. God's Grace
A central theme in this passage, highlighting the unmerited favor and empowerment given by God to Paul.

4. Paul's Labor
Refers to Paul's extensive missionary work and efforts in spreading the Gospel, which he attributes to God's grace.

5. Other Apostles
Paul compares his work to that of the other apostles, emphasizing that his efforts were empowered by divine grace.
Teaching Points
Understanding Grace
Recognize that grace is an unearned gift from God that empowers us to fulfill His purposes.

Humility in Service
Like Paul, acknowledge that any accomplishments in ministry or life are due to God's grace, not personal merit.

Diligence in Labor
While grace is a gift, it calls us to work diligently in response, as Paul did in his ministry.

Dependence on God
Embrace the truth that our strength and ability to serve come from God's grace working within us.

Reflecting on Transformation
Consider how God's grace has transformed your life and how you can testify to His work in you.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's grace change your perspective on your personal achievements and failures?

2. In what ways can you identify God's grace at work in your life, similar to how Paul describes it in 1 Corinthians 15:10?

3. How can you balance the concept of working hard in your faith while relying on God's grace, as Paul did?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to ensure that God's grace in your life is "not in vain"?

5. How do other scriptures about grace, such as Ephesians 2:8-9 and 2 Corinthians 12:9, deepen your understanding of 1 Corinthians 15:10?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ephesians 2:8-9
This passage also speaks about grace, emphasizing that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of works, which aligns with Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 15:10.

Philippians 2:13
This verse highlights God's role in working through believers, similar to how Paul attributes his labor to God's grace.

Galatians 2:20
Paul speaks about living by faith in the Son of God, which parallels his acknowledgment of God's grace working in him.

Romans 12:3
Paul advises believers to think of themselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed, which relates to his humble acknowledgment of grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9
Paul discusses how God's grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness, reinforcing the theme of divine empowerment.
A Good Man's Estimate of HimselfA. Maclaren, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:10
Divine GraceJ. Grose, A.M.1 Corinthians 15:10
Grace in Men's ChangesJ. B. Owen, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:10
Grace, All Through1 Corinthians 15:10
Grace, Daily, Reception Of H. Spurgeon.1 Corinthians 15:10
Grace, Dying and LivingChristian Age1 Corinthians 15:10
Grace, Power OfT. Watson.1 Corinthians 15:10
Individuality and Self-NegationT. C. Finlayson, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:10
Individuality in the Christian LifeW. M. Taylor, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:10
On the Divine Influence in the Conversion of SinnersJohn Foster, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:10
Outward and Inward MoralityJohannes Eckhart 1 Corinthians 15:10
Paul's Estimate of HimselfAlexander Maclaren1 Corinthians 15:10
Sudden ConversionsJohn Henry Newman1 Corinthians 15:10
The Conversion of StD. Moore, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of GodJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of GodH. W. Beecher.1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of GodH. J. Wilmot-Buxton1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of God and PaulG. Type.1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of God not Received in VainEssex Congregational, Remembrancer1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of God, its Nature and EffectsBp. Perry.1 Corinthians 15:10
The Privilege of WorkingH. W. Beecher.1 Corinthians 15:10
Wonders of GraceH. W. Beecher.1 Corinthians 15:10
Difficulties in the Way of Disbelief in the Resurrection of ChristProf. Christlieb.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
How Ought the Gospel to be PreachedJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
No-Resurrection ImpossibleG. Matheson, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
Paul's GospelA. Maclaren, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Apostolic GospelD. Thomas, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Certainty of the GospelJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Gospel Which Paul PreachedJ. Cochrane, A.M.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Resurrection of ChristF. W. Robertson, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Resurrection of ChristM. Dods, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:1-12
The Exposition and Defence of the ResurrectionJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 15:1-58
Apostolic Testimony to Christ's Resurrection, and Testimony of OthersC. Lipscomb 1 Corinthians 15:5-11
Christ's Last AppearanceJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
Me AlsoJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
Paul an ExampleJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
Self Depreciation Must not Hinder DutyReuen Thomas, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
St. PaulC. Kingsley, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
The Conversion of Paul Viewed in Reference to His OfficeJ. H. Newman, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
The Epiphany to Saul of TarsusW. E. Boardman, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:8-11
Humility and Self AssertionJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 15:9, 10
Traits of Christian GreatnessE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 15:9, 10
People
Adam, Cephas, Corinthians, James, Paul, Peter
Places
Corinth, Ephesus
Topics
Abundantly, Bestowed, Contrary, Effect, Futile, God's, Grace, Harder, Ineffectual, Labored, Labour, Laboured, Nothing, Prove, Rest, Strenuously, Though, Towards, Vain, Worked, Working, Yet
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 15:10

     5205   alliance
     5957   strength, spiritual
     6604   acceptance, human
     6671   grace, and Christian life
     8738   evil, victory over

1 Corinthians 15:3-10

     7707   apostles, designation

1 Corinthians 15:8-10

     6710   privileges

1 Corinthians 15:10-11

     7757   preaching, effects

Library
The Image of the Earthly and the Heavenly
Eversley, Easter Day, 1871. 1 Cor. xv. 49. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." This season of Easter is the most joyful of all the year. It is the most comfortable time, in the true old sense of that word; for it is the season which ought to comfort us most--that is, it gives us strength; strength to live like men, and strength to die like men, when our time comes. Strength to live like men. Strength to fight against the temptation which
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Third Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
Text: First Corinthians 15, 20-28. 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fourth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 35-50. 35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? 36 Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: 37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; 38 but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fifth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 51-58. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Paul's Witness to Christ's Resurrection.
Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10. 1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Small Duties and the Great Hope
'But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11. And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12. That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 13. But I would not have
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Christian and the Scientific Estimate of Sin
"Christ died for our sins."--I COR. XV. 3. Nothing is more characteristic of Christianity than its estimate of human sin. Historically, no doubt, this is due to the fact that the Lord and Master of Christians died "on account of sins." His death was due, as we have seen, both to the actual, definite sins of His contemporaries, and also to the irreconcilable opposition between His sinless life and the universal presence of sin in the world into which He came. But it is with the Christian estimate
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

Outward and Inward Morality
OUTWARD AND INWARD MORALITY I Cor. xv. 10.--"The Grace of God." Grace is from God, and works in the depth of the soul whose powers it employs. It is a light which issues forth to do service under the guidance of the Spirit. The Divine Light permeates the soul, and lifts it above the turmoil of temporal things to rest in God. The soul cannot progress except with the light which God has given it as a nuptial gift; love works the likeness of God into the soul. The peace, freedom and blessedness of all
Johannes Eckhart—Meister Eckhart's Sermons

April the Sixth First-Hand Knowledge of Christ
"Last of all He was seen of me also." --1 CORINTHIANS xv. 1-11. And by that vision Saul of Tarsus was transformed. And so, by the ministry of a risen Lord we have received the gift of a transfigured Paul. The resurrection glory fell upon him, and he was glorified. In that superlative light he discovered his sin, his error, his need, but he also found the dynamic of the immortal hope. "Seen of me also!" Can I, too, calmly and confidently claim the experience? Or am I altogether depending upon another
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

April the Seventh if Christ were Dead!
1 CORINTHIANS xv. 12-26. "If Christ be not risen!" That is the most appalling "if" which can be flung into the human mind. If it obtains lodging and entertainment, all the fairest hopes of the soul wither away like tender buds which have been nipped by sharp frost! See how they fade! "Your faith is vain." It has no more strength and permanency than Jonah's gourd. Nay, it has really never been a living thing! It has been a pathetic delusion, beautiful, but empty as a bubble, and collapsing at
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Sudden Conversions.
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."--1 Cor. xv. 10. We can hardly conceive that grace, such as that given to the great Apostle who speaks in the text, would have been given in vain; that is, we should not expect that it would have been given, had it been foreseen and designed by the Almighty Giver that it would have been in vain. By which I do not mean, of course, to deny that God's gifts are oftentimes abused and wasted by man, which
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Paul's Estimate of Himself
'By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.'--1 COR. xv. 10. The Apostle was, all his life, under the hateful necessity of vindicating his character and Apostleship. Thus here, though his main purpose in the context is simply to declare the Gospel which he preached, he is obliged to turn aside in order to assert, and to back up his assertion, that there was no sort of difference between him and the other recognised teachers of Christian truth. He
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Unity of Apostolic Teaching
Whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.'--1 COR. xv. 11. Party spirit and faction were the curses of Greek civic life, and they had crept into at least one of the Greek churches--that in the luxurious and powerful city of Corinth. We know that there was a very considerable body of antagonists to Paul, who ranked themselves under the banner of Apollos or of Cephas i.e. Peter. Therefore, Paul, keenly conscious that he was speaking to some unfriendly critics, hastens in the
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Certainty and Joy of the Resurrection
'But now is Christ risen from the dead ... the first fruits of them that slept.'--1 COR. xv. 20. The Apostle has been contemplating the long train of dismal consequences which he sees would arise if we only had a dead Christ. He thinks that he, the Apostle, would have nothing to preach, and we, nothing to believe. He thinks that all hope of deliverance from sin would fade away. He thinks that the one fact which gives assurance of immortality having vanished, the dead who had nurtured the assurance
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Remaining and Falling Asleep
'After that He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.'--1 COR. xv. 6. There were, then, some five-and-twenty years after the Resurrection, several hundred disciples who were known amongst the churches as having been eyewitnesses of the risen Saviour. The greater part survived; some, evidently a very few, had died. The proportion of the living to the dead, after five-and-twenty years, is generally the opposite.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Death of Death
'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.... 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Power of the Resurrection
'I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.'--1 COR. xv. 3, 4. Christmas day is probably not the true anniversary of the Nativity, but Easter is certainly that of the Resurrection. The season is appropriate. In the climate of Palestine the first fruits of the harvest were ready at the Passover for presentation in the Temple.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

On the Atonement.
"How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."-1 Cor. xv. 3. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."-2 Cor. v. 21. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."-Rom. v. 8. "The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness' sake: he will magnify the law and make it honorable."-Isa. xlii. 21. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood,
Charles G. Finney—Sermons on Gospel Themes

Victory Over Death.
Preached May 16, 1852. VICTORY OVER DEATH. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."--1 Cor. xv. 56, 57. On Sunday last I endeavoured to bring before you the subject of that which Scripture calls the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. The two points on which we were trying to get clear notions were these: what is meant by being under the law, and what is meant by being free from the law? When
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

Thoughts on the Last Battle
When I select such a text as this, I feel that I cannot preach from it. The thought o'ermasters me; my words do stagger; there are no utterances that are great enough to convey the mighty meaning of this wondrous text. If I had the eloquence of all men united in one, if I could speak as never man spake (with the exception of that one godlike man of Nazareth), I could not compass so vast a subject as this. I will not therefore pretend to do so, but offer you such thoughts as my mind is capable of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

"Alas for Us, if Thou Wert All, and Nought Beyond, O Earth"
We will try and handle our text this morning in this way. First, we are not of all men most miserable; but secondly, without the hope of another life we should be--that we are prepared to confess--because thirdly, our chief joy lies in the hope of a life to come; and thus, fourthly, the future influences the present; and so, in the last place, we may to-day judge what our future is to be. I. First then, WE ARE NOT OF ALL MEN MOST MISERABLE. Who ventures to say we are? He who will have the hardihood
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

A Leap Year Sermon *
"One born out of due time."--1 Corinthians 15:8. PAUL THUS DESCRIBES himself. It was necessary that Paul, as an apostle, should have seen the Lord. He was not converted at the time of Christ's ascension; yet he was made an apostle, for the Lord Jesus appeared to him in the way, as he was going to Damascus, to persecute the saints of God. When he looked upon himself as thus put in, as it were, at the end of the apostles, he spoke of himself in the most depreciating terms, calling himself "one born
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900

Resurgam
I propose this morning, as God shall enable, to listen to that voice of spring, proclaiming the doctrine of the resurrection, a meditation all the more appropriate from the fact, that the Sabbath before last we considered the subject of Death, and I hope that then very solemn impressions were made upon our minds. May the like impressions now return, accompanied with more joyous ones, when we shall look beyond the grave, through the valley of the shadow of death, to that bright light in the distance--the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

28TH DAY. A Joyful Resurrection.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "This corruptible must put on incorruption."--1 COR. xv. 53. A Joyful Resurrection. Marvel of marvels? The sleeping ashes of the sepulchre starting at the tones of the archangel's trumpet!--the dishonoured dust, rising a glorified body, like its risen Lord's? At death, the soul's bliss is perfect in kind; but this bliss is not complete in degree, until reunited to the tabernacle it has left behind to mingle with the sods of the valley. But tread lightly on that grave,
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

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