“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation.” (Ephesians 3:2)
The administration of God’s grace? Does the Scripture mean that God entrusted Paul with administering – giving forth – the grace of God? Yes. Paul called himself a steward of God’s grace. Elsewhere he says that God entrusted him with divine mysteries that had been hidden in ages past but are now revealed through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Ephesians 3:2-5; Colossians 1:25). As a steward of God’s grace Paul was responsible before God for sharing it with all people. This was such a serious responsibility that, to withhold God’s soul-saving Gospel from anyone would make him guilty of the blood of those whom he had “kept in the dark” (Acts 18:6; 20:26). It was tantamount to obstructing the flow of God’s grace to sinners.
This runs counter to the notion many Christians have. Too many Christians have this idea that, if God wants to save sinners He’ll do it without our help. A chaplain once told me that he never gives invitations to follow Christ. He explained that God has already chosen those who are His. And, if they’ve been chosen, they’ll come to the Lord without his invitation. After all, he told me, God’s grace is irresistible. Nothing can stop it.
This is insane. Christ called people to follow Him (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21). The apostles called people to repent and believe in Jesus (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38, 40; 3:19; 16:31-32; 20:21; 22:16; 26:20 Paul stated that the blood of sinners would be on his head if he didn’t tell them about Christ – just as God told Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:18, 20; 33:6, 8).
Yet, not only was Paul the apostle a steward and administrator of God’s grace. All ministers are (Titus 1:7). In fact, according to Peter, all believers are stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10). And we sin against God when we withhold it from others by not sharing the Gospel with unbelievers and by failing to use our gifts and talents to serve others. Remember, Paul told us that we will all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Are we prepared to stand face to face with Christ? Will we face that confrontation with great anxiety and regret – for having wasted our talents and kept sinners in spiritual darkness? Paul told us to redeem the time we’ve wasted by devoting the rest of our days to God’s service (Ephesians 5:15; Colossians 4:5).
REFLECTION
- Read Matthew 24:45-51 and 25:14-30. Can you see the seriousness of your responsibility to share God’s grace with others?
- If you struggle sharing the Gospel with others, can you support others in sharing the Gospel? How? Perhaps by supporting the ministry of your church with your prayers and tithes? Or, perhaps by becoming part of a ministry team?
- God has entrusted his grace to us – not to be horded or hidden, but to be dispensed to those in need. May Christ find us faithful when he comes!
