Thank God for His Grace 1 Corinthians 1:4

As Paul the apostle continued the introduction to his letter to the Corinthian church, he introduced himself, conveyed his position of authority by the will of God to be an apostle, identified his audience as the church in Corinth, and wished “grace” and “peace” upon them. In chapter one and verse four of First Corinthians, Paul the apostle continued his letter by thanking God “for grace” “given” to them “by Jesus Christ” where we read:

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

The verse begins, “I thank my God always on your behalf,...” Paul began with the words, “I thank” which means “Paul was grateful and expressed gratitude that” “my God” or “Paul's Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “always” which means “at all times and ever” “on your behalf” which is the Greek phrase “peri hymōn peri” and means “concerning, on account of, because of, around and near to the Corinthians”. Not only did Paul the apostle desire “grace” and “peace” upon the church of Corinth, but he gave “thanks” to God for His “grace” toward them as well.

The verse continues, “... for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;”. The Paul added the words, “for the grace” or “upon, on, at, by or before that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”“which is given you” or “that is granted, supplied, furnished, and delivered unto the Corinthian church members” “by Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” which means “the anointed One” and is “the Messiah and the Son of God”. Paul “thanked God” because the church members of Corinth were granted the “grace of God” which was provided by “Jesus Christ”.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see the care he had for the people who were part of the church in Corinth. Paul was “thankful” that God extended “grace” to them, and he wanted them to know it. He “prayed” for them with gratefulness for the provision of God's unmerited favor toward them. When we apply this to our lives, how thankful are we to God for the “grace” He has extended to others we know? Do we “thank God” for His unmerited favor towards them? Let us allow Paul's words to inspire us to think about others to whom God has extended His “grace”, and may we join Paul in giving “thanks” to God for His abundant and amazing “grace” toward them.

Next time Paul desires “that in every thing” the people in the church “are enriched by” Jesus, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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