I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
1 corinthians 15:9-10
The word grace is used three times in these verses. This whole chapter is about how the grace of Jesus changes the future for all who believe. But Paul begins with the effect of grace on past sins.
Paul tells us we have redemption from our past sins: “I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (15:9). People who walk most closely with God often struggle with things they regret. How do you live with things in the past that now make you deeply ashamed?
The voice of conscience reminds you of things you wish you had never said, or things you wish you had never viewed. You sometimes wonder, How could I have been such a fool?
Paul knew what this was like. He remembered that he had a foul mouth and a raging temper. He had committed violence against the people he now loved: “I persecuted the church of God” (Gal. 1:13). That was the reality Paul lived with. He never forgot it. How could he?
Or perhaps your regret is not over what you did but what you failed to do. Paul tells us that the risen Christ appeared to him “last of all” (15:8). You may think, “If only I had come to faith in Christ sooner. If only I had exercised more faith. If only I had walked more closely with God.”
Every thoughtful person knows what it is to live with regrets, shameful sins, missed opportunities, and wasted years.
Where do you feel deep regret in your own life? How does Paul’s experience encourage you?
