“But by the grace of God I am what I am 
and His grace toward me did not prove vain; 
but I labored even more than all of them,
yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
~~1 Corinthians 15:10~~

As I read this verse this morning, what initially came to mind is how the world distorts the Word of God to make it mean what they want it to. I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase, “Hey, I am what I am”.  This is used by the person who is comfortable in their present state and doesn’t want to put forth the effort to change.  So they have distorted God’s Word by leaving Him out of it.  How that must break God’s heart.  

Matthew Henry commented, “By ascribing all that was valuable in (Paul) to divine grace: But by the grace of God I am what I am, v. 10. It is God’s prerogative to say, “I am that I am” (Exodus 3:14); it is our privilege to be able to say, “By God’s grace we are what we are.” We are nothing but what God makes us, nothing in religion but what his grace makes us. All that is good in us is a stream from this fountain. Paul was sensible of this, and kept humble and thankful by this conviction; so should we.”

You’re probably wondering  by now about the title “what’s in a word?”  Well, after my initial observation, I went on to do my word study and the little word “with” in the last phrase (“yet not I, but the grace of God with me”) jumped off the page to me.  In the Greek language, “with” <syn> is a preposition denoting union by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, and instrumentality. Pause to ponder each one of those!!

• I am a Christ-ian (that’s association). 
• He walks with me and talks with me, never leaving me or forsaking me.  He is with me always (that’s companionship). 
• Without the Spirit, I couldn’t be saved, nor could I grow and be sanctified (that’s process). 
• “I am bought with a price”, 1 Corinthians 6:20 (that’s possession). 
• The Spirit works through me, empowering me to do the will of God (that’s instrumentality). 

That little word packs quite the punch, doesn’t it!!! 

From a couple of the commentaries I read, I jotted down a couple thoughts.

• Grace saves AND changes.  “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him by the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
• Change doesn’t occur all at once and isn’t complete til we either die or are raptured (Philippians 1:6 — “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”)
• Grace isn’t given “because of” our hard work, but instead “to encourage” hard work. (2 Corinthians 6:1 — “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”) In vain (kenos) was a metaphor used of endeavors or labors which result in nothing; fruitless and without effect.  

I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever want the words “fruitless” and “without effect” used to describe my life.  If you have accepted Christ, the grace of God is with you because the Spirit of God is in you.  That’s a fact.  If you don’t see the fruit of that union, do some self-examination to see if you are indeed cooperating with the Spirit that is “with” you.