You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
8 Unto me,
[emoi] who am less than the least[elachistoteros] of all[pas] saints,[hagios] is[didomi] this[houtos] grace[charis] given,[didomi] that I should preach[euaggelizo] among[en] the Gentiles[ethnos] the unsearchable[anexichniastos] riches[ploutos] of Christ;
[Christos] KJV-Interlinear
8 To me,
the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles
the unfathomable riches of Christ, NASB
Paul is generally credited with writing thirteen books of the New Testament. Luke wrote most of the text content which is in the New Testament. John wrote some of the most revealing concepts in the New Testament.
Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, putting into formal writing the many doctrinal concepts that had been handed down verbally from generation to generation from Adam's time to the time of Moses. Isaiah wrote some of the most revealing doctrine concerning the Messiah and the prophecies of Gods people.
Many other people wrote scripture, and because of their efforts and sacrifices, many billions and billions and perhaps even trillions of people throughout history, have learned of Christ and the spiritual life and have benefited as a result.
How much of the Bible did you write? None. No one in our generation, nor since the end of that very first century A.D., has written anything that was not originally in the scriptures.
No one else in all of human history, has contributed so much that has benefited so many, than these original writers of scripture. The benefits that we receive or have received, are infinite, because they affect our eternal life and go on forever.
And while we see awards shows for movies and music, we see awards for scientists and philosophers, we see awards and prizes for many categories of activities, and yet none even begin to come close to the human impact and greatness of these original writers of scripture.
Paul deserves more rewards and recognitions than can be counted, and yet he does not count himself as special or significant or any better than anyone else.
That is the attitude that we should all have.
People are life forms placed into dust molds. It is God who formed us all, each in our own special way. Some are phenomenally beautiful. Some are phenomenally intelligent. Some are phenomenally talented. And in all of those characteristics, it is God who formed the dust into those different results.
Man does not cause himself to be talented or beautiful or smart, or anything else for that matter. Man has no basis for credit to himself for whatever he is.
We are all what we are, because of Gods grace, which is Gods favor, and for no other reason. And Gods grace is given to each of us, for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is so that we can come to Christ in salvation (gospel) and come to Christ is spiritual maturity (doctrine), thus completing a process that God started and that God sustains, and that God will perpetuate forever.
None of us have any credit, nor do we deserve any credit for the results of our life. Only God deserves that recognition.
