Why is the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith a significant feature in the teaching of Paul?

Paul, having a background in the law and at one point, believing that one could gain salvation through works, preaches that we can only be saved by the grace of God. We did nothing to deserve salvation nor can we do anything to obtain it; it is simply the gift of God through His Son, Jesus (Rom 5:15). Everyone in all of history has broken the law of God. This broken state places all of humanity in the same category; we are all prime recipients for salvation. We cannot boast in any self righteousness, for we are made righteous only by Christ Jesus. This is God’s grace to us; that when we deserved wrath and punishment He sent His Son to take our place so that we might receive, by faith, the gift of salvation.

On a different level, one significant feature of Paul’s teaching on the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is Paul’s pre and post conversion behavior. Specifically, before Paul was converted to a follower of Jesus; Paul had neither mercy nor grace upon people. He would simply arrest them and they were off to prison, regardless of how they may have begged or pleaded with him for their freedom. Paul relied on the methodology of justice instead of grace. He truly believed that the people he arrested were in direct opposition of the truths he defended, and to that end, he would show them no compassion. Together with his belief that one could work their way into being accepted by God, his gracelessness stimulated in him a hostile attitude towards those of “The Way.” After Paul’s conversion his behavior totally changed. The former attitude of a callous justice was replaced by a gentle demeanor and an attitude of meekness. The same people that he once attacked and persecuted, he began to suffer alongside. Paul was transformed from an individual who truly believed he had the right and responsibility to stand in judgment of others into a messenger of the Gospel who proclaimed mercy for sinners of whom he indicated he was the worst (I Tim 1:15). His post conversion attitude was that salvation is only by God’s grace and we can only receive it through faith in Jesus. To me, this would explain why Paul was dogmatic in ensuring that people understood the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. Not only was Paul teaching this principle but he was living it out as well.

Just as in Paul’s day, today we have those who would believe that there is something they can do to cause themselves to be worthy of salvation. Salvation however, is obtainable only one way, through faith in Christ. The doctrine of salvation through grace then, is so significant in Paul’s teaching because of his transformation; he was a man of works who became a man of grace. As one who experienced grace for the unthinkable deeds he had performed against God’s people, the significance of Paul’s message was the witness his life echoed every day to prove that the Gospel he preached was much more than words he spoke but instead, the life transforming power of God’s grace.

Timothy Fortune