What is the significance of Paul saying, "I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10)?

Of this ministry the converted persecutor was to be the most honoured instrument. And this he himself could not but add; "but by God's grace I am what I am; and his grace that [was] toward me became not vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that [was] with me." (Ver. 10.) The simple truth carried its own weight. His apostleship, which had been assailed by those who were not less hostile to his full preaching of grace, received no small confirmation; the pride of human nature, in its merits or its wisdom, was put down; God was in every way exalted; and the special point in debate had a crowning testimony from Paul himself, which also accounted for a revolution never surpassed, if equalled, in any man's history since the world began: a revolution which was unintelligible otherwise in one trained, as he had been, in the strictest traditions and ways of Pharisaism, and now the boldest minister of the gospel, the most devoted minister of the church, yet withal a mind eminently sober and conscientious, logical and profound. The appearing of the risen Jesus from heaven explained all perfectly, not his conversion only, but his work beyond all laborious and blessed of God. Truly it was the grace of God that was with him, who loved to own it, while he abased himself.

Verses 9–10: The grace and truth of God as to the content of the glad tidings did two things with Paul: they showed him his smallness even in the execution of his divinely endued service, especially as regarding his past history as persecutor of God’s assembly; and they also enhanced to him the grace bestowed upon him with such blessing and power. This lay behind the message which had been preached and also behind the faith which had received those tidings.

Verse 10. "But by the grace of God I am what I am," etc. There is a deep emphasis in these words; for he was not less conscious of the special distinction to which he had been raised, as the pre-eminent "minister of the Church,"2 than of his former dishonour as the "chief of sinners." Not numbered with the twelve, he is, by sovereign grace, entrusted with a work which, in its nature and effects, is to excel what God had wrought by them. His labours were not more abundant only, but of more abiding value. Not only did his ceaseless diligence, as a preacher of the truth, exceed the measure of the rest, but, as a chief among the anointed scribes of wisdom,3 he has become, in a fuller sense than any of his brethren, a perpetual nourisher of that Church which he had once sought to destroy. It is from his divinely guided hand that most4 of the great doctrines of the faith have received their fullest and clearest enunciation. Of some he is, as we have seen, the sole expositor. Thus he taught, and laboured, and endured, finding glory in the afflictions of the gospel. Yet it was not he who so excelled the rest, but "the grace of God" which was with him. Natural rivalry can have no place among those who are led of the Spirit. It is in simplicity and godly sincerity that he records not only his personal self-abasement, but this bold assertion also of pre-eminent official grace.5

There was no apostle like Paul, he abounded in the work of the Lord above all the rest. He said, “I laboured more abundantly than they all; YET NOT I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD which was with me.” It might appear as though he were boasting in the multitude of his own activities here and elsewhere, but no, he took no praise to himself, “not I,” in that he refused any glory, the “but the grace of God” in that he gave all the glory to God. He boasted in grace and not in himself. This explains why he could speak of his experiences and service with ease and liberty for the glory of the grace of which he was the happy subject, and not for self-exaltation. He glories in it, saying, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

We read of the apostle Paul saying, "By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but, the grace of God which was with me." Now very often (our thoughts are apt to dwell so much and so exclusively on acceptance) this passage, "By the grace of God I am what I am," is looked at as only having to do with acceptance; but the Lord desires that we should abundantly serve Him in the midst of Satan's world - having, it may be, to conflict not only with evil in ourselves, but with evil in others; and nothing but His grace can enable us to do this. It is as much the "grace of God" that has given us to serve, and the "grace of God" that strengthens for service, as it was the "grace of God" that saved us at the beginning.

"I, NOT I!" It is a great practical principle. If the apostle says, "I speak as a man," or "Ye walk as men," he uses the expression disparagingly; it is not the high ground of one who has been CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, but, nevertheless, IS ALIVE - in whom CHRIST LIVES. He has come down from divine to human motives. If he speaks about himself, he says, "I speak foolishly." Surely it were folly to speak of self, instead of Christ, unless compelled to do so, as the apostle was. But in his labours he still remembered, "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST," and where "I" would, almost necessarily and innocently, appear, the corrective comes in, "I, NOT I." Had he even to vindicate his apostleship, in writing to the Corinthians; as, likewise, to set before them that the gospel which he preached hinged on the resurrection of Christ, and that, touch that fact, the gospel was gone; he brings forward the witnesses to the resurrection (living witnesses), and then adds, "Last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet 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 which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet NOT I, but the grace of God which was with me." Deep scholar, indeed, in the grace of God; well instructed disciple in the doctrine of the CROSS! The doctrine of the CROSS was not used by this disciple to set self aside as to judgment only, but to set self aside where it would fain show itself as though the Lord needed our help, our zeal, our energies. It is a hard lesson to learn, not to look with complacency on our labours for Christ, and for the blessing of others, instead of looking to "the travail of His soul."

"I, NOT I!" What mixed motives do we discover in ourselves! Where love should constrain, how often is there vanity and self-seeking! There is a vast amount of activity at work in the things of God; may it be increased; but it is only as the grace of God is with us, that any effectual work is really done. "Not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Labour in the Lord is not, cannot be, in vain. It will stand, and be made manifest in that day. Let there be all activity, and diligence, and patient painstaking; but when "I" would be prominent, then the CROSS is our refuge against self. "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Let there be the wholesome correction drawn from this doctrine. "I" must meet its end in the CROSS, that Christ may live in me. "I" must be set aside, too, by the CROSS, even in my labours, that the grace of God may appear. Thus "shall no flesh glory in His presence; but," as it is written, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Moses has forgotten the rod. What is Moses? Nothing; he has no power to fetch water from the rock, and he has forgotten the present power of God, that which alone can enable him to do it; he has forgotten God, he is thinking about himself Here we see again the sin of our hearts, in the using of the very grace which God has given us, for the purpose of self-exaltation, to say "we." But this is a sin which would not be noticed by the world; because the world only talks of "I" and "me." Not so faith. Paul says, "By the grace of God, I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Cor. 15:10), ashamed to be forced, as it were, into this mention of himself. The flesh would seek to use the very grace of God, the light of God, the truth of God, the power of God, to exalt ourselves. That, may seem a little thing which is recorded of Moses here; but when we come to take it to pieces, to analyse it, we feel it to be most odious before God. So it is with us, if the light which God has given us, the truth and knowledge we have, are made stepping-stones to self-exaltation.

However, he himself came at the end of a long line of witnesses, and this reminded him of the fact that when the other apostles were having a sight of their risen Lord, he was an opponent and a persecutor, at least in heart. The thought of this humbled him, and made him feel unworthy to be numbered amongst the apostles. At the same time it filled his heart with a sense of the grace of God — grace which not only had called him, but also led him into a life of labour for his Lord more abundant than all the rest.

(This in fact the more inflamed his Jewish persecutors.) The grace of God was the only explanation, and this was not in vain, for Paul's labours were more abundant than all the apostles, not that Paul takes any credit, but presses the reality of the grace of God with him. Indeed, whether Paul or the others, this made no difference; for whoever the persons, the witness was plain, the preaching was true, and the Corinthians had believed.

The method as well as the manner of the apostle's ministry comes before us in Acts 20. They are doubtless interwoven, and yet distinct. The one reveals the man, the other the servant. In the one we see character, in the other ability. And both were combined in an eminent degree in this devoted servant. In whichever way we regard him, we see what a remarkable vessel he was, and how conspicuous was the grace of God in him. As a man he was humble, courageous and unselfish; as a servant he was gifted and devoted. He could say, "I laboured more abundantly than they all"; but truly adds, "yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Cor. 15:10.)