This will be a two-part post regarding the book by Dr. Charles Swindoll, PAUL: A MAN OF GRACE AND GRIT. The first part will focus on the book, what stood out, and an overall summary of the amazing person that is Paul. The second part will focus on learnings from the book and my own personal application.
PAUL: A MAN OF GRACE AND GRIT
Throughout the book, Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, the reader sees Paul at various stages and in different situations living a life that is thankful for God’s grace and is full of grace. Repeatedly, the grit of this famous apostle comes through as he deals with the difficulties of persecution and hardship. The book follows Paul from his early days as a brash and zealous “young man named Saul” who took part in Stephen’s murder, to the events of his multiple missionary journeys, to his final days when he wrote his personal and passionate letter to his beloved “son” Timothy. Dr. Swindoll weaves the reader through Paul’s life examining various situations, and showing the reader how God can use anyone, regardless of their past or present, to make a difference for Him. From a converted murderer to one of the most influential Christians to ever walk this earth, Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit displays how Paul trusted and obeyed God throughout His lifelong journey as he abounded in the grace of God and lived out his mission.
Review and Summary
Throughout each chapter, Paul’s life and ministry is studied to see how God worked in him in every situation. Swindoll takes the reader through Paul’s life as described mainly in Acts, but also through some of his letters. Swindoll shows the reader a personal and in-depth look at Paul, as his life is intricately examined in each chapter to show what God was doing in him and with him at that time and how Paul responded. One of the best things about Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit is that in each chapter the reader is provided not only with the history and knowledge of Paul, but with wonderful applications to be practiced. In various circumstances that the reader may face, such as conflict resolution, waiting, hardship, leading, and so forth, Dr. Swindoll provides guidelines from Paul’s life in order to practically deal with those situations. The qualities that God developed and used to make a prideful and sinful Saul into the gracious and gritty Paul is displayed throughout this intimate encounter with the apostle.
Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit describes Paul as a man of “grit” which is defined as “firmness of mind or spirit… unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.”[1] “Tough, tenacious, and fiercely relentless in his determination, Paul pursued his divine mission with unflinching resolve.”[2] Throughout the book, the reader is also shown time and again how Paul’s message and life was marked by grace. The once-violent, prideful, self-righteous zealot was crushed and transformed by God’s abounding grace. He became a powerful spokesman for Christ whose ministry was dominated by grace because he never got over his own gratitude to be a recipient of it.[3]
One of the more fascinating chapters of the book is on the idea of change. God had to perform a painful heart surgery on Paul to become this man of grace.[4] In discussing the difficult topic on change, which is rarely pleasant, Dr. Swindoll points out that one of Paul’s best qualities is his willingness to accept change. Swindoll is convinced that the main reason Paul lived “so cleanly before God” is because Paul had to accept the “constant regimen of change.”[5] Paul was willing to accept the adventure, trust and obey God, and have his faith stretched, all of which resulted in the gospel stretching to other parts of the world.
At several points in the book, Swindoll reminds all believers, especially preachers and those in leadership that we are not to water down the gospel message.[6] At a time when so many churches are catering to the modern believers and preaching sermons that are superficial, Swindoll exhorts these teachers to go deeper. He cites several well known Christian authors and theologians throughout several chapters that encourage churches to take the people deeper, by providing them with sustaining spiritual food instead of “spiritual junk food.”[7] While this is mainly for preachers, it is easy for the Christian to see how this relates to their own life in not only looking for a church, but how to relate to other believers and non-Christians by speaking the truth and not conforming to the ways of the world.
He reminds the believers in the last chapter as he surveys 2 Timothy to be ready in season and out of season and preach the word. In a time when many go to church and leave malnourished and remain malnourished, Swindoll encourages those in ministry to take the congregation into the depths of God’s Word to receive the only food that lasts and nourishes. For all of us, we are to learn from Paul to be ready to speak the Truth, be saturated in the Word, and live the Gospel life as he lived.
[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2002), xii.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid, xiii.
[4] Ibid, 125.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid, 127.
[7] Ibid, 201.