Romans 15:17 – “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God”
As believers, we are called to serve God in various capacities, utilizing the gifts and opportunities He has graciously bestowed upon us.
However, the apostle Paul reminds us that the ultimate purpose, motivation, and attitude of our service should be to exalt and honor Christ, who is the source and goal of our service.
Purpose of Our Service
Exalting Christ Paul declares, “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.”
His service was driven by a desire to glorify Christ, expressing love and gratitude to the Savior and Lord. This should be our aim, too – to depend on and trust in Christ, who is the power and wisdom behind our service.
Danger of Pride
Unfortunately, we often forget this purpose and fall into the trap of pride.
Pride is the sinful tendency to think highly of ourselves and lowly of others, taking credit for what God has accomplished and blaming others for our failures.
It alienates us from God’s grace, damages our relationships, blinds us to our faults, and robs us of joy and peace.
Remedy of His Grace
Overcoming pride and learning to glory in Christ alone requires acknowledging our need for His grace.
Grace is God’s undeserved favor and kindness towards us, not something we earn or deserve, but something we receive freely and generously from Him.
The supreme expression of God’s grace is the person and work of Jesus Christ. He humbled Himself, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again, defeating sin and death.
He offers us eternal life, reconciliation with God, and the gift of His Spirit and Word to guide and empower us.
Response of Our Faith
To receive this grace, we must respond with faith – trusting and relying on God’s promises, accepting His will, and obeying His commands with gratitude.
Faith is not a work we boast about but a gift we humbly receive, the means by which we are justified and sanctified by God’s grace.
When we receive God’s grace by faith, we are set free from the bondage of pride and enabled to glory in Christ alone.
We can serve God with joy, humility, love, gratitude, dependence, and trust, giving Him all the glory and honor, for He alone is worthy.
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