But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Summary: Words are important. The wrong word can lead us to the wrong understanding. In this mediation, we look at the word “apportioned” and examine how this word can affect our happiness in God.
You don’t have to be a Greek scholar to see that the NIV translation has wandered from the main trail with this verse. Looking at all English translations of this verse side-by-side, it is easy to see that only one translation, the NIV, used the word “apportioned.” With two or three exceptions, everyone else uses the word “measure.”
Why is this important?
The word “apportion” means to “divide and allocate.” It suggests that Christ possesses a limited amount of grace. Does Christ divide it between those he saves? With this definition is the possibility that some get more than others.
Is this what Paul wrote in his letter?
No.
Let’s look at how the Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament translates this same passage:
“But to each one of us grace was given · according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”
My guess is that the reason the NIV uses the word “apportioned” is because Paul goes on to talk about the different gifts Christ gives to believers. But gifts and grace are two different things. Christ gives us the gift of grace, and he gives us gifts because of his grace.
Throughout his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul mentions God’s “grace” again and again. It is by grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:5, 2:8). Is God’s ability to save limited in any way?
No!
Paul describes the kindness of Jesus as “incomparable riches of his grace” (Ephesians 2:7) and refers to the “boundless riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). Jesus does not have to apportion his grace as though there were only a limited amount to work with.
Instead, out of his unlimited grace, God gives us gifts. The picture Paul will paint is similar to kids opening their gifts on Christmas morning. If everyone was given the same gift, it might seem “fair,” but it wouldn’t feel fair. Everyone is different. What makes Christmas fun is that each gift is selected to match what the child wants most.
In the same way, God gives spiritual gifts to us according to our spiritual wants and needs. Each of us is made to fill a role in the body of Christ. God, the “Father of all” (Ephesians 4:6) loves us and knows what we need. He also knows that filling our need spiritual means giving us work to do that we are uniquely qualified to do.
Each of us is like a key that fits a lock. The grace God shows us through Jesus Christ is to show us which lock we fit in. Happiness in Christ is finding our place. It is by the grace of God that we can unlock that happiness.
Application: Know that there is no limit to God’s grace.
Food for Thought: How does worldly happiness differ from spiritual happiness?
I think worldly happiness is circumstantial based on how we feel at the moment or if we like what is happening around us. True joy of the Lord is found in a relationship with the Lord and our eternal salvation. It is something that transcends circumstances and permeates all areas of our lives. Philippians 4: 4 – 7; 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18; James 1: 2 – 4.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
(James 1:2-4)
Hmmm…
Well if you define Joy the way James does, of course the spiritual is going to be better! (I am laughing inside because of the irony of the spiritual truth when compared to the world’s truth.)
Nicely said! Thank you!
06-17-2023, How does worldly happiness differ from spiritual happiness?
Worldly happiness is momentary, temporary, conditional, centered on our physical self. The world teaches us to be happy only when things are going our way, when there’s no sickness, trial, struggle or lack. It is a physical feeling, a response to an external stimuli hearing, taste, touch, sight, and smell which is only present as it is being fed by an outward source.
Spiritual happiness is the joy that comes through our Sovereign God. His eternal Spirit dwelling in the hearts of all believers is our source of peace, unconditional, eternal happiness which is present irregardless of any outward condition. It is the happiness that empoweres believers to sing praises to God as they have been persecuted for centuries.
Matthew 6:19-20, James 1:2-4, Philippians 4:4
Nicely said, Ron.
You and Rich are tracking very close together today. I like the way you both tie worldly experience to our feelings at the moment, and spiritual happiness to our connection to our eternal Father.
Read response by Rich and knew I was in good company, even some of the same references.
How does worldly happiness differ from spiritual happiness? (I don’t stay on trail today)
The classic Philippians 4:13 comes to mind. Paul’s gone through a lot of junk in his life. And then he says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
I can handle starvation through Christ who strengthens me
I can be rejected by cities through Christ who strengthens me
I can live in jails for no crime I committed through Christ so strengthens me.
This echoes the suffering question you asked previously. It’s more about attitude here than circumstance. Although in the circumstance, no one wants to hear that all they need to do is have a better attitude.
Your term “spiritual happiness” I think is really joy. Christians have long wondered how in the world to have joy in all things like the scriptures say? I love how in Lamentations, right in the middle of the gunk, is “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Now first, I love irony so this just makes me happy. But also I love how honest lamentations is. You don’t need to ignore the gunk to see God’s goodness. If you ignore what’s happening and the bad, or expect it to go away before God is good, then you don’t live in reality.
(I went off trail here.)
Who here has experienced loss? Grief? Mourning? Do you never smile because someone died? No! Ecclesiastes 3 is true, the are times to just grieve and cry, but often there are smiles or laughs mingled in because you cannot mourn without remembering the good that was. Some people also think that to remember the good of a person, one must deny or ignore the bad. NO! Remember reality, appreciate the good, forgive the bad, learn to do what is right.
My grandpa was an alcoholic. As a result he did and said a lot of terrible things. But that doesn’t negate that he loved his grandkids. It also doesn’t negate that we loved him. Often when someone is alive who has a lot of bad, specifically those who refuse to let go of it, we distance ourselves from them. Sometimes people go as far as saying that they don’t really matter to us because of the bad. But they do matter to us. Then when they’re dead, people only say the good things and ignore the bad. Each end in this pendulum is wrong!
(I gave up on finding my way back to the trail here)
Tomorrow is Father’s day. God says “honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged”. Honor/respect doesn’t mean agree with, doesn’t mean do everything this person says, it doesn’t mean that they’re right, it means regard highly. I would be bold enough to say that no one has a perfect relationship with their dad. I would also be bold enough to say that we (culture as a whole) have higher expectations of father’s than mother’s and we have more issues with them.
I challenge myself and you to regard highly our fathers, because God brought us into existence through them. Because God gave them authority whether they used it well or not. Because God has, and still can, teach you right and wrong from his actions. Because God has shaped you from your experiences with him. Because God is the perfect Father, who gave them the opportunity to be like Him in that aspect. Because God gave them the responsibility of teaching, loving, leading, and disciplining.
I hate looking for Father’s day cards, because most of them will say something inherently false. “Best dad ever”….. everyone can’t have the best dad (unless we’re all getting cards for God), and a lot of people don’t even think they have the best dad. Can we be realistic? Father’s day isn’t about their righteousness, or ability (though some may wish it to be) is about their position/ role in their family’s lives and its importance.
(Remembering the trailhead from distant past)
Set aside the circumstances, remember God.
Excellent thoughts and truths A. Thank you for sharing
Angela,
Excellent Father’s Day rant!! Well said! If I could summarize your mental meanderings, both on and off the trail, I would say:
“Worldly happiness depends on worldly circumstances. Spiritual happiness depends on our relationship with our spiritual Father. “