Note 18 at 1 Cor. 15:10: Paul was definitely humble, as can be seen by his statements in verses 8-9. But his was nothing like the false humility that is so prevalent in the church today, where people refuse to see or say anything good about themselves. Paul knew who he was and all the authority that came with that. He just didn't feel like he deserved it, which he didn't. It was a gift.

True humility is not a debasing of self or a hatred of self or our accomplishments. It is simply an awareness that all that we have and are is the gift of God. Therefore, only a person who acknowledges God can operate in true humility.

Note 19 at 1 Cor. 15:10: This is a great statement by Paul that balances his previous statement about the grace of God, giving us much clearer understanding. All our talents, abilities, and callings are a direct result of God's grace (see ref. k). However, God's grace alone doesn't guarantee success.

For example, God's grace that brings salvation has been offered to every man (Ti. 2:11), but not every man is saved. This is not because it isn't God's will for them to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9), or because there is a lack of God's grace, but it's because not all men put faith in God's grace. We have to mix faith with God's grace to release its power (see note at Eph. 2:8).

So, God's grace is consistent towards everyone, but not everyone will reap the benefits of God's grace because not everyone will labor as Paul speaks of here. This labor is not "works" that earn us God's favor. That would violate grace (see note 2 at Rom. 11:6, p. 820). These are works of faith (see note 4 at Rom. 9:32, p. 811).

We don't have to study the Word to get God to love us. He already loves us by grace. But we do have to study God's Word to renew our minds and convince ourselves of the fact that God loves us. We don't have to go to church to obtain God's grace. But because we have God's grace, we need to go to church to keep our hearts from being hardened (Heb. 3:13; 10:25).

Paul acknowledged God's grace as the source of everything he had and was, but he allowed God's grace to have its full effect in his life through seeking God more than the other apostles did. We have to labor against the flesh to rest in God's grace (Heb. 4:11).