Chapter 14. Paul First Received Grace That He Might Win The Crown
CHAPTER 14.
PAUL FIRST RECEIVED GRACE THAT HE MIGHT WIN THE CROWN
Let us return now to the Apostle Paul who, as we have found, obtained God’s grace, who recompenses good for evil, who is without any good merits of his own, but rather with many evil merits. Let us see what he says when his final sufferings were approaching. Writing to Timothy: “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.”2Tim 4.6-7 He enumerates these, of course, as they are now his good merits; so that just as he obtained grace after his evil merits, so now, after his good merits, he might receive the crown. Observe therefore what follows: “From now on there is laid up for me,” he says, “a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.”2Tim 4.8 Now, to whom should the righteous Judge award the crown, except to him on whom the merciful Father had bestowed grace? And how could the crown be one “of righteousness,” unless grace had preceded it, which “justifies the ungodly”?Rom 4.5 Moreover, how could these things now be awarded as of debt, unless the other had before been given as a free gift?