Good Stewards of the Manifold Grace of God

Written by: Maximino Fernandez
Date Posted: January 12th, 2012
Category: Daily Grace, Fernandez Ramblings
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I Peter 4:9 – 10 says, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Being hospitable is not always natural for people. What comes natural is selfishness. What is striking about this passage is that we are to minister to one another as we have received; but notice the phrase, “…as good stewards [caretaker of another man's property] of the manifold grace [God providing for us what we did not and could not earn] of God.” We are to serve one another with the thought that we are properly stewarding the grace of God which has been entrusted to us. We have been graciously treated by our God; hence, we should graciously serve each other.

This is especially important when trials come into the life of an individual. When the context is considered, you will see that these believers were under intense trials. It is very difficult to really consider this thought about being hospitable when you are under intense persecution; but when we realize that we have been graciously given life in Christ, we will know how to better serve others. We must remain humble and arm ourselves with the same mind as Christ (4:1). It is according to the will of God that we must live and not according to the lusts of men (4:2).

Though not seen in this passage, we must remember that we have been given this treasure in earthen vessels. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been entrusted to the church, and we have the privilege to graciously preach the Gospel with which we have been entrusted.