05/22/2026
“But by the Grace of GOD, I Am Not the Man I Used to Be”
Rooted in 1 Corinthians 15:10
“But by the grace of GOD I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10a, ESV
There’s a raw honesty in saying, “I am not the man I ought to be.”
It’s a confession every regenerate heart eventually makes. The mature believer doesn’t boast in self, doesn’t hide behind a veil of fake sanctity. He stares into the mirror of the Word (James 1:23–25) and sees the chasm between Christ’s perfect holiness and his present imperfection. He knows he falls short—not just occasionally—but perpetually. His thoughts still drift, his heart still battles pride, lust, anger, envy. He still sins. And he hates that he does.
Then comes the second lament: “I am not the man I wish to be.”
There is a holy dissatisfaction that fuels the Christian life. The new birth implants new desires (Ezekiel 36:26–27). The Spirit creates a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), and yet, in our flesh, we often find ourselves echoing Paul’s agony:
“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” – Romans 7:19
We wish to pray more fervently, obey more consistently, love more selflessly—but too often, we don’t.
Then we say: “I am not the man I hope to be.”
Every believer has his eye set on glory—on that Day when faith becomes sight, when the battle with sin ends, when we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). That hope anchors us. It fuels our pursuit of holiness. But it also reminds us we’re not there yet. We press on toward the goal (Philippians 3:14), but we haven’t yet arrived. We feel the tension between the “already” and the “not yet.”
But oh, here comes the thunderous note of gospel grace:
“But by the grace of GOD, I am not the man I used to be.”
This is not self-congratulation—it’s divine celebration.
It’s the humble recognition that only GOD can transform a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). Only the sovereign grace of Christ can rescue a man dead in sin and make him alive with Him (Ephesians 2:4–5). This is what Paul testified when he said:
“Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy…” – 1 Timothy 1:13
If you are in Christ, you are no longer a slave to sin (Romans 6:6). You are no longer under wrath (Romans 5:9). You are no longer dead—you live. And though you are not yet what you ought to be, you are not what you were.
This is progressive sanctification. The trajectory of your life—though marred with stumbles—is steadily moving toward Christlikeness. And that is not your doing—it is GOD who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). The old man has been crucified (Romans 6:6). You’ve been raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). And that grace was not in vain.
So take heart, weary saint. Don’t minimize your sin—but don’t magnify it above the cross, either. Let godly sorrow lead you to true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). Let your weakness magnify Christ’s power (2 Corinthians 12:9). And let your growth, no matter how small, be a trophy of grace.
Keep striving. Keep repenting. Keep clinging to Christ. And on that day when faith gives way to sight, you’ll hear the words:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Not because you were flawless. But because grace kept you, and Christ finished the race for you.
