"For through the grace given to me" This is an aorist passive participle. The grace came from God in a past, complete event (i.e., the Damascus road encounter). In this context "grace" related to spiritual giftedness (cf. Rom. 15:15; 1 Cor. 3:10; 15:10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 3:7-8), not the gift of righteousness (cf. Romans 4). This refers to Paul's conversion and call to be apostle to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 9:15; Rom. 1:1,5; Gal. 1:15-16; 2:7-8; Eph. 3:1-2,8; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 4:17).
"I say to everyone among you" The warning of Rom. 12:3 is for all Christians, not just leaders.
"not to think more highly of himself"
"as God has allotted to each" This is an aorist active indicative. Believers do not choose their spiritual gifts (cf. 1 Cor. 7:17; 12:11; Eph. 4:7). They are given by the Spirit at salvation for the common good (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7). The gifts of the Spirit are not merit badges which exalt the individual, but servant towels so that each believer may serve the body of Christ, the church.
"a measure of faith" This referred to one's ability to function effectively in their spiritual giftedness (cf. Rom. 12:6). To be healthy, spiritual giftedness must be exercised by means of the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Rom. 12:9-12; Gal. 5:22-23). The gifts are the ministries of Jesus divided among His followers, while the fruit is the mind of Christ. Both are necessary for effective ministry.
I haven’t been following along so I’m not sure what path a measure of faith has taken. A few things that stand out to me. One is given by the same spirit…the first verse warning to not think to highly of yourself. Because God has given every man a measure of Faith…Paul saying this through the Grace delivered unto him. (Imo)
This makes me think of to walk (paraphrasing) in your own measure and not boasting in another’s measure. To me this could mean with the first of not thinking too highly of yourself by measuring yourself against others. 2 Corinthians 10:12-13 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves:
but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. [13] But we will not boast of things without our measure,
but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
To me it still goes back to building upon the foundation of Christ and to be careful how you build. What is distributed a measure of faith distributed of God to us…not for destruction but for edification of His body, for the building up of His body which growth on the foundation which God laid which is Christ. Still going back to the warnings of what is built on the foundation of Christ with the repeated warning of “be careful how you build” and “not to think too highly of yourself”.
Ephesians 4:12-15 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13]
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: [14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [15] But speaking the truth in love,
may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
This to me puts perspective on what is “I press toward the high mark for the prize”: the edification of the body of Christ, till we all come into unity of Faith, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ:
Philippians 3:13-16 Brethren,
I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, [14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:
and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. [16] Nevertheless,
whereto we have already attained(a measure), let us
walk by the same rule(distributed measure given of God), let us
mind the same thing.(that Christ did set His mind on).