March 3, 2023
You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia.
Thought:
No matter how you look at it, the conversion of Paul was a spiritual miracle. It was humanly impossible for Rabbi Saul to become the apostle Paul apart from the miracle of God’s grace. By sharing his personal story of conversion, Paul is proving that his message (the gospel of grace - Christ-plus-nothing-else) is, in fact, straight from Jesus. In the light of Paul’s conduct, his conversion, and his contacts, how could anybody accuse him of borrowing or inventing either his message or his ministry? Certainly, he did receive his gospel by a revelation from Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must be careful what we do with this gospel - for it is not the invention of men, but the very truth of God!
Application:
1. What are some of the “unless you…” additions to the gospel you’ve struggled with?
2. Think about one or two things you learned from Galatians 1. Remember, it’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or be so overwhelmed that you don’t start)! Write a prayer or simply pray one in silence, inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas. Be honest about your desires and fears.