We ended last week with Paul confronting the churches of Galatia about deserting the Gospel. The end of verse 9 summarizes Paul’s thoughts concisely: “As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Obviously, Paul is disgusted with the direction (away from the Gospel) that some of the believers in Galatia are going. Now, Paul will give his reason for it. Let’s read Galatians 1:11-24:
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying God because of me.
Again, Paul tells the readers that he didn’t receive the Gospel message from a man. In eleven verses, he has already told us four times that he didn’t receive this message from a man, or an agency of man, but from the Godman, Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 9)! Paul reminds the readers of his history. A history so dark he actually persecuted the church of God. He was, at one time, as anti-Jesus as they come. He didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah (or the Christ), the chosen one of God. He thought Jesus was an imposter; a liar! But all that changed, when he heard these words on a Damascus road “Saul (former name of Paul), Saul, Why are you persecuting me…I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!” When Paul believed, he was no longer denying Christ, but “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” He was now the apostle to the Gentiles (cf. 2:8).
Paul became a different person, a new person that God changed from the inside out. God did the same thing to you if you are a believer in Jesus Christ! As I stated many times before to you, you are a new person in Christ Jesus! You are no longer defined by what you use to do; you are now a son or daughter of God. The first thing Paul did when he became a new person in Christ was to preach the Gospel. He could have made excuses like; “I caused too much trouble, God can’t use someone with a past like mine,” or “I am scared that the Jews will do to me what I did to some Christians.” No, Paul was so overwhelmed with the grace of God that he began to preach: “But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus” (v. 17). Paul became a missionary. He didn’t let his old life define him. Paul had gone from a persecutor of the church to “And they were glorifying God because of me.” This is what Jesus can do for you. He can radically change you from the inside out. His grace is indeed sufficient no matter what your past is! Do you believe that? Are you an ambassador for Christ in your family, at your workplace, and in your community? I am so glad that I am not who I use to be! But you know what? I don’t want to do what the Galatians did – I don’t want to add anything to the Gospel. I want to proclaim Christ wherever God plants me. I want to finish strong! What about you?