PERSECUTOR TO PREACHER
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Opening Prayer
Coming to your Word, Father, I ask you to help me grow in my understanding of what I read. Use it to build my faith and strengthen my walk with you.
Read GALATIANS 1:11–24
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Paul Called by God
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas[a] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.
Footnotes
- Galatians 1:18 That is, Peter
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘My hope is built on nothing less / than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.’1
In defending his ministry, Paul describes himself before his conversion, then his encounter with Christ and his actions after God had called him. In the description of his former life, Paul himself is the subject of the verbs: ‘I persecuted … [I] tried to destroy … I was advancing in Judaism … [I] was extremely zealous’ (vv. 13, 14). Yet, when defining his conversion and subsequent calling, God becomes the subject of the verbs: ‘God, who set me apart … called me … [revealed] his Son in me’ (vv. 15, 16). For those who are in Christ, this is your story too. To the Galatians, Paul’s appeal is to rely fully on the completed work of Christ.
The conclusion of Paul’s conversion account centers on the source of his revelation. I recall hearing someone describe revelation as ‘something you know only because God told you.’ Paul’s argument is that, in turning away from the gospel that he had declared, the Galatians are actually turning away from God, since the gospel revealed to Paul came to him directly from God. It could be implied that this received teaching from God came to Paul when he was in Arabia for three years (vv. 17, 18). This information regarding the timeline of Paul’s ministry is easily overlooked. We might assume, from reading Acts 9:25 and 26, that Paul went immediately to Jerusalem.
The enthusiastic response of the Judean churches (v. 24) to Paul’s ministry is a clear rebuke of the subversion of the Galatian churches by the Judaizers. Not only that, but I also believe Paul mentions this response to avert any suspicion of a conflict between the gospel to Jews and that to the gentiles (see tomorrow’s reflection). How the church deals with difference is as important now as it was then. May God give us the wisdom to hold independence and convergence in balance.
Apply
Take a few minutes to consider who you were before Christ saved you. Rejoice in whose you are now.
Closing prayer
Holy Spirit, I am grateful for your work that brought me to faith in Jesus and for the many ways you are transforming me. Continue revealing to me who he is and giving me vision to change into his likeness.
1 ‘My Hope is Built on Nothing Less’, Edward Mote, 1834
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