What do you do when someone seeks to undermine your work and turn the truth into lies, while at the same time undermining your credibility and, more importantly, the truthfulness of God’s Word?
The Apostle Paul is writing to the Christian Church in Galatia and these disciples of Jesus, whom he knew well, had been on the receiving end of false teachers.
Critics, compromisers, or legalists were also mocking Paul’s integrity. Here it is in this six chapter letter as we have it in the New Testament, defending what so badly needed to be defended.
There are times when that has to happen today and today it is sorely needed in many areas of faith.
Paul had been a nasty man. He had tried to take down the Church of Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ had changed all that after that confrontation outside the city of Damascus, and we have exciting details three times in the book of Acts.
From then on, Paul led a very full life serving Almighty God, throughout the Middle East, and though it was thrilling and exciting, and at times extremely costly, he remained faithful to God’s call on his life just as many had. previously. and as man does in these present times – again, they pay a heavy price, in various places, around our ‘haunting world’.
It is just as thrilling and exciting today to meet the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ and what an adventure life is when one seeks to follow Him wherever He leads and leads.
If you want excitement, adventure, and the chase, then become a follower of Jesus Christ, totally and completely. It can also be quite expensive depending on where you live and serve.
Paul used to consider what men thought of him, but not anymore. He used to be worried about his reputation. But now his goal is to serve Jesus Christ.
Paul puts a man he thought was dead! And he was taken to the kingdom of light and immediately began to preach to those who were in the kingdom of darkness.
One thing that is very encouraging here is that it doesn’t matter what you were, it is what you are that is vital and what you can become in Christ.
In Chapter 1 of the letter to the Galatians in verses 13 and 14, Paul tells us what motivated him, until he met Jesus.
What really motivates and inspires you?
Is there a word that sums up all that? PRIDE!
The false gospel allows you to maintain your pride – what you have done – what you think – what you have been – what you think you have achieved.
We read in verse 15 – But God intervened, and separated me, and called me by His Grace, and was pleased to reveal Jesus to me, and with a purpose – so that I would preach to him. That is powerful writing.
At first she did not consult any man. He went to Arabia, to the desert, reading his Old Testament in light of his experience of Jesus Christ, isolated in the Biblical School of God.
This man used to hunt Christians. He was violent. Now, he’s talking about his sins, those sins that were forgiven. People would be afraid of Paul. He could believers in jail.
Paul had no intention of becoming a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ, but God intervened.
Jesus met him and confronted him and transformed him.
God had a plan for his life, just as God has a plan for our lives.
If God had not radically changed this man, there would be no way he would have changed.
That is really the testimony of each one of us!
“Dear Father, as we read Your Word and pray, change and transform us; strengthen us in these critical times, and increase our faith in Jesus.” Amen.
What is your testimony? Share it. Let people know if you are real, but do it with grace, tenderness, and love.
