God Choosing

Week 3

11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

13 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. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.

15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 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. 17 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.

18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.

21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me. Galatians 1:11-24 NLT

Paul begins the second half of chapter one insistent that the Galatians understand his message came from Christ and not himself. Since the Galatians were easily swayed by false doctrine, Paul didn’t want to just sway them back to the true doctrine; he wanted them to be established and rooted in the faith. He used his personal testimony to remind them of how God worked in his life and the purpose behind his coming to speak in Galatia.

Can you picture Paul’s passion? Do you understand it? Paul even addressed the Galatians as brothers and sisters, a greeting that expressed connectedness and love. His heart for these people was determined by his service and awe of Christ. His passion came from the Lord, fueled by God’s transformation in his own life. We, too, need to consider what determines our passion and service to others. Are we sharing the Good News with others simply because of who God is and out of a desire to serve Him? Do we see God’s transformation in our own lives in a tangible way…in a way that we can share with others?

Paul’s testimony was an essential part of his message. He recognized the significance of the before and after knowing Christ experience, and continually used it to remind himself and others of the work of God in his life. He reminded the Galatians about what he was like before meeting his Savior, “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.” (v. 13-14, Acts 9:1-30). He admitted that he was no better than the Judaizers, who were preaching false doctrine to the Galatians. One thing set them apart, however. Paul knew his purpose was for Jesus, not for religion. Paul profoundly records, “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.” (v. 15-16)

Do you see the relevancy of this particular Scripture as we try to live out our faith? Paul explains his faith in comparison to the Judaizers. They lived by religion, custom, practice, law, and tradition, trying to convince the Galatians to do the same. Paul lived by his identity: That before he was born, he was set apart by God, through GRACE, to receive the gift of knowing Jesus so that he would share JESUS—not a religion—with others. I wonder, how many of us are more like the Judaizers rather than Paul? Are we living by standards dictated by religious practices? Or are we living by faith in Jesus Christ, by whom we were called according to His purpose? (Romans 8:28)

These few verses of Scripture present an tangible lesson: We need to take hold of the truth that we are here by God’s plan and use our own transformation story to share Jesus with others. But what if our transformation story isn’t as bold or dramatic as Paul’s? I can offer one suggestion, which I’ve found to be true in my own life and the lives of those that have impacted my faith: In our walk with the Lord, as we study His word, come under His teaching, submit to His authority, and repent from sin, we will have multiple transformation experiences over time. Through the guiding work of the Holy Spirit, we will experience a before and after that can be shared with others for the glory of God. For example, fifteen years ago, my transformation story was about choosing Jesus as my Savior. Yet, eight years ago, it was about God calling me (through friends) to get serious about my quiet time with Him—about having a relationship with God and not a checklist of how to be a Christian. Now, my before and after story is about how God has transformed my heart, as I’ve allowed Him to root out the anger and bitterness, replacing it with a deeper love for Him and others.

Our lives are forever transforming, especially as we live for Christ and come under His authority, and those are the stories that can always be shared with others.

Merciful and gracious God, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you, Lord, that as we believe in you and grow in your word, you give us story after story to share with others about your ceaseless love, grace, and all-sufficient transforming power. We give you thanks and praise! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Faith Walking

• What part of Paul’s life story do you identify with?
• Is there anyone else in the Bible that you feel a similar life connection to?
• Think about some of the women, like Ruth, Naomi, Hannah, Sarah, or even one of the apostles. Look at those stories, and others in the Bible, praying for God to give you a personal understanding of what Galatians 1:15 means for you.

The Next Step

Take some time to think over your life and ask the Lord to show you what transformation stories He’d like you to share with others. Consider writing them down as a way of finding the words to share these stories. Pick a time to reveal a precious story with a close friend, spouse, your children, or even on your blog.

Faith Walking Challengers…
How are you doing this week? Have you been able to keep up with the assignments? Please let us know so that we can be praying for you. Be sure to leave a comment and/or link to your blog post!

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