Go!

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 15, 2020

Go!

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!”

Galatians 1:23

Read: Galatians 1:18-24

After proclaiming the Gospel in Galatia, Paul had moved on to continue his work. After he left, other Christians who took exception to Paul not requiring Gentile converts to keep the Law of Moses had moved in. The issue of Paul’s credentials, his authority to lead the church, had been called into question. However, by that time, Paul had been completely accepted by the church leaders in Jerusalem, and he had been commissioned as an evangelist to the Gentiles. His authority was undeniable, yet he never relied on that ecclesiastical authority in making his case to the Galatians. As the old adage goes, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Paul reported that the Christians in Jerusalem knew that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” And they praised God because of me” (Galatians 1:23-24).

Paul isn’t teaching us that clergy credentials don’t matter. He is teaching us that while they certainly have their purpose and place, there is something else that is more important. Is there fruit? Is the person’s ministry making disciples for Jesus Christ? Can you see evidence that they are building for the Kingdom of God?

My Takeaway: The nature of my personality is that I am a very private person. It is difficult for me to share my personal feelings. I sometimes cringe when I remember my past before I knew Jesus as my savior. And, I cringe at some of my present failings even though Jesus is my savior. I believe Paul would see my cringing as good fruit of the Spirit and would urge me to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling me. (Philippians 3:14)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.