One of the most powerful resources to exemplify the completeness and power of the gospel is that of personal experience. The Apostle Paul understood this when he picked up his pen and began to write to the church at Galatia. The book of Galatians is written as a defense of the gospel while also addressing the believers in Galatia. In essence, the Apostle was writing this book as a protest against those that were attempting to corrupt the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul, throughout chapter one, addresses the authority upon which his apostleship has been established (v.1), he addresses God’s will and purpose for all of humanity (v.4), and then in verses 6-9, he begins to address the Galatians concerning their pursuit of “another gospel.” He addresses this body of believers by simply noting that they have deserted the One who has called them unto His grace to a message which diametrically opposed the gospel which Paul, the Apostle, had once preached unto them. Paul who once preached to these Galatians concerning the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, found himself heartbroken because of their willingness to turn to another gospel.
The Greek word that is used here concerning the word, “another,” is heteros. The English language uses this word to speak concerning one that is attracted to the opposite sex - it is where we get our English word, heterosexual.
In verse seven, Paul thenwrites what appears to be a contradiction when he says, “which is not another.” This simply implies another of the same variety. Therefore, what Paul is teaching here is that the believers are drifting to a variation of what they assume to actually be the gospel. They were accepting a view that appeared to be, but was in actuality directly opposed to the true Gospel. They were being deceived or they were being manipulated.
However, with this in mind, the first chapter of the book of Galatians seems rather strange, considering its contents. Starting in verse thirteen down to the end of the chapter, the Apostle gives his personal testimony and the events that occurred right after his conversion. This conversion is so important for the Apostle that it is recorded five times throughout the New Testament. Obviously Paul understood that his personal experience would be very important as he began to defend the Gospel here in Galatia.
Receiving The Gospel- v.12
Notice in verse 12 that the Gospel was revealed to the Apostle Paul. He begins to write first concerning his persecution of the church and that how this persecution made him an admired zealot within his ancestral traditions. However, in verse 15, he begins to write concerning his experience on the Damascus road. He notes that he was called of God’s grace and was separated unto him for the ministry of the saints. This word “seperated” is very important both to the believers as well as to the religious culture of Paul’s time. Saul, to whom Paul was named before his conversion, was separated from others as the Pharisee. Saul was perhaps one of the greatest Pharisees that there could have been because he simply lived according to the religious traditions that were placed before him. He was separated as Saul the Pharisee to the religious culture of his day. However, this was not God’s plan for Saul, and through that Damascus road experience, the persecutor Saul, who was separated from culture as Saul the Pharisee was now separated unto Christ as Paul the preacher! That word seperated speaks of the Gospel salvation and sanctifying work that God desires to do in each of our lives. Separating us from the world, and separating us unto God.
Paul received a transformative work at salvation. He was once a persecutor of Christian, but after his salvation, he became a great minister for Christ. That is simple a testament to the power of the blood. It is a transformative work of grace in which God take out the old nature of man and puts in man the nature of Christ. Salvation should be this transformative in our lives as well.
Defending The Gospel - v.16
Now the Apostle Paul did not insert his conversion story to the Galatian believers for no reason, but rather for a definite and dynamic purpose. That purpose is revealed in v.16 when he notes that the gospel was now being revealed in him. Paul understood that the best way he could defend the Gospel here in Galatia was through his own personal testimony and experience with God. Renown author G Campbell Morgan said it this way, “The Apostle showed the completeness and power of the Gospel by telling his own story.” Likewise, this is how we as believers should live our lives in an unbelieving world. We ought to live our life as a testimony of the power of the Gospel. There is one thing that is hard to ever argue against in the realm of reality and that is evidence.
The world can not argue against the personal experience you have with Christ that you live through the power of the Holy Ghost. We must receive the Gospel, such as Paul did, but we must also defend the Gospel by letting it be revealed in us. So while Paul was writing in defense of the Gospel here, he told his own story. This was not in an attempt to boost his self-esteem through personal pride, but he understood that for the message to be properly received, the messenger must be properly revered. David Jeremiah says, “Whenever people are presented an uncomfortable truth, their first reaction is typically to attack the credentials of the messenger.” The Apostle knew this and thus his defense of the Gospel must first be rooted in the gospel being revealed in him.
Proclaiming The Gospel - v.23
What is the end goal of all this? What was Paul’s objective in this chapter? I believe that can be answered in verse 23 where he notes that although he once persecuted the faith of the believers, his one desire now is to preach this faith unto all believers!
The gospel was revealed to the Apostle Paul, the gospel was then revealed in the Apostle Paul, and finally the gospel was revealed through the Apostle Paul.
That word revealed, in the context of these Scriptures, means to uncover something which has been previously hidden. The Gospel that the Apostle was attempting to hide by his persecution was now being herald by his preaching. Catch the development of the gospel in this chapter and in the life of the Apostle Paul. It should be the same development in our lives as well. No matter the cost, no matter the pain, receive the gospel, defend the gospel, and proclaim the gospel!
My prayer for you is threefold:
Personalize the gospel that has been revealed to you,
Prepare the gospel that will be revealed in you, and
Proclaim the gospel that should be revealed through you!
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