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Galatians PT 1 1:11-24

Updated: Jul 28, 2023

There is SO much information available to us in this day in age. I've heard of varying statistics, but this is one I found in an article in Fast Company Magazine that gives a great illustration, "In 2011, Americans took in five times as much information every day as they did in 1986--the equivalent of 174 newspapers..." Think about that. In roughly 25 years, the increase in input for an average American was 174 newspapers worth of information...that information, as we know, is not relegated to your immediate sphere, but reaches around the world and into different cultures, weather patterns, political atmospheres and pop culture. You start doing the multiplication in your head of what the increase looks like in relation to a few generations removed in the 50s or 60s and your head starts to spin....one is no longer only concerned about the amount of rain for this season's crop, but you may go into a seasonal depression over the breakup of some couple on the newest spin-off of Real Housewives....yes, we've really come along way, haven't we?


So....


Why are we talking about increase in input and access to news in relation to Galatians?


Great Question. I'd like to suggest that in a world where we are inundated with access to information and have a marked increase in personal digestion of this information we are by our own cultural experience subject to the increased potential of incorrect or false input. You are not informed based on the QUANTITY of information you process, you are informed by the QUALITY of the infomation you process. I'd like to call that quality- truth. To recognize and know truth in our pursuit of it amidst all the competing input requires discernment. Discernment comes from a variety of factors that I'm not going to go into detail in this post (IE experience in the natural, emotional response and spiritual intelligence- to name a few). It is, in part, your filter that recognizes truth. But what if my filter is not perfect? To my knowledge, none of ours are- yet....that's why we get the opportunity to weigh truth against trusted sources. A trusted source or a "witness" as the Bible sometimes puts it gives credibility to the weighing of a potential truth. The more sources that add witness to the validity of a piece of information, the more that information can be trusted. Notice I also add emphasis to a trusted source. Again, validating information depends on the integrity of the source as much as it depends on the number of sources. 10 corrupt witnesses do not validate a story.


But what about Galatians?


We discussed earlier that the motivation behind Paul's letter was in response to a group of people that were bringing in different input that was polluting the Gospel that Paul had shared with them. This information being preached and taught told the people that faith in Christ was not enough and because of this were being persuaded back into a life of ritual and religion for salvation rather than salvation by grace AND it was all happening because of a group of respected people that were peddling something that wasn't true, but it was FAMILIAR --and probably being pretty intimidating in the process (that's purely speculative on my part, but it seems pretty plausible). I want to interject my own thought process on this as well our current world: Familiar can feel like truth if it's your only experience. But Familiar can be the easiest form of Counterfeit when you've never known the Truth.


Familiar can feel like truth if it's your only experience. But Familiar can be the easiest form of Counterfeit when you've never known the Truth.

I think the Galatians we're easily persuaded back into old habits and religious structure BECAUSE it was familiar. Sound like any other stories you know?? Maybe the Jews after being led out of Egypt by Moses (Numbers 14:3-4)? Remember when they begged Moses to go back to Egypt amidst their journey to the Promised Land? FAMILIAR. Funny that the last part of that word is "LIAR". Just a thought.


So, after Paul addresses the people and lays out to them his concern, what is the first thing he does?


He starts recounting the sources of his story. He goes over his testimony giving a play-by-play of the witnesses of his account and WHY it validates what he shared with them.


Galatians 1:11-24


I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
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. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 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. 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.
Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me.

Here are some of the points I took note of:


-The Gospel is not a human story or tradition passed down. The Gospel is received by revelation by Jesus (that is still true today!), it isn't something taught or practiced in order to receive- it is a mystery and a gift given freely by Jesus Christ.

-Paul intensely persecuted the church of God before meeting Jesus (He is making a point to say- I was one of these people and I was the most extreme of them!)

-Paul was high-ranking and well respected in the Jewish community (He was and is not a stranger to the exact people that are persuading the Galatians now)

-God intervened in his life and the evidence of THIS change through Jesus can be seen in the complete 180 of his life.

-There was no schooling, equipping or mentoring that could have trained Paul in the church of God as he did not seek out human consultation. He actually went to the desert.

*I think Paul may have done this to intentionally get to know God without the influence of any humans right off the bat. There was probably a ton of patterns and behaviors to unpack with the Lord as well that would have been beneficial to do while in this season of his life before ministry.

-When Paul re-entered society, He went to Peter (Cephas) the "rock" of the church and probably allowed himself to be mentored as well as tested/edified by the one Jesus gave the authority to to build his church.

-Finally, Paul reminds them all that his previous reality of persecuting and killing Christians and now he is one BECAUSE of grace


I'm sure there is more, but that is an impressive line-up of witness. Especially considering there were hundreds of people who knew Paul and could vouch for his complete change in life.


What's more is that in the closing portion of this part of his testimony, he gives note to the fact that the people that heard the report "praised God" because of him.


Let's bring this full circle.


We live in a world that has more access to information than ever has been possible or attainable in history. The world is full of persuasive and familiar input that at any given time would make an argument for anything other than the Gospel- and this includes small additions and deletions to what the Gospel is. What is the Gospel? The Good News. That there is a way to have relationship with God and it isn't a set of rules and regulations and expectations and work, it is the truth of the opportunity to know Jesus and know God through Him. Period. We have the invitation from someone that loves us to acknowledge that all the separation that exists between our God and us is completely eradicated and removed by Jesus' sacrifice, defeat of death and current standing as ascended King.


There really is only one way and there really is a war going on to influence whether you choose that one way or any other counterfeit direction that will lead to nothing.


Paul knew this first hand. He knew what it was to choose different paths. He knew what is was to have standing, influence, wealth, intelligence, position, etc ---and all of that was nothing compared to what it was to be known and loved and saved by Jesus.


He left the familiar to be a part of a family. God's family.


I know this first hand too.


So much information and, yet, there is one source of truth. I wonder, how many of us need to filter our filters? How many of us have been persuaded and led away from grace? How many of us have never even had the thought of meeting Jesus because it simply wasn't a familiar thing in our upbringing or life- the thought was weird, Christians were weird...


Maybe you have a "Paul" in your life right now that has been talking about how Jesus changed his/her life. Maybe God is trying to get your attention...


Maybe you are a Paul and your story is one that when people hear the report they praise God because of you.....


Whichever position you're in or wherever you're at, I pray you pay attention......



Lyns


"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can possibly ask for or imagine according to the power at work within us"

Ephesians 3:20





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