As Paul is recounting his past as a Christian bounty hunter he turns everything on its head by verse 15. He talks of the God who set him apart from his birth! How can this be? Paul is looking at his history now from a new lens: the power of the cross. The shame of his past now becomes the qualifier for his future. The gospel gives us a new perspective on our yesterdays, which creates the roadmap for our tomorrows. 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. Galatians 1:13-16 (NIV)
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:09:45 +0000