Paul's Epistles - Galatians Part 3 – Paul’s Conversion

Paul's Epistles - Galatians

Part 3 – Paul’s Conversion

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Ø  Began looking at Paul’s ministry in 2011 starting with the beginning of his journey in Christ. The foundation and start of the story found in the book of Acts.

Ø  Examined Acts 4 - 20 in 2012

Ø  Finished Acts and selected chapters of Revelation in 2013

Ø  Studied Romans & started I Corinthians in 2014

Ø  Then completed I Corinthians & II Corinthians in 2015

109 sermons and nearly four years later, I pray you are beginning to get a grasp on the life and ministry of Paul, as well as get an understanding from the book of Acts how a church is to operate, and through Paul’s letters, see how we are to correct the issues we face in a modern church.

Leaving II Corinthians, we have begun looking at Galatians.

If you remember, the Galatian church was founded in a land taken by the Gaul’s, whose historical persona was to embrace change, even look for it.

This made their conversion easy, but the double edge sword was that is also made their straying from Truth just as easy.

Paul sends them an epistle (letter) we call Galatians.

He begins his letter with explaining he is a true Apostle, and there is no other gospel

We will now examine Paul’s epistle (letter) to the Galatians whose message is of Christ as the Deliverer, from the Law to Liberty!

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 1:11-24

 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter) and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

²¹ Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. ²² I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³ They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they praised God because of me.

    I.      ORDAINED BY GOD

a. Ordination comes from God not a church

                                                                   i. The gospel I preach is not of human origin

                                                                ii. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it

                                                             iii. I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ

b. Paul was clearly ordained by God

                                                                   i. You know how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it

                                                                ii. But God set me apart in my mother’s womb

                                                             iii. He called me by His grace

                                                               iv. He revealed Jesus to me so that I would preach among the Gentiles

c. We are all called to be priests

                                                                   i. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

                                                                ii. 1 Peter 2:5 “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house^[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

                                                             iii. Paul says, “my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas  {Peter} and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

                                                               iv. Paul ordained, set aside by God, called into the ministry, not taught by man, but having spent three years in study before setting forth to fulfill his calling by God to minister the gospel to the Gentiles.

II.      PREDESTINATION

a. Predestination does not override freewill

                                                                   i. God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace

1. God, knowing all, knew Paul would one day chose to serve Him, therefore, in his mother’s womb, Paul was “set apart”, or “Sanctified”

2. Being sanctified means to be separated for a special holy purpose.

3. A “calling”

4. Paul’s was to preach the good news of Christ to the Gentiles.

                                                                ii. God knew Paul would convert in Damascus before he was born, and therefore, predestined him to be the bearer of good news to the Gentiles

                                                             iii. God did not “make” Paul convert, He did not create him “saved” and the path, although created before Paul’s birth, was actually created in response to Paul’s submission to the Lord and accepting Him as his savior.

b. Many are invited, few chosen

                                                                   i. We are reminded in Matthew 22:1-14 about the wedding invitations

1. It is a parable about God trying to invite all to be with Him in heaven.

2. The King (God) sends his servants to those invited (the Jews) to come to his sons (Jesus’) wedding banquet (Wedding representing the acceptance of the New Covenant with Jesus for Salvation), but they refuse.

3. Then he sent more servants (prophets), but they paid no attention, continuing to do their own thing.  The rest seized his servants (prophets), mistreated them and killed them.⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city (destroyed the Temple).

4.  “Then he said to his servants (preachers of the gospel), ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come (Those who reject Christ). ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants (preachers) went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (everyone was given the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Lord)

5. “But when the king came in to see the guests (judgment day), he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes (Covered in the white garment of salvation described in Revelation). ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. (We will be without excuse on judgment day)

6. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Those who reject Christ will be cast into Gahanna, the final hell, eternal separation from God)

7. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

a. Who will be chosen? Those who have accepted Jesus Christ and received the white garment before judgment day...

b. Remember, the bad as well as the good were all given opportunity to accept Christ, and in this parable, it does not say “the bad were all kicked out”, rather, the ONE who did not accept Jesus.

c. We are all predestined

                                                                   i. Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”

                                                                ii. Because God knows yesterday, today and tomorrow, He knows you, and all of your choices you will ever make before you were ever created.

1. Does this mean you cannot chose? No...He knows your freewill choices, He does not make them for you.

2. Therefore, He bases callings, protection, benefits, etc, on your submission and obedience to Him.

III.      THREE YEARS

a. What 3 means biblically

                                                                   i. Paul waited 3 years before starting his calling.

                                                                ii. Waited is a poor choice of words, more than likely spent time with the Lord, reflected on the Holy Spirit and instruction from the Lord and became “complete” before heading out to fulfill his calling.

                                                             iii. 3 represents “completion” in scripture.

b. Examples in scripture

                                                                   i. Peter denied Jesus 3 times, meaning he completely rejected the Lord out of fear for his life.

1. Of course, the Lord forgave him asking Peter 3 times if he loved him. Showing Peter completely loved Jesus.

                                                                ii. There are 27 books in the New testament, which is 3x3x3, or 3³

                                                             iii. Jesus prayed 3 times in the garden of Gethsemane

                                                               iv. placed on the cross on the 3^rd hour of the day

                                                                  v. died on the 9^th hour (3pm)

                                                               vi. there was then 3 hours of darkness

                                                            vii. 3 days and 3 nights before His resurrection

                                                         viii. it goes on and on.

c. Completeness before mission is essential

                                                                   i. Completeness is essential!

                                                                ii. All things must be done in God’s timing.

                                                             iii. The Lord gave specific instructions and training to the disciples for approximately 3 years before going to the cross and ascending.

                                                               iv. The Lord, through the reading of His Word and instruction from the Holy Spirit prepares us for ministry.

                                                                  v. The bible even warns churches not to allow elders or deacons to be new converts.

                                                               vi. We currently have Bud Kramer, Dale Keel and Kurt Ulman. When need arises, we may add to that list.

CONCLUSION - Paul’s letter so far,

vs 1 Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead 

vs 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – 7 which is really no gospel at all.

vs 10 am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

vs 11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 

vs 23, 24 The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ 24 And they praised God because of me

Paul has set the stage, establishing the fact he is an apostle, ordained by God, not man, and the gospel he preached is of God. He is fully converted, and complete in his instruction from the Lord.

Paul will now build upon this foundation in the letter to show why his life and instruction was of God, how he has authority to correct, and where the Galatians have gone wrong and need to return to the Lord.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Paul's Epistles - Galatians Part 2 – No Other Gospel

Paul's Epistles - Galatians

Part 2 – No Other Gospel

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We have already looked at the Book of Acts, meaning “acts of the Apostles”, describing the events from the Pentecost, (when the Apostles received the Holy Spirit) to the first martyr (named Stephen).

By the way, a true martyr is not one who kills for his faith, but who has died because of it. 

One who kills for his faith is not part or a religious order, rather a cult.

The book of Acts also showed us the churches persecution by Saul (later becoming Paul), and his conversion, as well as Paul’s ministry, seed sewing and church planting, all the way up to his imprisonment.

We learned from the book of Acts how the church was founded, established, and operated during good and bad times.

From there we looked at the book of Romans. This book establishes the doctrines of Christianity.

1.      Justification by faith revealed in the Gospel

2.      Universal need for justification by faith

3.      How we are justified (by being obedient to the faith)

4.      How justification is not a new doctrine

5.      Blessings that follow justification (peace, joy, glory in tribulation, love of God in your heart)

We also read of the duties of those who are Justified in Chapters 12-16

From there we looked at I & II Corinthians.

Here we read of the problems that have come to a new church which Paul has founded, as well as the correction he has made, and their turning (repenting) from sin, and forgiveness of those sins, and being in a right standing with God once more.

We will now examine Paul’s epistle (letter) to the Galatians whose message is of Christ as the Deliverer, from the Law to Liberty!

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 1:6-10

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! ⁹ As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ

    I.      QUICKLY DESERTING THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU TO LIVE IN THE GRACE OF CHRIST

a. Turning to a different gospel

                                                                   i. Which is no gospel at all

b. Some people are throwing you into confusion

                                                                   i. The author of confusion is NOT God!

                                                                ii. I Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

                                                             iii. The difference between God’s voice and Satan’s...

1. God is the still and quiet voice, never contradicting God’s Word, and always using conviction to persuade from sin.

2. Satan is the loud clanging gong, always perverting God’s Word, and always using guilt to persuade you away from God’s presence.

c. And they are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ

                                                                   i. Which has been Satan’s desire from the beginning of mankind

II.      EVEN IF WE OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN SHOULD PREACH A GOSPEL OTHER THAN THE ONE WE PREACHED TO YOU, LET THEM BE UNDER THE CURSE!

a. Even if we (Apostles) or an angel from heaven (heavenly being)

                                                                   i. Angel means literally “messenger of God”

                                                                ii. Apostles were the earthly messengers delivering the gospel

                                                             iii. Angel from heaven meaning heavenly beings delivering the message

                                                               iv. Why do we not “see” angels as they did in the bible?

1. Sin caused separation between God and man

2. Man could no longer be in the presence of God, who is perfect and Holy

3. Not everyone could receive the Holy Spirit, through whom God communicates with His followers

4. Therefore the need for another type of “messenger” was needed, and we were allowed to communicate with messengers from another dimension, we call angels (and demons)

5. In the Temple was A veil, a very thick, woven curtain, separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. When Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, that heavy curtain was torn from top (representing from heaving or by God) to bottom (earth).

6. Now God, through the Holy Spirit can once again communicate directly with His followers, and the need for messengers such as angels no longer exists, so the doorway to the spirit world was closed.

a. This door will be opened again during end times though.

b. Revelation 16:12,16 “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way {hodos <3598>} for the kings from the east…Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.”

c. Hodos is the Greek word for “way”, and in this passage means literally “road”.

d. The “spirits” (demons)

e. As of RIGHT NOW, angels are keeping the spiritual door guarded

Revelation 9:12-16 “¹² The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

¹³ The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. ¹⁴ It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” ¹⁵ And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. ¹⁶ The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.”

The First Woe The first woe is revealed after the fifth trumpet judgment. This woe is involves something like locusts that have the ability to sting like a scorpion (Revelation 9:3). Generally, these are not accepted as literal locusts because of their description and because they come from the Abyss and have a demonic overlord (Revelation 9:3, 7-8, 11). These creatures are permitted to harm only those people who do not have the “seal of God on their forehead” (Revelation 9:4). Those bearing God’s seal are the 144,000 (Revelation 7:3-4) or, possibly, all believers during that time (Ephesians 4:30). These demonic locusts are allowed to torment unbelievers for five months (Revelation 9:5) with painful stings. Although victims will long for death (Revelation 9: 6), they will not be granted that release.

The Second Woe will be the opening of the door which keeps the fallen angels out of our dimension.

f. Until the Lord opens the road again, the door to the spirit realm has been closed as far as physically seeing, touching, etc...

b. Any gospel preached other than the one we preached before is no gospel at all

                                                                   i. The true gospel was preached, and saved/changed you already

                                                                ii. Now you are abandoning it...

c. Let the false teachers of a fake gospel be under God’s curse!

                                                                   i. “God’s Curse” is the law, law of Moses, the ten commands

                                                                ii. Galatians 3:10 “For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

                                                             iii. This is exactly what the “Good News” (gospel of Christ) tells us Jesus came to resolve!

1. John 12:46-48 "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.…”

2. One of the “books” that is mentioned in Revelation 20 that will be opened on Judgment Day will be “Jesus’ sayings”, the “Word He Spoke”

a. This will take place at “The Great White Throne”

b. Where the unsaved (those who names were NOT in the Book of Life (Lambs Book of Life)

III.      AS I ALREADY SAID, SO NOW I SAY AGAIN!

a. There is NO other gospel

                                                                   i. Gospel means “good news”

                                                                ii. What “good news”?

1. There is only 1 gospel that saves us from God’s curse!

2. The “good news” that Jesus PAID the debt we owe!

b. There is NO other good news! Jesus FREES us from the Law!

                                                                   i. Galatians 1:4, 5 “...the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

                                                                ii. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.”

                                                             iii. Romans 3:20 “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”

                                                               iv. Anyone believing in ANY other gospel will fall under God’s Curse, which is Judgment of those living without Christ Jesus.

1. Remember Jesus says in John 12:46-48, “...If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.…”

a. If you do not “keep” (or live by) the Lord’s instruction, you are NOT judged NOW...

b. However, Jesus says, you WILL be judged if you continue to reject Him (do not repent)

c. And you will be judged by His teachings and the Word He spoke at the Great White Throne, where there is NO escape.

c. God’s Curse

                                                                   i. Revelation 20:11-15 “¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 

                                                                ii. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 

                                                             iii. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it (meaning even those who died without proper burial), and death (the actual ACT and transformation from physical being to spiritual) and Hades (Sheol - place of departed spirits) gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 

                                                               iv. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades (Sheol) were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 

                                                                  v. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

                                                               vi. Galatians 5:4 “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”

CONCLUSION - “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” ~ Galatians 1:10

There is only 1 gospel, 1 “good news” message, which is to be preached, and that is Jesus Christ died for you.

Jesus calls us to repent of our sins, and live by His Word and message.

If we do not repent (or turn away from our sin), then He says we have “rejected Him”, and although He will NOT judge you now, (because we are in the dispensation or age of the church/grace) if you do not repent, you WILL be judged at the Great White Throne where books will be opened, the lambs book of life, and if you are not in it, you will be judged by the other books that will be opened.

Books which both record the Words and message of Christ, as well as every word, thought and deed by you.

Confess your sin, repent and turn away from it while you are still able, because once you stand before the judge, you will only be there to receive your sentence, not plead your case.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!