Galatians 1:10-12 says...
Today's verses are Galatians 1:10-12, which read,
v.10 - For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Paul, when he was first persecuting Christians, was doing so to please men, the Sanhedrin, the 70 ruling council of Israel. Paul used to live his life that way. It was all wrapped up in doing things to get the glory or to receive the glory of others but something has happened to Paul. He has become a bond-servant of Christ.
Paul is a slave of Christ but it is a willing slave of Christ. The slaves were released after a period of time of service but a slave could at the end of that time decide to willingly stay with his master rather than depart. That slave now was one who made the commitment to live out his life in service of the master.
This is the total opposite of getting glory for yourself or to receive the glory from another. This is a life that is all for the glory to the One we serve, Christ.
v.11, 12 - For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul wants them to know that what is being shared with them, the gospel, was not created by him or any other earthly man. Man did not create it.
Man did not create it because the gospel of Jesus Christ was to be "received" by man and not "created" by man. Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus that changed his whole direction in life. He was going to persecute the Christians that were there and in essence please men for the glory of men to himself. Now he would share a message that would give glory to God and many times bring persecution upon himself. He went from being the persecutor to the being the one persecuted.
Was it worth it? Paul would tell you over and over, even from the belly of a Roman prison, "yes, yes," and "yes" again. He would sing; he would get back up when stoned down; and he would continue to disciple others in the gospel of Jesus Christ the rest of his life. This is not the normal path of life but for the Christian it really is.
Pastor Adam
v.10 - For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Paul, when he was first persecuting Christians, was doing so to please men, the Sanhedrin, the 70 ruling council of Israel. Paul used to live his life that way. It was all wrapped up in doing things to get the glory or to receive the glory of others but something has happened to Paul. He has become a bond-servant of Christ.
Paul is a slave of Christ but it is a willing slave of Christ. The slaves were released after a period of time of service but a slave could at the end of that time decide to willingly stay with his master rather than depart. That slave now was one who made the commitment to live out his life in service of the master.
This is the total opposite of getting glory for yourself or to receive the glory from another. This is a life that is all for the glory to the One we serve, Christ.
v.11, 12 - For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul wants them to know that what is being shared with them, the gospel, was not created by him or any other earthly man. Man did not create it.
Man did not create it because the gospel of Jesus Christ was to be "received" by man and not "created" by man. Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus that changed his whole direction in life. He was going to persecute the Christians that were there and in essence please men for the glory of men to himself. Now he would share a message that would give glory to God and many times bring persecution upon himself. He went from being the persecutor to the being the one persecuted.
Was it worth it? Paul would tell you over and over, even from the belly of a Roman prison, "yes, yes," and "yes" again. He would sing; he would get back up when stoned down; and he would continue to disciple others in the gospel of Jesus Christ the rest of his life. This is not the normal path of life but for the Christian it really is.
God has a hold of Paul's life and you can see that he is not living it for himself but for God. May this also be said of us.
"Lord,
I don't like persecution or opposition but I want to bring glory to who
You are and if persecution comes of it, may I not stop bringing glory
to You. You are eternal and the persecution or opposition is not. I
pray that my life will be so wrapped up in You that people truly see You
rather than me. Amen."
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