My Former Conduct

Galatians 1:11-24

Introduction

As we return to Galatians for our third lesson in this monthly series, we come to the portion often referred to as Paul’s biography.

What is the point of this recounting of events? How does it fit into the letter as a whole? And what applications can we take from it?

A Selected Biography

This passage gives us more information than the book of Acts (Acts 9:26; 22:17; 26:19-20).

Luke didn’t just forget or not know about this time.

It had no bearing on what Luke was reporting.

This portion of Paul’s life is reported to make a point (Gal. 1:11-12).

You can see passion in the delivery (Gal. 1:20).

In another place he gives pre-conversion details to suit the argument there (Phil. 3:3-7; Acts 22:3).

“For Those Who Love God”

Paul uses his history for the good of the gospel (Gal. 1:13-14, 23-24).

He uses the circumstances of his travels opportunistically (Gal. 1:17-21).

Just because we find good in our past doesn’t mean it was the best path (2 Tim. 3:14-15).

Far better to live a life as free of as much sin as possible.

Some go beyond finding the value in spite of the bad onto redefining the bad as actual good (Rom. 6:1).

But there is no sin that God cannot bring you out of and even make good usage of (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

“He Who Once”

Transformation is evidence of the gospel (Rom. 6:3-5).

We need to not only focus on the putting to death but on the resurrected life we are to live.

Just as the death of the old man points to the death of Christ, the resurrected life points to the resurrected Christ.

Some struggle with this because they don’t really understand what sorts of transformations need to occur.

When they become Christians at 10 or 12 years old and they think of sin in terms of individual transactions as opposed to attitudes that need transformation.

They identify the times they have disobeyed their parents explicitly and overlook the rebellion and disrespect they harbor toward their parents that only occasionally bubbles over into direct defiance.

They say things like, “I’ve lied to my parents sometimes” instead of recognizing a deceitful heart that cares more about appearances than righteousness.

I think this is hardest for children who are mostly checking external boxes and are therefore often praised but who have hearts that ultimately seek the praise and not true righteousness. They are not hearts full of kindness and tender mercy. They ruthless competitors for praise. And transformation to them can mean just checking more boxes.

I’m not saying 10 to 12 year olds are even ready to recognize the depth of what I’m talking about here. In fact, that may be why we often have people who were baptized at that age coming back lacking confidence in what they did.

They haven’t really understood the captivity of sin and so how can they understand true freedom from it.

But when one grows up having true devotion to God all along, this won’t be a problem. For knowing God better does not make one less sensitive to one’s faults but only more so.

If you are never able to point backwards to a time and show how Christ has transformed your life, then how can you say you are a new man. You are the same old man.

Is your life a reflection of the resurrected Christ (Gal. 1:24; 2:20)?

Conclusion

Always ask why a Biblical author is telling you something. The Holy Spirit is not trivial.

Find the value of your past in God through Christ. That is the only place it can become truly valuable.

Live the transformed and resurrected life not only for yourself, but to point others to the basis of our hope.