Selected and Taught by God

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Psalm 65

Introduction

A few weeks ago, I talked about the main theme of Galatians. Paul defending his Apostolic authority, and his attack on false teaching with biblical and righteous vigor. I gave a few examples of false teaching and their view on Christ.
Galatia is in central Asia Minor which is modern day Turkey and Paul was writing to a group of churches. Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe are among the churches that would have recieved an epistle from the Apostle.
Today I will unfold what false teaching the Galatians had fallen prey to, and Paul’s initial form of attack on this enemy’s stronghold on the people of Galatia.

Our Text

Galatians 1:10–17 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart From my mother’s womb, before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.”

Paul starts off with a bold pair of questions

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?
he answers “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ”
Paul confronts the Galatians the same way he says he confronted Peter in the next chapter.
Paul is basically asking “Who are you serving?” Paul understands Christ’s teaching that you can not serve 2 masters. Mans word and God’s word oppose each other.
The term used for servant here is a very specific word, a word that more than suggests a strong attachment to one authority.
The word for servant here is doulos, and the word most commonly used for Christ is kurios. Doulos means slave and kurios means master, or slave master. You can not have a Kurios without a doulos nor a doulos without a kurios.
The point Paul is making is that you can only serve and please one master. It is not pleasing to Christ, your master, if you are continually seeking to please those who have an opposing teaching and authority.

Pauls Background

Next Paul gives a brief statement of his life before Christ. Paul wrote this letter about 20 years after his Damascus road encounter with the Jesus Christ. Paul having spent time in Galatia with these people, to whom he is writing, would have already been subject to Pauls Apostolic authority and background. He reiterates both.
“For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.”
Paul, being extremely zealous for the teaching of the Torah, Pharisaical law and the tradition of his fathers, must have been very well read in the scriptures, the law and the prophets. He carried the same understanding of God’s word as his predecessors, which was a wrong one. He spent his entire life leading up to his conversion in complete dedication to the Pharisaical life and teaching under the guise of Gamaliel.
Ford Vs Chevy
Right now I am working for a wonderfully godly man named Ray, who happens to be a Ford only type. Under the circumstances I had to leave my van at his house, so I asked him if he could drive my truck back to my house and I would drive my van. When we got to my house I parked the van and hopped in my truck. Now truck is a GMC so basically a chevy. When I got in the truck with Ray driving he said “lets hurry back to the house before someone sees me driving this thing.”
We had a good laugh and headed back to Ray’s.
this is a funny example of zeal.
Being zealous for one thing or another causes a distaste for that which opposes what you a zealous for.
Ford Vs Chevy
Ohio State vs Michigan
Followers of Christ should have a distaste for hatred of God and perverters of the gospel.
For Paul, who had been extremely zealous for the life and law of a Pharisee, it was Christianity that he opposed. Paul objected to it so much that he vowed to destroy Christianity along with the followers of Jesus Christ.
Paul had the right book, the word of God (the Torah and the Writing of the Prophets) but he had the wrong gospel. He had man’s gospel. Paul used his position and hatred toward what was opposed to his understanding to violently attack and persecute Christ’s Church.

What does Judaism Teach?

The Old Testament also called the Law and the Prophets shows God revealing himself to a line of people, whom came from Abraham, and God lead them into Canaan.
God gave Moses the law and commanded the Israelites to follow the law.
As time went on, scribes and sages broke off into sects called Sadducees, Essenes, and Pharisees.
These groups provided their own interpretation of God’s word and the law. They added and emphasized God’s law to suit their own beliefs and desires.
These groups gave rise to the severe legalism that had a stronghold on Jews under their teaching.
Judaism teaches that only by the law shall one be saved, only by following the law shall one enter into heaven.
Paul calls the group of false teachers Judaizers or the circumcision party. This group claimed, that in order to be saved you must be circumcised and also follow all the mosaic and Pharisaical laws. And they were teaching this to the all the churches they came in contact with.

Pauls Continues…

Paul knowing full well the implications of the teaching and practice of Judaism, he uses his background as the example of what NOT to follow. Paul knew all too well that Judaism leads to a hopeless, joyless and destructive life.

Pauls Conversion

We find Pauls conversion in Act 9. Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest and bring the followers of Christ back to Jerusalem for prosecution. On his way he was confronted by the the brightness of the glory of Christ shining around him.
Acts 9:4–6 ESV
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Jesus shown himself to Annias, telling him to go lay hands on Paul.
Acts 9:13–15 ESV
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Paul being blinded by this event was healed, regaining his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit at once, he arose and was baptized and immediately started preaching Christ at the synagogues.

Pauls calling

Back to verse 15. But when he who had set me apart From my mother’s womb, before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles.
Paul moves on from his living in the life lead by the wrong gospel to being called to the right one. He states that God was pleased to reveal His son in him that he might preach to the gentiles, but we can not neglect the powerful parenthetical statement he gives after “but when God” He adds “Who Set me apart from my mothers womb, or before I was born and called me by his grace” This is called sovereign election and is a significant attribute to God’s power, and work in the life of His people.
This is a striking and powerful statement showing that God was preparing Paul for his Apostleship from his mothers womb. God was training Paul in Judaism, the very thing he is refuting and battling against in this letter. Paul’s Training gave him a deep understanding in works righteousness, legalism and Judaism’s blatant rejection of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was well equipped to identify the heresy that he was brought up in.
Pauls being completely and powerfully overwhelmed and undone by Jesus Christ on that Damascus road was God’s plan to set Paul ablaze for the word of God, rightly understood, and on his course to use all of the training that he had been equipped with. Paul, with his vast knowledge of the Torah and the Prophets now with a correct understanding, was a very useful vessel for Christ to carry out His purpose.
God knew exactly what Paul was going to do and God knew what violent way he would persecute the church. But God being sovereign can redeem even the most violent and criminal hearts set against him.

Pauls assurance of the Gospel

“I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.”
Paul was so absolutely sure of the revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ that he immediately began to preach at the synagogues, he did not confer with flesh and blood, he did not immediately go compare his revelation to what the other Apostles were teaching. He did however go after 3 years and again 14 years after his conversion to meet with the Apostles. Even when he went to meet with them, he went not to make sure that he had been teaching rightly, but to show the Judaizers that he and the other apostles were preaching the same gospel to the Jews and to the Gentiles. Paul spent much time defending the gospel of grace against the Judiazers.
Paul spent 3 years traveling to Arabia and back to Damascus in training by God and preaching the gospel before heading to Jerusalem.
R.C. Sproul wrote
“Three years is the usual duration of seminary training. I don’t know whether God was trying to tell us something by the fact that when He trained His Apostle, He took three years. Nevertheless, I would certainly like to have attended that seminary where the only professor was God Himself.”
Excerpt From
Galatians - An Expositional Commentary

Are we affected by Judaism?

This message is a prevalent today as it was then, Probably more so now. Now living in a world with ease of travel and social media, false messengers and prophets can easily get their message to the entire world.
The church today is subjugated to false teaching day in and day out. There is false teaching and false gospels in so many things we read, watch and listen too. God commands us to be diligent in our reading and rightly dividing of His word. Discernment is commanded by God. We must be able to distinguish what is good from that which is evil.

Trust the Gospel

The gospel is the same message today as it was from the day Christ preached it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant and necessary. If the gospel were not trustworthy, meaning Christ did not die on that cross, or rose from the dead. Then there would certainly not be any hope for man. All of humanity would perish into utter darkness and despair with out any hope of salvation. For Man could never atone for even the most minor offence toward our thrice Holy God of the Universe.
But Christ did die on that cross, He did rise on the third day,
Isaiah 53:5–6 (ESV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:10 (ESV)
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Place your trust in Christ for he is the founder and perfecter of faith, he is the redeemer.
If there are any here who are overwhelmed or burdened by a sinful life that are undone by the word of Christ our savior. Please do not hesitate to step forward and confess. You may at anytime come and speak with myself, or any one of the beloved members of this church.
Let us pray.
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