Galatians 1:1-17
Monday, 18 March 2024
“But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:15, 16)
The Book of Galatians illustrates the heart of the Gospel—the grace of God, which is God’s unmerited favor! The true message of salvation is based solely on God’s grace (Gal.1:6) received by faith (Eph.2:8) and it provides peace with God (Rom.5:1) [The Nelson Study Bible]. Paul is witness to the grace of God- that transformed his life from a zealous Jew and persecutor of the church into a firebrand follower of Jesus Christ and a preacher of the gospel!
It was at his encounter on the road to Damascus that Paul met the Lord Jesus who spoke to him and revealed his life’s purpose: “…for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.------ I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,…..” (Acts 26:16-18). Paul was so sure of his mission and the message given to him, that nothing deterred him in fulfilling it all his life.
The sovereignty of God in choosing you and me is a mystery that can only be explained when we see Him face to face. But the fact remains that even from our mother’s womb, He set us apart (Jer.1:5, Isa.49:1). To every believer the Lord reminds us through Ephesians 2: 10: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” We didn’t merit salvation by any of our good works- God “has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.” (2Tim.1:9). Grace would no longer be grace if we could earn salvation by good works (Rom.11:6). So dear brothers and sisters: you have been saved, set apart by God for His purpose! Would you lift up grateful praise to Him?
It pleased God first to reveal His Son, Jesus Christ to Paul and then reveal Christ in Paul. The difference is clear- the former revelation is given is to know Christ and the latter, to make Christ known through his life. Romans 8:29-30 says: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” We are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ on a daily basis when we yield our lives to the working of the Holy Spirit within us. That is how Christ is formed in us! That’s how we grow in maturity as His sons and daughters reflecting Him. 1 John 4:17 says, “…because in this world we are like Him” – the world sees Christ through us. God has called us into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ (1Cor.1:9) and Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1Cor.1:24) in us.
Along with the privilege of being chosen by God comes a responsibility of being His witness to a world that doesn’t know Christ. Let us give ourselves to the Lord to do what pleases Him (John 8:29), understanding the bounty of His marvellous grace that has been poured out so freely from above into our lives.
To Act on: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:1).
Listen: 'Who You say I am'