to destroy Jesus Christ when he was an infant by persuading Herod to kill him. Because of this, Joseph took the infant Jesus to Egypt to save him. Later the devil inspired the crucifixion of Jesus and then these evil powers believed that they had annihilated him by his death. However, Jesus frustrated their plan, because his divine Father resurrected him from the dead. When believers are persecuted, Jesus carries all faithful believers in his heart. We all have victory through the power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
But the power of evil did not give up when his plans to destroy both Jesus Christ and the beginning of the church failed. The devil saw that he had not been successful in destroying the early church. So he made a plan to deceive the human race. The devil began persecuting Jesus’ children. He relentlessly worked to have people kill the faithful Christians. But the devil did not know that the blood of the martyrs is a seed that produces one hundred percent. Instead of destroying the church, these martyrs established the church. The devil’s second deception was the one Paul confronts in his letter to the Galatians. The devil deceived people about the law and tried to destroy the pure freedom of the Gospel. He made people believe falsely that they needed to still follow the rigors and details of the law. By going back to the law, these believers desert the gospel.
We know that Jesus Christ wants to give birth to new children in his church by placing his pure spirit within them. Because the Spirit of the Lord is always the same, it is certain that his children live in the purity of the Holy Spirit. Faithful Christians differ from these others who fall into error and derangement designed by the devil. These who fall under the power of evil are soon lost from the Spirit of the Lord, that is to say, they lose the spirit of docility and dependence on the movement of the Holy Spirit.
God wants to establish his faith in all his children and to reunite all the nations under his faith by his Spirit. The jealous devil always fights against the church. He wants the persecution of all Christians and tries to destroy the interior knowledge of the faith that grows within the human heart. The Lord gives us his Spirit within. Yet the devil makes people abuse those who have the Spirit of the Lord. But far from being astonished and afraid when this happens, we must, to the contrary, rejoice and hope. Even after the strong storm of persecution, we live in the calm hope of the Lord. In all times, we hold firmly to the gospel preached by Jesus Christ and by his disciples. They preached about the purity of the Spirit of the Lord within us and warned not to go to another. If we preach another, that one be cursed! The gospel teaches us that we can speak through power of the Spirit. If we in faith repudiate error and abuse, we have increased within us Jesus Christ’s truth and the interior spirit.
Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Gal 1:10)
Anyone who examines the words of Paul will see that he is the servant of Jesus Christ. Alas, the way he lives is very rare! Where do we find a person who does not want to please other humans and who does not instead search to find self-glory? Where do we find a person indifferent to hatred and contempt as well as love and approval? Where do we find a person who is dead to all creatures and does not skillfully aim to get their esteem? Where do we find a person who keeps God in view in all things? Yet Paul assures us that the moment we will to please people is the same moment we stop being the servant of Jesus Christ.
For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:11–12)
Paul describes his own life and says without hesitation that God in his mercy gave him the revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul shows us in this passage how we are to live the Christian faith. At all times we are to keep our sight on the pure glory of God in all situations. God inspires us to witness to him. We are never to keep secret what the Lord has done for us. When God acts, we witness about this to others and tell them about the Lord’s mercy to us. Also, at all times, we reverently worship the Spirit of God and watch for the movements and actions of the Spirit.
We also see in this passage that Paul testifies to the good and holy revelations of Christ given to us. Because of the persecutions against Christians, there are people who condemn Christ’s revelations saying that they are false. Corrupt ideas like this are never to be believed because they are deceptions planned by evil.
You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. (Gal 1:13–17)
Here Paul talks more about his life and freely witnesses to the grace that God gave him. Even while he describes his tradition and life, he confesses openly to his sins and faults. He does this because simple truth never hides anything. We need to speak truth because we glorify God with words of truth. We also strengthen others when we speak words of truth.
Paul describes his call from Jesus Christ and in this, we see both the goodness and strength of God. Paul openly states that he formerly opposed God’s grace and violently persecuted the early church. Yet through the grace of God, Paul became the most glorious of the apostles. We see Paul’s faithfulness in his response to God’s call and grace by following Jesus Christ without consulting with flesh and blood.
We know that not everybody answers the call of Jesus Christ. In fact, some people called evade this call, and do not live for Jesus Christ. They do this because they think that their temporal interest, attachment to flesh and blood, or social situation is more important than God. Instead of doing this, they should have a trusting faith to follow the grace of God, like Paul did.
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain. (Gal 2:1–2)
We see again in this passage how Paul was following the Spirit of the Lord and revelation. Therefore, he must conduct himself with faithfulness by following where the Lord shows him to go. He must not deceive others about this, but be honest and witness to others about this. When Paul speaks the truth, he is obedient to God. This applies to all faithful people.
Some wonder about revelation and how we know them to be true. In this situation we look to the witness of Scripture. If a revelation goes against Scripture, than it is to be suspected. Yet in those circumstances, we must act humanely and show others the true witness of the Lord expressed in Scripture.
No one was better led by the Spirit of the Lord than Paul. No one was more faithful to following God’s movements and His grace. However, Paul does not consult other apostles because he has inside himself the light of the Spirit. Truly, he vigorously follows what is the will of God. Finally, he powerfully succeeds for the good of the church.
But because of false believers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us—5 we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you. (Gal 2:4–5)
It is amazing to see how God uses Paul who had been the greatest zealot of the law. He had forcefully and violently demanded the exact observance of the law. Now after his conversion, Paul becomes the most powerful defender of the freedom of Jesus Christ. He now ardently lives the simplicity and freedom of the Gospel. He refused to change his conduct,
