Galatians 1:13

Galatians 1:13 says, For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:  Paul was still speaking about how he was better off in the eyes of the world before he became a follower of Christ.  He had the power to persecute Christians and did so with a great zeal.  Paul gave up that position of power to become one of those that he had once persecuted.  We cannot let our standing in the world come ahead of serving God. Verse fourteen adds, And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.  Paul said he had profited by being a Jew and following the teachings of his ancestors.  He said since he was exceedingly zealous that he profited more than most others, and he was doing this in the name of God.  Being zealous in our beliefs is not enough if we are zealous to the wrong belief.  Verse fifteen continues, But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,   Paul said that his conversion came when the time was right for God.  When we come to Christ for salvation, we must come when He calls.  We cannot just decide one day that we will choose to be saved that day.  If God is not calling us personally, then we cannot respond to Him.  Paul recognized that God called him at a particular time and place.  Verse sixteen states, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:  Paul said that God revealed the truth of Christ to him, and he was changed forever.  Paul said that God called him to preach the gospel, and that he did not ask anyone else about that call.  When we know that God is calling us to salvation and to a purpose in His plan for salvation, we do not need to ask anyone else about it. We, like Paul, must simply respond in obedience to God's call.  Verse seventeen adds, Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.  Paul said he didn't go to Jerusalem to seek out the other apostles, but that he went where God directed him to go to preach the gospel.  Though it might have seemed necessary to some for Paul to go and physically join with the other apostles, he knew that he didn't need any validation from others.  Verse eighteen continues, Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.  Paul said that after preaching for three years that he did go to Jerusalem and spend fifteen days with Peter.  Verse nineteen says, But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. Paul said he also saw James, the brother of Jesus, but none of the other apostles.  Paul was not looking for earthly justification to call himself an apostle, but he was accepted by these two who were close to Jesus, Peter by his great faith and James by his birth and faith.  The other apostles had most likely gone from Jerusalem to preach the gospel.  Verse twenty adds, Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.  Paul said that God was his witness that he wasn't lying, and God should always be the ultimate authority when we make claims about Him and our relationship with Him.  Whatever we proclaim in the name of God should always bring glory to Him and not to us.  In the next four verses Paul speaks of his ministry in Syria and Cilicia.  He was going as Christ had directed His disciples to go and was proclaiming the gospel.  Verse twenty-one continues, Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;  Verse twenty-two states, And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:  Paul was preaching to those who did not know what he looked like.  They had to accept Paul by faith in the fact that he really was telling the truth about his faith in Christ.  Verse twenty-three adds, But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.  The people in these countries did not know what Paul looked like, but they knew who he was.  Paul was the one who had persecuted them in the past.  We know that he was very zealous in this persecution, so he was well known for it.  Now, he was also known for something else, and that was for preaching the gospel of Christ.  We can never allow who or what people were before accepting Christ keep us from believing that they can be and now are saved.  Verse twenty-four concludes, And they glorified God in me.  They did not glorify Paul, but glorified God because of Paul's preaching.  We can never glorify the preacher but must always be led to glorify God by what is preached.  If the preacher is glorified more than God, then something is wrong.