Grace From Galatians (3 Of 19)

Because of the things that are being said about Paul, he says some things about himself that might seem to be bragging in his defense.

Look at Galatians 1:13-24, we read, “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: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.”

Paul was bragging in verse 14, when he said among the teachers of Judaism there was none his equal.

Sometimes when no one else will “toot” our horn, we have to “toot” our own horn.

Illus: Three boys are in the school yard bragging about how great their fathers are.

The first one says: "Well, my father runs the fastest. He can shoot an arrow, and start to run, and he gets there before the arrow."

The second one says: "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet."

The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He then says: "You two know nothing about fast. My father is a civil servant. He stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45!!"

Paul is telling the Galatians some of the impressive things about his life in his testimony, to refute some of the things that were being said about him. For example: He tells them that after his conversion he went to Arabia for three years and later returned to Damascus. Then he went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and James the Lord’s brother, and stayed with them fifteen days. All this took place in the first three years of his conversion.

But then we come to chapter two, and he tells us about going to Jerusalem again fourteen years later. Look at Galatians 2:1 “Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.” It is important that we notice that this time he took Barnabus and Titus with him.

The critics were saying that Paul preached one thing and Peter another. This was not true, there were not two gospels, Paul and Peter were in complete agreement.

The gospel of circumcision and the gospel of grace represents two different groups. (Jews and the Gentiles)

• The Jews were the people that Paul preached to.

• The Gentiles were the people that Peter preached to.

Both of them preached the gospel of grace, and scores of people were getting saved.

One of the heated topics that was surfacing at this time was about Jewish teachers teaching that Paul was not preaching what Peter was preaching, and that the Gentiles should also be required to be circumcised.

HOW DID PAUL PROVE THIS IS NOT WHAT THE JERUSALEM CHURCH REQUIRED?

Remember, I told you that when he went to Jerusalem the second time, he brought Titus with him. Titus was a Gentile that was uncircumcised. His father was a Greek.

The question was, when he went to Jerusalem to talk to Peter and the group, “WOULD HE BE REQUIRED TO BE CIRCUMCISED?” They knew Titus was an uncircumcised Gentile.

Look at Galatians 2:2-3, we read, “And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”

Paul knew that the gospel of grace ALONE that he had been preaching would be in “vain” if they had to also trust in the ritual of circumcision. God had given this gospel of grace to him by “revelation” (verse 2), and he went to Jerusalem to communicate this to the church leaders in Jerusalem.