Polarized (June 2016)

POLARIZED

Text: Galatians 1:11 – 24

“One of the greatest political minds in America belonged to that of [South Carolina’s own] Lee Atwater [Harvey Leroy Atwater]. He was known for his keen political insight and for his questionable political techniques that would help his candidate win the election. Atwater considered politics to war. Obviously, this kind of life was meant only to please his candidate. His gospel was to win at any cost, and enemies made along the way were considered to be trophies collected during the political war.

One day, his world would come to a screeching halt. Atwater discovered that he had a malignant brain tumor. All of a sudden he saw life in a different light. In the remaining month of his life, he gave his heart to Christ. Lee Atwater began to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with whomever would listen (and a lot did). He also made it a point to repent for his political sins and went to each of his self-made enemies to ask for their forgiveness. It was not long after Atwater became a Christian where he left this world where the only politician is the Lord Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Practical Illustrations. Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2001, p. 9). The Apostle Paul had a lot in common with Lee Atwater, because he, too, made enemies. Some might even argue that Jim Croce’s song entitled Bad, Bad Leroy Brown was descriptive of Lee Atwater. There was no doubt that when it came to politics he seemed to be “meaner than a junk yard dog.” Others, called him the Darth Vader of politics.

No doubt, Lee Atwater turned over a new leaf. He was polarized. He was trying mend fences. Like Atwater, Paul had some of his own fences to mend. Both Paul and Atwater were controversial, both became polarized and became Christians.

RELIGIOUS CONVICTION

Controversy 1: Was Paul a Zealot or Pharisee?

1) I just recently read an article on an internet source known as Wikipedia where someone was making a case for Paul being a Zealot which is incorrect.

2) There can be no question that Paul was zealous prior to his conversion. That does not mean that Paul should be confused with the Zealots of his day.

3) In Paul’s day there were four known groups. First, There were the Sadducees. who according to Acts 23:8 say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. Secondly, there were Pharisees, who believed in resurrection according to Matthew 22:23. Thirdly, Essenes (who practiced self-denial for religious and spiritual reasons. Finally, there were the Zealots who were a party who professed great zeal for the observance of the “law.” According to Josephus (BJ, IV, iii, 9; v, 1; VII, viii, 1) they resorted to violence and assassination in their hatred of the foreigner,). (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). Peter was a Zealot (as as mentioned four times in the New Testament (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18;

Luke 6:15; & Acts 1:13).

Controversy 2: Law or Grace?

Paul was a Pharisee by birth and belief. (Herbert Lockyer. All The Men Of The Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958, p. 26).

1) Until his conversion to Christianity Paul stood on the side of tradition and the law. After his conversion, Paul stood on the side of grace.

2) Paul mentions Paul mentions grace 84 times in the New Testament. Paul also mentions the law 101 times.

3) He also explains how Christians live under grace instead of under the law. Paul reminds elsewhere in the New Testament that “We are saved by grace through faith which is a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8). Paul also reminds us in Galatians 3:10 that “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (KJV). Galatians 3:24 -26 says “And so the Law was in charge of us until Christ came, in order that we might then be put right with God through faith. Now that the time for faith is here, the Law is no longer in charge of us. It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus” (GNB).

Controversy 3:

Persecutor or Persecuted?

When Paul was a persecutor of Christians, his name was Saul. Following his conversion, his name was changed to Paul. “The Latin word Paulus from which Paul’s name is derived means “little” or “small”. Tradition suggest that Paul was short in stature. Yet Paul had no Napoleonic complex. His ego was also small according to Ephesians 3:8.” (Dr. Robert Rayburn, Jeffrey Miller, J. Hampton Keathley III, with Mark Strauss. Galatians Thru Philemon: Simplified Bible Commentary Series. Volume 11. Urischville: Barbour Publishing, 2008, p. 54). Following his conversion, Paul went from being a persecutor of Christians to becoming a persecuted Christian. What changed him? As we mentioned earlier, it was God’s grace that changed him from thinking about the law as the only way to be right with God.