Whose Approval? Series

Everyone here has been around a campfire at some point.

When I was a boy scout, there was a specific order in earning your campfire badge.

You need to clear out the ground of any debris.

Create ventilation

Surround it with rocks to keep it contained.

Find some dry kindling to get the main wood to ignite.

Then arrange the main fuel- the logs or thicker branches so that they will catch fire from the kindling.

Once you have it all done- what is left?

The spark!

Paul’s decades of training prior to knowing Jesus was like building that campfire

His education not only in the things of Judaism, but Greek philosophy and logic so he knew how to talk to Gentiles. He knew Latin so he could talk to Romans. He knew dialectics, which is the art of how to debate.

All of this prior to him coming to Christ was God preparing the campfire.

And on the road to Damascus, Jesus provided the spark that sent the entire Western world on fire for the Gospel.

After he was healed, the bible says Paul escapes from Damascus, and said he went into Arabia. I don’t think this was the Arabian desert like where the Israelites wandered for 40 years, but in 1st Century language that word was used for any desolate place, and there are a lot of those around Damascus and even in Israel.

For roughly 3 years he lived re-reading the scrolls he had largely memorized and where before he only saw laws to be followed, Paul now saw Jesus.

The Holy Spirit brought to light all of the times in the Old Testament that foreshadowed Jesus. Paul saw HIM everywhere, and shared these revelations every time he spoke to the Jewish people.

And, he wrote them down, and they have guided the church ever since.

But I don’t want the point lost here- much of Paul’s preparation was done prior to him coming to salvation.

Much of it was when he was deep in religious pride.

Much of it was done while he was arresting and murdering Christians.

But remember-

Rom 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

I want to emphasize this while also saying that God does not condone nor does He ordain or cause sin to happen.

But He will use it. All things work together.

Once the spark of Jesus Christ is applied, than this huge foundations of sin the enemy has built up in a person’s life is consumed, and all that is left are things that can be used for God’s glory.

Paul outlines this further in 1 Cor 3:11-15 when he talks about building on earthly foundations versus eternal foundations. (Expand)

1Co 3:11-15 For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. (12) If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, (13) each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. (14) If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. (15) If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved?—?but only as through fire.