One of the interesting parts
to studying the Bible is to discover the background of people whom
God used to write His word. In the case of Paul the apostle, there is
a wonderful story to his conversion to Christianity. As he addresses
the problem of false teachers who have infiltrated the churches of
Galatia, he gives us some insight into his past. He wrote in chapter
one and verse thirteen:
For you 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
first says, “For you have heard of my conversation in
time past”. The idea behind
the word “conversation” is not simply an exchange of words
between two individuals or groups, but rather his
“manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment.” It was
the way Paul lived. Most people who have read some portion of the
Bible know of Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus as recorded
in the book of Acts in chapter nine, however, it is interesting to
study Paul's past life according to his personal testimony. Paul knew
the church members in Galatia had heard of his background, so he
begins his discourse with what they know.
Paul adds, “in the
Jew's religion.” Paul knew the
Jewish religion because his origins were there. He told the
Philippian church in chapter three and verses four and five of the
book of Philippians that he was, “Circumcised the eighth
day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of
the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;”
Paul knew the ins and outs of the Jewish faith, and those who were
bringing their doctrine to the Galatians had no better training than
he.
Paul
then turns his attention toward his behavior against the church of
God. He wrote, “how that beyond measure I persecuted the
church of God, and wasted it:”Paul
knew his past, and no one had exceeded his efforts to stop the church
of Jesus Christ. His word against the church was “beyond
measure” or exceedingly
strong, determined, and resolute. We read in Acts chapter nine and
verse one and two,
“And Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the
Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to
Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether
they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”
Paul,
who was then known by his Hebrew name Saul, was determined to stop
the church of Jesus Christ, and he had no problem persecuting anyone
who belonged to the church.
Paul
adds that he, “wasted it” which
means that he desired to “overthrow or destroy”
it. He was adamantly opposed to the church because he believed
himself to be doing the work of God to get rid of it. Obviously Paul
was wrong, and still, he has no problem allowing transparency to be
in his life as he instructs the members of the church in Galatia. We
might wonder why he would show such vulnerability? We shall have to
wait until our next verse to discover it. So,...
Next
time we see more of Paul's background in the Jewish religion. Read
ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to
Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
No comments:
Post a Comment