Unknown By Face Galatians 1:22 - Equipped for Battle

How many of us have ever seen Paul the apostle face to face? The answer is an easy one, right? None, but as we study the book which he wrote to the church members in Galatia, we find that we are not the only ones who did not see him. As Paul continues his defense of the grace of Jesus Christ verses having a relationship with Jesus that includes keeping the law, we find more about his early days as a Christian. He wrote in chapter one and verse twenty-two:

And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ:

Paul begins with these words, “And was unknown by face.” In other words, they had never seen him. His reputation was known before his physical appearance, and his lack of physical presence did not prevent what people knew about him.

He continued, “unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ.” It wasn't that Paul did not desire to be with the churches in Judea, no, rather he was in other places. There was no conference or council of churches who had met with him in the early days. If anything most of the church members in Judea feared Paul because of his “threatenings and slaughters.” Though he converted to Christianity, the believers did not trust that he was a true believer except for in Jerusalem where Barnabas helped Paul as recorded in the book of Acts in chapter nine in verses twenty-six through twenty-nine. Paul generally avoided surrounding areas of the city in the beginning of his ministry, lest he be troubled by both the churches and the synagogues.

When we think about it, our testimony of a relationship with Jesus Christ has the ability to travel to faces we are yet to see. Though others may know of us, we may have never seen them. How many radio ministers share the gospel every day with people they have never met face to face? The power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it has a way of penetrating hearts even when someone has never met us personally. If we make efforts such as this blog to reach out to the world, there will be an opportunity for others to have a relationship with God although they may never see us physically. God Almighty has an awesome plan of redemption, and He chooses to use us to implement that plan even as He used Paul. Though Paul was not seen by the church members in Judea, it did not affect the ability of the grace of God being shared. Let us ever more share and pray for those who are unknown to us even as Paul did in his day.

Next time will look at Paul's reputation among the early church at first, so 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