Galatians 1:13-17
I know that you have heard of how I used to live and practice my Jewish religion, how I persecuted the Church of God with vigor and attempted to destroy it. I was ahead of many in my class in my religious studies, and had a great interest in upholding the traditions of my forebears. But God with divine grace had set me apart before I was even born. God revealed Jesus in me, so that I might present Christ to the Gentiles. I did not ask anyone's opinion, nor did I go to Jerusalem to consult with the other apostles, but immediately went to Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
How do we know for sure there is a God? By the evidence, not only of what is called "intelligent design," but by changed lives. The concept of "intelligent design" says that when one observes the intricacies of nature and how all the parts fit and function together, one must conclude that nature couldn't have been the result of chaos falling together, but must be the result of intelligent creation, in the same way we know that a watch didn't just happen to "fall into place," but had to have a watchmaker.
Even more compelling evidence, not only of God's existence, but of the idea that God interacts with us, is the evidence of changed lives. Paul's life is a prime example. He was an intelligent, educated man of some means, a Pharisee, which meant he had been a strict follower of the Jewish law. He must have been an ardent student of Judaism because he said he was ahead of his class--ahead of others of his own age, and he was extremely zealous for his faith traditions.
Over and over again in the gospels we see that Jesus challenged the "religion" of the Pharisees, pointing out that while they observed the letter of the law, they neglected the spirit of it--justice and mercy and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23). Jesus had called them "blind guides!" (Matt. 23:24) During that fateful meeting on the road to Damascus, Saul (later called Paul) was struck blind by Jesus (Acts 9:8), perhaps to call attention to the fact that Paul's religion" had blinded him to the truth of God.
When Paul says that "God with divine grace had set me apart before I was even born," he calls to mind the words of the prophet, Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jer. 1:5) Note that Paul says that God revealed Jesus "in me," not "to me." Jesus, in the person of the Holy Spirit was within Paul, as the Spirit is within each of us. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" (1 Cor. 6:19) Note that Paul also says he didn't consult anyone, including the apostles, to learn the "good news." God alone gave it to him. Once he met Jesus, once his eyes were blinded by Jesus, once his eyes reopened, his life turned completely around. The sworn enemy of Jesus became the most ardent disciple.
During his period of blindness, those who had been traveling with him led him into Damascus where he met a disciple, Ananias, who had been called by God to lay hands on him to restore his sight. As soon as he recovered to everyone's surprise he began preaching the gospel that Jesus is the Only-Begotten of God, much to the chagrin of some of the Jews, who soon conspired to kill him, but he escaped. (Acts 9:7-25). Immediately he went into Arabia–like Jesus before him when He had been baptized by John was led by the Spirit into he desert (Luke 4:1)–Paul went into the desert to think about what had happened to him, to absorb its meaning, and to be alone with God. Following his time in Arabia he returned to Damascus, a brave thing to do considering the fact that he had had to flee for his life on his previous visit–not for wanting to persecute the Christians, but for becoming one.
Galatians 1:18-24
It wasn't until three years later that I went up to Jerusalem to meet Peter. I stayed with him fifteen days. Of the other apostles I saw only James, Jesus' brother. God is my witness–what I'm writing you is not a lie! From there I went to Syria and Cilicia. No one in the churches of Judea knew me personally. They had only heard that "The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he once tried to destroy. And they gave glory to God because of me.
Paul had probably spent the better part of those three years in Arabia, till the furor of his first visit to Damascus had died down. It wasn't until later that he went to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter. He emphasizes the time lapse and the fact that for the most part he didn't seek out the other apostles. He wanted to reinforce the fact that the gospel message he preaches comes directly from God and is not influenced in any way by anyone else's teachings. It's as though he were saying, God wants you to give up this idea of having to follow the law in order to get right with God. If you follow after Jesus, if you place your faith and trust in Jesus, then the Holy Spirit will come into your heart and tell you personally what is right for you to do. Just like me, you won't have to follow anyone else, but the Holy Spirit who will guide into all the truth. Then you will know what it means to be divinely inspired.
LIFE APPLICATION