Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20080720.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Galatians: Defending The Truthfulness Of Paul's Teaching On God's Grace
Part X: The Credibility Of Paul's Teaching On Grace Seen In His Personal Testimony
(Galatians 4:12-20)
  1. Introduction
    1. The fact that God's salvation is by grace is not only seen to be true by what the Bible itself teaches, but by the evidence of the truthfulness of the lives of their messengers as in the case of Paul, 2 Timothy 3:14.
    2. Such was the case in Paul's testimony with the Galatians, a testimony we do well to heed (as follows):
  2. The Credibility Of Paul's Teaching On Grace Seen In His Personal Testimony, Galatians 4:12-20:
    1. The Apostle who wrote of his initial relationship with the Galatian believers when he first evangelized them in Galatians 4:12-15 is the same man who once aggressively persecuted Christians, and was the head witness at the stoning of the Church's first martyr, Stephen, Acts 7:58-59; 8:1a; 9:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:12-13.
    2. As a result, the Christian community was so afraid of him, that at his conversion to Christ, the reputable Barnabas had to take him to the Apostles and testify in his behalf of his conversion for the Church to believe his conversion was real, and to feel comfortable being with him, Acts 9:26-27 with Acts 4:36-37.
    3. Thus, a supernatural conversion by GOD must have occurred between his first hatred of Christians and the rapport described in Galatians 4:12-15 he had with the Galatians when he evangelized them for Christ:
      1. Paul urged the Galatians to become like him in being free from the Law like he had become free from it in Christ, and as they initially had been as new Gentile converts to Christ before the Judaizers had tried to subject them to the Law, Gal . 4:12a; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 602. Paul saw himself as free from the Law for which he had once persecuted believers (Phil. 3:4-6), a great theological change!
      2. Then, referring to his initial evangelizing experience of these believers, Paul claimed they had done him no wrong at that time, Gal. 4:12b. Indeed, Paul had ministered under the handicap of some illness when he evangelized them, but that they had not mistreated him, but rather viewed him with the respect they would have given for an angel of God or even for the Lord Jesus Himself, Galatians 4:13-14!
      3. Paul then used an expression common in that era that meant "giving up everything for another," saying his readers would have "plucked out your own eyes" and given them to him since they were so glad for the salvation they received by believing the Gospel of Christ he proclaimed, Galatians 4:15 KJV; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Galatians 4:12-15.
    4. Besides the tremendous transformation in Paul from unsaved to saved status, he told how he had spoken the truth to them even though it was unsavory, and so made them think he was their enemy opposite the Judaizers who "apparently" used "flattery and threats on the Galatians" to manipulate them to adopt their legalistic views, Galatians 2:16-17a. In striking contrast to the deceit and manipulation of his Judaizer foes, Paul candidly gave the truth, even if it was uncomfortable, evidence of his truthfulness.
    5. Also, the Judaizers were zealous in trying to alienate the Galatian believers from Paul in order to win them over to their view and following, Galatians 2:17b. Paul objectively admitted it was fine to be zealous like the Judaizers, provided one's goal was right, and to be that way at all times whether Paul was with them or not, Galatians 2:18. However, he resisted the false teachings of the Judaizers regardless of their good zeal, for their teaching was were wrong!
    6. Paul then noted he wished he could be with his readers and change his critiquing tone to be more gentle with them, but he was perplexed about their transition from their initial deep commitment to the truth of his Gospel and to him, Galatians 2:19-20. These candid words about Paul's relationship with other believers come from a man who is being truthful, not from a deceiver with a false gospel!
Lesson: His personal testimony of a change in relation from hatred to love for believers at conversion, his willingness to give unsavory truths, his absence of deceptive manipulation, his objectivity about his foes and his candidness about relationships exposed Paul's truthfulness and the validity of his Gospel!

Application: If we see the same edifying change in attitude, the same sharing of unsavory truths, the same absence of deceptive manipulation, the same objectivity about one's foes and the same candidness about one's relation to others that was in Paul, we have evidence of the validity of his call and message!