Lesson 509

(Lesson 509)(01-07-13) Galatians 1:13-24, "For ye 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: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me."

In this lesson, Paul explains that before he took up the cross of Christ he was a devout Jew and an avid persecutor of the Christians.
He also explains how, even though he was personally chosen by Jesus to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, he had converted many of the Jews, his own people, to the Lord Jesus.

Of the twelve other Apostles, Paul had only met Peter and James, he was taught the gospel by Jesus Himself.

The information in today's lesson further verifies that many of those early Christians, both among the Jews and Gentiles, were straying away from the pure gospel of Christ as it was established by Paul and the others. As we will learn during the continuance of these lessons, Paul fought constantly against false teachers and those who were trying to pervert Christianity with the Law of Moses.~