Galatians Bible Study

[ollie]

Galatians 1:13.  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:
 14.  And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
 15.  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
 16.  To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:


God selected Paul at his birth to be called by His grace.

Paul conferred not with flesh and blood. The inference being that it was the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ.  

[2nd Timothy]

I believe that Paul had a real understanding of the grace of God.   People who's lives make the sharpest contrast in un-belief to belief in Christ seem to realize the real depth of Grace as is evident in Pauls writings.  Just for a moment, consider how God used Paul.  He single handidly took the Gospel to the edges of the Roman empire.  Considering the means of travel in those days, and wild territory he went into, it is almost superhuman...which of course we know was God with him.

Another man who truly understood Gods grace was John Newton.  He was the Author of the lyrics for the hymn Amazing Grace.  He was an individual who like Saul, was a man of untold suffering before his conversion as a captain of a slave ship.

A mar­ble plaque at St. Mary Wool­noth car­ried the epi­taph which New­ton him­self wrote:

JOHN NEWTON, Clerk
Once an infidel and libertine
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour
JESUS CHRIST,
restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach
the Gospel which he had long laboured to destroy.
He ministered,
Near sixteen years in Olney, in Bucks,
And twenty-eight years in this Church

It seems that those who have a deep understanding of Gods grace seem to be the ones that God is able to use for his greatest works.

Peace and Grace!

[Petro]

Very true, We were by nature children of wrath, dead in sin and tresspass, this is exactly what Paul tells us at;

Eph 2
2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)


Notice that while we were dead in sins, he made us alive together with Christ.

Praise the Lord..

Blessings,
Petro

[Petro]

Emphasizing the point we were by nature the children of wrath, Paul writes the following at;

Col 1
12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:


Blessings,

Petro

[Petro]

Gal 1
15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Does anyone have any idea, what Paul meant by this;

"when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb"??

Is he referring to his new birth? and being separated to hear the Gosple which would bring on the new birth??

What is clear is, that he was called by the Lord personally.

Both of These, are a great truth, one must be separated to hear the Gosple and called from the dead as Lazarus was called out of the grave by Jesus.

Later Paul says he was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. (Rom1:1, 1 Cor 1:1) and separated unto the Gosple of God.

I am reminded of Acts 13:2, where the Holy spirit said

"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

Any other thoughts?

Blessings
Petro

[2nd Timothy]

I can't help but think of my daughters birth.  I was overwhelmed by the experience, but after she had been born, the doctor looked over his shoulder and smiled at me, then eased the scissors towards me without words.  I knew cutting the embilical chord would begin my daughters life separate from her mother.  And I'm glad I had that oportunity.

I'm not sure how or if this relates in any way, but thats what comes to my mind....lol

Grace and Peace!

[Reba]

Gal 1
15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Does anyone have any idea, what Paul meant by this;

"when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb"??

Is he referring to his new birth? and being separated to hear the Gosple which would bring on the new birth??

What is clear is, that he was called by the Lord personally.

Both of These, are a great truth, one must be separated to hear the Gosple and called from the dead as Lazarus was called out of the grave by Jesus.

Later Paul says he was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. (Rom1:1, 1 Cor 1:1) and separated unto the Gosple of God.

I am reminded of Acts 13:2, where the Holy spirit said

"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

Any other thoughts?

Blessings
Petro

Eph 1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
KJV

[Allinall]

Does anyone have any idea, what Paul meant by this;

"when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb"??

I believe this to be a semantic, grammatical understanding, or rather perhaps, potential misunderstanding by the language used.  Paul is referring to the work of God whereby He chose Paul, as all who know Him, before the foundations of the world unto salvation.  Note the same verse in the ESV perhaps for more clarity:

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,

What is clear is, that he was called by the Lord personally.

Amen!  God called Paul, whom He'd already set apart, unto Himself, redeemed and enabled for service.  Then God set him apart for a unique ministry.  Beautiful!

[Allinall]

I can't help but think of my daughters birth.  I was overwhelmed by the experience, but after she had been born, the doctor looked over his shoulder and smiled at me, then eased the scissors towards me without words.  I knew cutting the embilical chord would begin my daughters life separate from her mother.  And I'm glad I had that oportunity.

I'm not sure how or if this relates in any way, but thats what comes to my mind....lol

Grace and Peace!

Tim,

You've brought another memory to me, of my own daughters, when you posted this.  Off topic, but hey!  I love my girls!    My first daughter was born with the surgery that I can't figure out how to spell so I won't embarrass myself!    But I'll never forget sitting there, holding my wife's hand, and having the doc say "Hey Dad...," looking up and seeing her face for the first time.  Shear miracle.  Of course, I also remember her crying on the scale, coming over and saying her name only to have her stop crying, open her eyes, and look for that voice.  Still makes me tear up.  As for the second daughter, she was born normally and that was another miracle to witness.  Same doc, same situation as you described.  The feeling is undescribable.  And like her sister, when she was all crying, and having her grandma, and aunt in the room at the time all crowded around her, all I could do was say her name.  Stopped crying and craned her neck to find that voice.  Sweet stuff.  I'm reminded every time I think of those times that "...children are an heritage of the Lord."  The miracle isn't the birth.  It's that God would chose a sinner like me to teach them to listen for His voice.

Nice post brother.  

[Allinall]

Eph 1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
KJV

Good thinking sister!  I agree.

[Allinall]

I'd like to jump ahead here abit, and maybe put into perspective the direction Paul seems to be headed with the text concerning his life before, and after Christ.  In verses 23-24, he says:

They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God because of me.

Why does Paul bring up his past in Judaism?  I believe, in part, to bring about an understanding that he knew what he was taking about.  But his focus throughout these first few verses always returns to God.  Judaism, as practiced by Paul, focused on a self-righteousness.  Paul focused on God.  Judiazers wanted to equate works with salvation.  Paul focused on God, as the Author, and the Finisher of the faith - God, and God alone through His Son Jesus Christ.

Why is this important to understand?  Because at the heart of the argument is this "other gospel."  Paul's point is that the gospel is God alone can save through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  ANY deviation is accursed, because to believe anything contrary is to be cursed.  Paul continuely brings back to the forefront of our attention that the work is God's, planned before our birth, paid for with the blood of His Son, and procurred by grace through faith.

Any thoughts?

[Reba]

Why is this important to understand?  Because at the heart of the argument is this "other gospel."  Paul's point is that the gospel is God alone can save through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  ANY deviation is accursed, because to believe anything contrary is to be cursed.  Paul continuely brings back to the forefront of our attention that the work is God's, planned before our birth, paid for with the blood of His Son, and procurred by grace through faith

Amen

This grandma's heart melts reading  the births of your children!

I love your coffee cup!

[Allinall]

Thank you Sister!  I love that cup myself.  I fell in love with it when I came across it.  Suits me to a tee!  

[Reba]

I sure wish WE could get past the  I AM RIGHT YOU ARE WRONG  childish stage and continue. We are not going to agree. Studing with those we agree with has its place as does studing with desenting voices.

Seems to me if we are willing to post on the same forum as christians we should be able post in the same thread as christians. State our opposing views and move on.


Gal 2:1-4
2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
KJV

[ollie]

I sure wish WE could get past the  I AM RIGHT YOU ARE WRONG  childish stage and continue. We are not going to agree. Studing with those we agree with has its place as does studing with desenting voices.

Seems to me if we are willing to post on the same forum as christians we should be able post in the same thread as christians. State our opposing views and move on.


Gal 2:1-4
2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
KJV

The early church had to contend with the judaizers, the pagans, and the godless. Today the church still contends and with what has developed since.