Stand Firm - The Man Who Stood

Galatians 1:11-24 (NIV)

[11] I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. [12] I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. [13] For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. [14] I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased [16] to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. [17] I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. [18] Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. [19] I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. [20] I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. [21] Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. [22] I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. [23] They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they praised God because of me.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.11-24.NIV)

Galatians 2:1-10 (NIV)

[1] Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. [2] I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. [3] Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. [4] This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. [5] We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. [6] As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. [7] On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. [8] For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. [9] James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. [10] All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.2.1-10.NIV)

The first British passport, invented in 1414, wasn't even called a "passport." It was a "safe conduct" – a handwritten paper asking for safe passage across borders. It had no photos or fingerprints, so almost anyone could claim it.

Today, it's a different story. Modern passports are packed with security features to prevent fraud, including biometric data chips and sophisticated e-gates that use facial recognition. The future of travel might even mean walking through a corridor and being automatically recognized without ever showing a document.

Why am I talking about travel and passports? Because we all use credentials to prove who we are. (Though some travelers in the US have reportedly tried to use Costco cards as ID, which doesn't quite work!)

Paul has just delivered some tough truth to the Galatians. He told them they'd been misled by false teachers and warned them about the serious consequences of perverting God's Word. Now, he shifts to present his own credentials, showing them why they should listen to him instead of the imposters. At the same time, he brilliantly demonstrates what transformative grace truly does in a life surrendered to it.

This is Paul's testimony. This is the undeniable work of God in his life. And it's glorious.

Let's start by looking at his past.

His Former Life: A Persecutor Transformed

Galatians 1:13-14 (NIV)

[13] For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. [14] I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.13-14.NIV)

Certain events are so impactful they become "where were you when...?" moments: Elvis's death, John Lennon's shooting, Princess Diana's crash, 9/11. Paul's conversion is one of those pivotal moments in history. It stands out even among the thousands of other conversions in Acts. While Cornelius's conversion (Acts 10) caused a "spiritual earthquake" for the early church, leading to the acceptance of Gentiles (Acts 15:1-35), Paul's conversion remains one of the most significant events in the Bible.

Why? Partly because of his achievements as a church leader. But also, powerfully, because of who he was before he was saved. Even Paul would agree: from the outside, few people were less likely to repent and accept the Gospel than him.

Paul himself admitted:

1 Corinthians 15:9 (NIV)

[9] For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.15.9.NIV)

1 Timothy 1:13 (NIV)

[13] Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1ti.1.13.NIV)

Luke, the meticulous author of Acts, confirms this:

Acts 8:3 (NIV)

[3] But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/act.8.3.NIV)

Acts 9:1-2 (NIV)

[1] Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest [2] and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/act.9.1-2.NIV)

Paul was a radical, a zealot, a terrorist in the eyes of the early Christians. His sole focus was advancing in his religion, and the lives of Jesus' followers meant nothing to him. He rampaged from place to place, causing chaos and immense damage to the nascent church.

He was the least likely candidate for conversion, let alone a pastoral role.

Yet—and this should always astound us—God saved him and changed him! Hallelujah!

Imagine the hurt, pain, and chaos this man caused. Imagine the fear in that small, growing Christian community. The havoc he wreaked was so significant it was heard hundreds of miles away in Damascus (Acts 9:13-14). From the outside, it would have seemed completely out of control.

But it wasn't. God was still in control. God was still sovereign. And God was working out His purposes, not because of Paul, but in spite of Paul.

God told Ananias:

Acts 9:15 (NIV)

[15] But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/act.9.15.NIV)

Paul himself agreed:

Galatians 1:15 (NIV)

[15] But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace...

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.15.NIV)

In fact, the very fury Paul unleashed might have been God's quiet work within him. Paul's testimony before King Agrippa hints at this:

Acts 26:14 (NIV)

[14] We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/act.26.14.NIV)

In all that fury and trauma, God was at work in the life of the very man at its heart. Paul rebelled against the promptings in his heart, but the vision on the Damascus Road changed everything (Acts 9:1-8). Paul stopped fighting. He surrendered.

And so, the transformative grace of God won a great prize. Saul of Tarsus was saved and became Paul.

Right there, we see two vital truths:

• What false religion can do: it embitters, it radicalizes, it fills with unreasonable, baseless hate.

• What the Gospel can do: it utterly transforms a life for good.

What a glorious testimony of God's sovereignty, goodness, patience, and boundless grace towards an unrepentant sinner! But this passage isn't just about Paul's former life; it's also about his seeking life.

His Seeking Life: God's Call, Not Man's

Galatians 1:15-21 (NIV)

[15] But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased [16] to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. [17] I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. [18] Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. [19] I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. [20] I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. [21] Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.15-21.NIV)

Often, the authority we carry comes from whoever sent us. Think back to high school: two rival teachers, one Geography, one History, would playfully refuse to hand over the shared TV/VCR cart. Even if you said, "Mr. Robertson wants the TV," they'd have fun with it. You needed patience and a sense of humor!

Paul has already established his credentials based on the Message he received and the obvious transformative effect it had on him. Few could doubt that change. Now, he establishes his authority based on who sent the Message.

In those days, like my high school, but on a massive scale, messengers crisscrossed the Roman Empire. They carried seals or other proof that they were sent by someone in authority. Churches soon adopted this, checking "letters of commendation" to verify people (see 2 Corinthians 3:1-3). Given the prevalence of fakes, it made sense.

But Paul takes a different approach. His authority does come from the one who sent him, but it wasn't one of the church's human leaders. No, it was God Himself:

Galatians 1:1 (NIV)

[1] Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.1.NIV)

Paul claims he received his call directly from God. And he has good reason to believe it.

First, his conversion was nothing short of miraculous (Acts 9:1-19).

Second, his seclusion. Paul had two periods of withdrawing to pray, fast, and seek God. The first lasted three days, before his eyes were opened (Acts 9:3). The second was after his heart was opened, when he went into Arabia for an undetermined period (Galatians 1:17).

What's special about this trip? Many believe Mount Sinai is in the Arabian Peninsula. Paul, in a sense, was doing what Elijah did (1 Kings 19:1-18): retreating into the desert, to the very place where Israel received God's Law, to seek that same Word from God.

But there's more to this than just a desert trip. Paul wrote this about his former life to the Philippians:

Philippians 3:4-6 (NIV)

[4] If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/php.3.4-6.NIV)

As a Pharisee, Paul's life was superficially driven by the Law. While the Law forbade condemning the innocent (Exodus 23:7), that didn't seem to stop Paul. It's fitting, then, that he returned to the place where the Jews received the Law, to repent and live his life under the rule of the one who fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17). His journey to Arabia signals his determination to be alone with God and repent of the life he needed to leave behind, which he did (Philippians 3:5-14).

The third factor was acceptance. While we'll see more of this in the next section, the hospitality Paul received from Peter and James was a clear sign they recognized him as their brother in Christ. This was essential for his journey. There's no such thing as a "lone wolf Christian." Paul needed people around him; he needed fellowship. He found it initially in Damascus (Acts 9:10-19)—it was the prayer of a frightened disciple whom Paul would have previously hunted down that caused the scales to fall from his eyes. He later found it in Jerusalem, first from Barnabas (Acts 9:26-28), and eventually from the apostles, especially Peter and James.

We all need fellowship to thrive. Life sometimes feels like walking a high wire; we need others to be our safety net when we fall. That's how we're created. We are made to fit into a body (1 Corinthians 12). Without the body, we're like a disembodied limb—less than useless, even grotesque. Even Paul knew that, which is why he sought fellowship when the time was right.

Here, we see a brilliant example of what every new believer should do: surrender to God's seeking of you, seek God in return, and then seek others. That's how we grow strong.

Paul, however, had a particular role in the body of Christ, explained to Ananias:

Acts 9:15 (NIV)

[15] But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/act.9.15.NIV)

Paul was called to a specific role, and for it to succeed, he needed his approved life.

His Approved Life: From Persecutor to Preacher

Galatians 1:22-24 (NIV)

[22] I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. [23] They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they praised God because of me.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.22-24.NIV)

The American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once said, "Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone." Every major achievement, no matter the figurehead, requires a team. Even in solo sports like tennis or golf, players have coaches, advisors, caddies, and physiotherapists. The player is never truly alone.

Paul could have easily gone it alone. He had years of theological training, a dramatic, miraculous call to faith, and had spent time seeking God in the desert. He had a clear, unmistakable calling. But he didn't.

He sought out other Christians and their recognition. Not for glory, and not to be a people-pleaser, but because he needed to find people he could work with and who could work with him. He needed a church.

And that's what he found. He connected with churches he had previously harassed and persecuted. They had endured his wrath. Yet God, in His mercy and grace, had touched Paul and saved him. The Judean churches, who didn't know him personally, rejoiced at his conversion. Not only had the persecution ceased, but their persecutor was now on their side!

So Paul was accepted as one of their own. He was recognized as a believer.

More than that, as we see in Galatians 2:1-10, fourteen years after his conversion, Paul traveled to Jerusalem and received the right hand of fellowship from Peter (Cephas), James, John, and Barnabas, the man who first brought him into the fold. Scholars believe this happened when Paul took aid from the Gentile church to Jerusalem during a famine (Acts 11:27-30).

For Paul, the key point is that he received the approval of those "esteemed as pillars" of the church. This was something the "false believers [who had] infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ and to make us slaves" could not claim.

Later, in Antioch, this former persecutor was not just accepted into the church; he was also sent out as a missionary to bring others into the church (Acts 13:1-3). The progression in Paul's testimony is extraordinary: he begins as a witness to violence and an arch-persecutor of the church. He is reached by Jesus Christ. He is converted. He seeks the Lord. He is then transformed into a missionary.

Such is the work of grace in this man's life. And it can be in ours too, if we surrender to grace.

Conclusion: The Unmistakable Mark of God

Galatians 1:13-24 (NIV)

[13] For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. [14] I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased [16] to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. [17] I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. [18] Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. [19] I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. [20] I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. [21] Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. [22] I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. [23] They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they praised God because of me.

(You can find these verses at: https://bible.com/bible/111/gal.1.13-24.NIV)

My boss once hired some workmen who came to his door offering a "great deal." He was skeptical, so they took him to a house where they claimed to have done work. The owner enthusiastically showed it off. My boss took the bait and hired them. They were a huge disappointment: they took forever, did terrible work, and even damaged his property. It was a con. My boss, sadly, fell for "cowboy builders" who came with one fake review and no real credentials. Their mess cost him thousands to repair.

His story shows why we should be suspicious of people who promise the moon but lack reputation and credentials. The Galatians should have been much more suspicious of the rogue Jewish preachers. Instead, they turned away from Paul, whom they knew well, for "cowboy missionaries" they didn't.

Here, Paul presents his credentials. But he's not just validating himself; he's using his testimony of transformative grace to demonstrate the Gospel's credentials. He's proving that it actually works!

He does this through three simple arguments:

1. He takes them through his former life—the life he lived before Jesus' spectacular intervention.

2. He also takes them through his seeking life, where he sought the God who sought him and also sought the approval of church leaders.

3. Lastly, we see his approved life, where the Judean church and its apostolic leaders recognized the validity of his conversion and ministry.

   
   

What we see isn't just Paul presenting his own credentials, but the Gospel's. What other message could change a man to this extent: from persecutor to seeker, to follower, to missionary? What other message could change the focus of a man's life from seeking to kill to seeking to build up? What God could be so mighty as to change a man's heart from hatred to love?

There is no other.

Paul wrote these words to commend the only true, transformative grace to the Galatians.

And now, I am commending it to you.

I don't know what kind of life you're living right now. Frankly, it doesn't matter. Because God can change it in a heartbeat. If you look at Paul's life and want that—a life so radically changed that its very purpose is renewed—then you can have it. It's here for the taking.

All you have to do is confess your sin, repent of it, entrust yourself to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for you and His resurrection from the dead, and then receive His transformative grace.

Because that is the Gospel. It changed Paul. Won't you let it change you?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, the songwriter is correct: Your grace is amazing. I am coming to You because I need it now. I ask You to forgive me for the sins I have committed. I claim the grace You showed by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. I want to live a new life for You now. Amen.

Questions for Reflection

• Was Paul a likely candidate to be saved? Why or why not?

• Why did Paul seek God before seeking other people? What does this say about his priorities?

• Can people see the difference in your life like they could in Paul's?