In his letter to the Galatians, Paul urged them not to be bound by region and not to be justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. He was amazed how they were going off track. Paul was trying to keep the church on the main road of what Christianity was and still is all about. 

Christianity is about being saved by the grace of God, nothing about what we do or religion: it’s all to do with Jesus Christ. Paul emphasised this by telling his own story in Galatians 1:11-24. 

1. Paul was convinced of the truth of the gospel (Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:16) 

2. Paul was totally changed by the gospel (Galatians 1:13-15; Acts 9:1-7; Galatians 1:23) 

3. Paul had a clear call to spread the gospel (Galatians 1:15-24; Matthew 28:19-20) 

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1. Paul was convinced of the truth of the gospel (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul is saying that the gospel is from God and not man. It is from heaven not earth (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:16). Paul understood that the gospel wasn’t a dream, myth, or human construct based on religion, but a divine revelation from God. The gospel reveals the grace and the love of God through Jesus Christ. The gospel was made real to Paul personally. 

2. Paul was totally changed by the gospel (Galatians 1:13-15; Acts 9:1-7). Paul was a Jewish zealot whose religious background had been a great source of pride (Philippians 3:5). Before his encounter with Jesus, Paul was so sucked into religion it turned him into a persecutor of Christians (Galatians 1:23). He saw Christianity as a big problem, a major threat and very dangerous. Paul had a plan to eradicate Christianity. However, God had a different plan. Paul encountered Jesus and was transformed from a religious terrorist to an evangelist. He became an ambassador of grace. Paul realised that it wasn’t about knowing and keeping all the laws, rules, or festivals that he had been brought up in, but it was about God’s love and His amazing grace in Christ Jesus. We do not earn God’s love. Rather it is freely given to us by God. Paul also became an apostle and leader in the church. An apostle generally means a sent one. It also means specifically to be a major part in the ministry of church planting and laying the right foundations for church life, teaching and behaviour. In Paul’s case, this former enemy of the church, became one of the greatest leaders of the church along with Peter, John and James. Paul was transformed by God’s grace into one of the most influential Christians ever. Paul’s impact on Christianity is profound. However just like Paul, God can turn anyone around, including you. He can turn outspoken atheists around. He can turn radical Islamists around. God can turn around those who oppose you and the church. Jesus can bring about divine turnaround in every life. 

3. Paul had a clear call to spread the gospel (Galatians 1:15-24). After his amazing encounter with Jesus, Jesus sent Paul to preach the gospel to those that had never heard the good news. Paul now understood that before he was even born, he was set apart to be used by God. Paul refers to this as God’s kindness and grace. God created each one of us for a purpose. We have been given a great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Specifically, Paul’s call was to the gentiles. Although Paul was a Jew, loved the Jews and always went first to synagogues to preach to the Jews, his main calling was to spread the gospel to gentiles or non-Jews. He knew that the promises of God, first made to Abraham and revealed through Jesus, were to bless all people of every nation. Therefore, his focus was on reaching those who had never heard the gospel, and that should be our focus too. Reach out to the great numbers of people who have never heard the good news of Jesus. Go to the streets, neighbourhoods and groups that most churches never contact. Also we see that his call required preparation. Paul spent 3 years in training before starting his ministry. If you believe you have a calling then you need to be trained up (e.g. Nicky Gumbel was a barrister who then spent 3 years in theology training before being ordained as a priest). Jesus also took 3 years training His disciples. If you believe you have a call and you want to be a disciple and leader, you need to be trained up (see: Life Class and Destiny Training courses run by KCI). Plus of course you need personal mentoring, for example through your life group leader. Additionally, Paul’s call was recognised by other leaders and Christians. The leaders and Christians in the early church heard about Paul’s amazing transformation and gave thanks to God that this man who wanted to destroy the church was now preaching the good news of gospel. Paul’s calling was recognised because it was a calling given to him by God. God had a great story for the apostle Paul, a life story that he never imagined, and God has a future story for you. God wants to give you the best story and to change your life, whatever state it is in: religious or unreligious; whether your life is in a mess; whether you seem to have it together but really you have an emptiness inside. God can change your life. He can turn you around and give you a great calling to serve Him with great success. Today, give your life fully to the Lord.