Galatians 3: 15-20 (God holds true to his promises, He killed His Son)

Summary:  This section is preceded by a summary that highlights the true essence of the Gospel, in that we cannot, by any means, merit our own salvation.  Any attempt at meriting out own salvation is in summary surrendering ourselves to the curse brought on by sin, namely death and fury.  The law has brought us into slavery because of our absolute inability to keep its commands.  Now Christ, as an act of propitiation, became a curse such that we may be set free from this death we deserve through faith alone.  Now Paul is giving grounds as to why his Gospel of justification by faith in Christ is supported by the Old Testament writings.  He starts by reminding the Galatians of freedom that was promised to Abraham that would be eventually brought into manifestation in Christ.  He claims that had justification come from the law, because that in itself would have made God a liar, which cannot be true.  Then he moves into saying that the law has been given as a sort of place-holder in anticipation to the promised redeemer.

                Note: see Genesis 12, 15, 17 and 22 to view the promises made to Abraham.

                Note: this text sheds light on Paul’s genius in using the law to prove the Gospel.

Timeless Principle:  This text is broken up into two distinct parts.  The first is a beginning of a logical descent into a proof of the Gospel.  It cannot go without saying that this argument is hard to follow and confusing and I cannot pretend to know any more about it than anyone at all.  Keeping this warning in my mind, I’ll continue to explore the meaning of the text.  Before Moses received the law from God on the top of Mount Sinai, a promise had been made one that promised a land to be given into the hands of Abraham’s offspring.  The promise however did not end there but extended further into such things as spiritual blessings including the promise of a coming savior.  Now this promise is notable, because it cannot under any circumstance be annulled.  Numbers 23:19 states that God, by his own perfect nature cannot lie, and will not change his mind.  This follows from the mere fact that changing of one’s mind implies that there had to of been something better than the original thought, in a sense, a even better thought otherwise that person would have never changed his mind in the first place.  God will not change his mind and cannot change his mind by his own nature.  He is perfectly right in all things to suddenly stumble upon a “better” alternative to a previous thought would limit his omniscience thereby making him less than who he is which is utterly impossible.  This is the doctrine of God’s immutability (fancy word for “unchanging”).  Paul is saying here that just because the law came, it does not mean that his promise was annulled.  So then what is the purpose of the law? This is what Paul is quick to explain in the second section of this text.  The purpose of the law was to serve as a sort of temporary promise of redemption until the promised one would come to pave the way to the Father, the person of Jesus Christ.  It may be healthy to think of the laws purpose as a means by which God shows us our true condition, a way to paint us a picture of our moral condition, such that we may truly see our need for a mediator to reconcile us to our maker.  Hypothetically speaking, had God never put forth the law to show us our deprivation, then we might just brush off the invigorating, overwhelming, humbling effects of God’s grace towards the sinner, perhaps we might have even brushed off the death of the savior as a small thing instead of the biggest event in all of history past or future.  This thought of God’s perfect plan of salvation is beautiful.  He unfolded it according to his definite plan such that we would fall completely in love with him.  My prayer is that I would fall more and more in love with the Father and the truth of the news he has freely given us, the best bad news ever conceived.

My Prayer: Father, God remind me of your perfect plan.  Show me the beauty of it and how small and futile I am in comparison to you.  I am weak and frail and yet you set forth a plan to rescue even the weak and frail, paying a heavy price.  Thank you for the cross.  In Christ name, amen.

Galatians 2: 15- 18 (Justification in Christ alone)

Summary:  Previous to this text Paul documents an exchange of words with Peter, but here Paul is continuing his address to Peter in order to state the thesis of the one true Gospel along with some support of it in that we pursue holiness because of Christ’s work not for personal merit, as if we by any work could merit salvation.

Note:  It is widely debated as to whether or not Paul is addressing the Galatians or continuing his account with Peter.  It seems more reasonable that this is an extension of his account because it continues to flow with the previous text without a new addressing of his audience.  Also beginning in chapter 3, Paul does address the Galatians which is probably when his attention shifts back to his audience.

            Timeless Principle:  Now, in his address to Peter,  Paul gives a glimpse of the truth of the Gospel, that a man “is not justified by works of the law but through [and only through] faith in Jesus Christ.”  This is huge.  Is this simply a unique theme in this letter or does it stretch beyond that?  It seems that every time we talk about religion or anything concerning the Gospel, we revert to, in some shape or form, trying, as a sinful man, to become good.  There is a problem with this thought of trying to be good.  It simply does not work and if you argue becoming good (on your own) so that you may be accepted by God, then almost every fragment of scripture argues against you.  It seems very clear the even the best works of a man are as bloody menstrual rags in comparison to the Holiness of God [Isaiah 64: 6].  So then it seem clear that as verse 16 alludes that no one is justified by works of the law because under sin there is a curse, so in trying to do good we simply surrender to the curse because no matter our effort we can’t shake it and on this curse the wrath of God is waiting to fall violently.  That is why faith in Christ is so important it is why Paul has surrendered to it because it alone can be counted worthy of avoiding the impending judgment. 

            Now perhaps what exactly does this word justified really mean, why is the promise of justification in Christ such good news that it alone is the good news?  The answer is found in the meaning of the word.  But first to understand the meaning we must look once again at our condition.  As mentioned earlier we are beyond repair, broken due to sin and because of this dilemma, God, by his nature has to destroy sin and in doing so destroy us, no matter what good we do we cannot make up for even one fault.  So then God is waiting to punish sin violently, literally bending his bow and sharpening his weapons of wrath, making his arrows as fiery shafts, and, here it is, is declared perfectly righteous (morally justified) for doing so [see Psalm 7: 11-13].  That is our condition that an infinite God is waiting to punish this disease that we have fallen in.  Now let us explore justification with our desolation in mind.  The word literally means to be rendered innocent, blameless.  Through faith in Christ, and faith in him alone, can this moral restitution occur.  This is the love of Christ that he may become a curse for us bearing the impending judgment for a fallen people. 

            In verse 17 Paul shifts gears.  Before discussing this text it is important to keep in mind that no matter what we do we fully deserve a heavy outpouring of wrath and it in Christ and in Christ alone that we may escape this fate.  In his shift he gives the true reason for good works.  In our justification we are sealed instantly with the Holy Spirit which works violently within us to make us Holy.  The outworking of this seal is a grueling murder of the flesh.  The violence of the heart change is set out for the world to see through good works.  Paul argues here that if a man has been justified, then he must pursue, not good works, but to be more like Christ.  Here is the catch, Christ had some serious good works, so if we follow Christ we do good works, NOT to make us worthy of his gift, but rather as a beloved son who simply wants to please his Father.  If holiness, commonly seen in works, is not being pursued by a believer, then it seems that true faith and justification in Christ never occurred because the work of the Holy Spirit is not occurring.  Perhaps this is what Paul means when he says test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.  We must be careful when considering this idea for the Gospel is justification by faith in Christ, being set free from sin’s curse and adopted as sons, NOT works.  Trying to clean up your life does not work and causes us to remain under sin’s curse.  The Holy Spirit does that as soon as the opportunity is given in justification.

            Hymn:  (sweet hymn by Isaac Watts)

            The triumph of faith in Christ:

           

            Who shall condemn the Lord’s elect?

            ‘tis God who justifies their souls,

            And mercy like a mighty stream

            O’er all their sins divinely rolls

            Who shall adjudge the saints to Hell?

            ‘Tis Christ that suffered in their stead,

            And the salvation to fulfill,

            Behold him rising from the dead,

            He lives, he lives, and sits above,

                        Forever interceding there;

                        Who shall divide us from his love?

                        Or what shall tempt us from despair?

                       

                        Shall persecution of distress,

                        Famine, or sword, or nakedness

                        He hath lov’d us bears us thro,

                        And makes us more that conquerors too.

           

                        Faith hath an overcoming power,

                        It triumphs in the dying hour;

                        Christ is our life, our joy, our hope;

                        Nor can we sink with such a prop.

                        Not all that men on earth can do.

                        Nor powers on high, nor powers below,

                        Shall cause his mercy to remove,

                        Or wean our hearts from Christ our love.

           

My Prayer:  Father, I am miserable, tormented even in my search after good works.  I fight trying to earn your approval and man’s.  Oh God, remind me that I cant earn it even if I wanted too, because you have so freely given it declaring me righteous.  And now strengthen me.  Father cause the Spirit you have given me to violently kill my flesh.  I have counted the cost and they don’t compare to infinite worth of pursuing you.  Thank you for providing a way to be right with you when I could have never done so on my own. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Galatians 2: 11-14 (Paul’s fire for truth causes him to oppose Peter)

Summary:  Before this, Paul records his being commissioned by Peter to go to the gentiles, which was what he was eager to do.  Also, he uses the apostles to credit his Gospel in saying that they had agreed and that even Timothy who had been with them was not made to be circumcised because it was unnecessary by Christ’s blood.  Now Paul is giving another account in order to prove his Gospel’s authenticity.  This time he records a time in which Peter did not walk in step with the truth of the Gospel, in that Christ came to unite all people to the Father, gentiles included (Eph. 1: 10, 3:6).  Peter’s fault led even the most steadfast to falter in their belief system so it is important to note that Paul is in Peter’s face in this account, despite Peter’s apostolic authority.

Note: Despite which stance you have as to what time frame is being referred to here (either Acts 11 or Acts 15).

            Timeless principle:  Here Paul is continuing his defense of the one true Gospel.  He first started off just preceding this text in saying that his Gospel had been checked by the apostles so that he may now that he had not been laboring in vain.  And now he records another event regarding Peter, one of the ones “who seemed influential,” but this time with a very different reason.  Here Paul again testifying that he did not need the apostle’s approval for if he had needed it then the outcome of this recorded event would have been different.  So then what is the event?  Peter in Acts 10 makes a dramatic declaration, that God shows “no partiality,” that God has given all, both Jews and gentiles the right to be counted clean, perfect, and righteous sons of the highest God.  But in this chapter, which would have occurred after his proclamation in Acts 10, Peter pulls away from the gentiles as not to hurt his reputation in front of some of the Jews who had come along with James.  He denied the truth of the Gospel by his works.  Well then why does Paul include this in his defense?  The answer may be found in what his reaction towards Peter’s actions.  So then what were his actions? He rebuked him to his face.  Now tying this to his defense of the Gospel.  Paul is using this account to beg the question if I were after anyone’s approval then I would not have got in the face of the person whom I need acceptance from?  Paul is saying that he got his Gospel from Christ himself not from some man, not even the “influential” Cephas.  This claim is given wait to by a text earlier on this book which proclaims that even if angels from heaven were to try to speak another Gospel then let them be accursed for there is only and can only be one true Gospel.

            So then, this leads us to a central application.  Which is begged in the question, Who do I need to have like me?  Who do I need to say they love me?  Is it my parents, my friends, some girl I like, or even from spiritual leadership in my life.  The truth is none of these things really matter, none bear any significance.  Paul, if he would have needed anyone’s approval it would have been Peter, the big dog of the church, but he opposed him to his face at the slightest hint of an action out of alignment with the truth of the gospel.  Likewise, I need no one’s approval especially if that approval leads to away from truth. 

            My Prayer:  Father, you are the one true God, immutable, all-powerful, perfectly just while overwhelmingly loving.  Your have not lied you can not learn for you know all and what you have promised remains truth forever.  The very essence of truth only is truth because you have defined it around yourself who is the ultimate and overwhelming truth.  Father I thank you for your willingness to snatch me out of darkness when I did not want to be snatched, for entrusting me with the most glorious news ever revealed to man kind, such that through me, a deprived sinner, some may come to find this light as well.  Continue to work within me no matter the cost. And may I never fight for man’s approval especially if it causes me to turn from your Gospel. Your are my everything.  I pray all these thins in Christ’s name Amen.

           

Galatians 1: 21-24 (God is glorified when a sinner repents)

Summary:  Paul is continuing his story.  In the verses preceding this text, Paul recounts his first visit to Jerusalem to see Peter, followed by an oath that all that he has said up to this point is true.  Now he mentions going from Jerusalem to Syria and Cilicia.  Whereby the converts in those places praised God for Paul’s new identity in Christ, for before this time, Paul heavily persecuted the church.

Note: The Greek for “preaching” in verse 23 has the idea of bringing/ declaring the Good news or tidings (from the Greek euaggelizo).

                Timeless Principle:  There are two notable points that must be recognized from this text.  The first is divine changing of Paul’s heart.  Let it be known that Paul was infamous among Christians in those days because of his reputation of persecuting the church.  After all, he was the same man who took part in the stoning of Stephen [Acts 8] and made it his ambition to destroy the church.  But now through a supernatural act of God, he has been given a new ambition, that being the ambition to take the Gospel to the gentiles no matter the cost.  Every Christ follower has been supernaturally chosen and violently changed reformed as being transferred from death to life [John 5: 24, Eph. 2: 1-6, Rom. 6].  Though perhaps our heart change isn’t as outwardly apparent as Paul’s heart change it has indeed occurred for every born again Christ follower.  Let it be known that no one up and decided one day that they hated God and chose to remove their hearts of stone, but rather we were content to follow after Satan and God, in His perfect righteousness, made us alive; a change so abrupt that it cannot be explained by any other means other than a blatant act of God.  A simple study of Paul’s life proves this point.  He was a highly exalted self-righteous Pharisee.  And yet he threw it all away for what?  Some sudden whim? No. He threw it all away to spread a Gospel that he tried to destroy, despite all the beatings, shipwrecks, and even an eventual stoning, more so than these, martyred.  The only explanation that any man would sacrifice his everything for seemingly nothing is if he has had some sort of revelation to a treasure that is far more valuable that that he is giving up in the first place.  Such a revelation can only be revealed by God.  It follows from this, that if you are in Christ, than he has removed your callous heart and made you brand new, sealing you with the Holy Spirit who is violently working within you in order to make you like Christ. 

                The second principle from Paul’s life that can be seen through this text is found in verse 24.  The word for glorifying maintains the idea of “esteeming Glory to God.”  The peoples of Judea upon seeing the obvious new man that Saul had become, this man now called Paul, caused them to stop dead in their tracks.  They stopped to give the glorify and magnify God esteeming Him and Him alone as worthy of such a life change.  This is the reason that God changes a sinner’s heart, such that his name might be glorified.  This is my desire, to have God’s eternal name glorified in my life, to be like Paul, such that when men look at this life I am living they see the love of my creator resonating through the body that was once inhabited by God’s enemy.  May that be the desire of our hearts, to have God’s name glorified in our lives.

                My Prayer:  Father, you are the worker of all good.  You are the only explanation for such emphatic life change as Paul’s, and mine, as well as any other believers.  I thank you God for changing my heart, for I would have never pursued you, but rather you pursued me.  You are the sole author and finisher of my faith.  God, work violently within me, ripping away my flesh no matter the pain and agony.  The pain scares me but I know that you are working it for my good and for your glory and my desire is to have your name glorified.  If I desire anything else, then surely I will waste my life.  Continue to attack my heart with the truth of the death of your son such that my attention will be fixed on you and not the things of this earth which are forever fleeting.  I ask these things in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.

Galatians 1: 15-20 (Paul’s instant response to unmerited grace)

Summary: Paul is continuing his defense of the Gospel in defending his apostleship.  He states that he had been set apart, even before birth.  Set apart for the purpose of sharing the good news with gentiles.  He then records what went on after his conversion, the places he went and the people to whom he saw over a three year period.  He makes a bold assertion at the end of this passage in stating that what he writes, “before God, he isn’t lying.”
Note: Judaizers had probably been claiming that Paul had been heavily instructed by the apostles during his stay in Jerusalem to write him off as not credible, hence Paul’s assertion that he was not lying.
 Timeless Principle: One principle to pull from this text is the simple yet overwhelming fact that God’s grace is unmerited [see 15-16: “before I was born… I was called by grace… God was pleased to reveal his son me even while I hated him”].  Paul says that he had been set apart even before birth.  Too often I find myself, in my sinful nature, saying that I have something to do with the grace I have received despite the fact that I know the opposite is true.  God has “chosen us (follower’s of Christ) in Christ before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” [Eph. 1: 4-6].  God has freely chosen us to be a “people for his own possession, zealous for good works” [Titus 2:14].  In Christ, God has transferred us from darkness into marvelous light, blessing us, not only with the uniting of us to himself, but with every spiritual blessing under heaven and Earth, more than these things he has set his love on us not because we were mighty or strong (when rather we were the weakest and smallest), but because he loved us, even more so than that he has counted us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, showing the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus [1 Pet. 2: 9, Eph. 1: 3, 2: 7, Deut. 7: 6].  This grace is unmerited; It was not like God looked down on me and said, “Canaan is such a good guy, I think I’m going to show my immeasurable grace to him because of how sweet a dude he is.”  We must realize that grace is completely (100 percent plus some) undeserved; this unearned grace has found us for a very different reason.  Perhaps it, though not a perfect illustration, would be more appropriate to say that God looked down at me and was disgusted by my sin and even driven to fury, but in his perfect grace was pleased to open my eyes to the image of his Son’s twisted body on a roman cross, more so than that adopting me, the foremost of sinners, even a hater of God by nature, to be his Son, bringing me into communion with himself simply because he loved me, and that is it.  I, you, we have never nor shall we ever do anything to merit God’s amazing grace.  Paul realized that even before his moral acts God had chosen him, hand-picked for the sake of taking the Gospel to the world.  It is the mere fact of this grace that drives Paul to proceed despite his awareness of the afflictions to come to say this, “I do not count my life as any value or precious at all, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry that the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify to the Gospel of the freely given, unmerited grace of God” [Acts 20: 24].  May we, I, be like Paul in that I might be driven by this grace that sought me out.  May I remember that the God who fabricated the world, delicately knitted me together in my mother’s womb, setting me apart for his work (as is true for every adopted child of God by his perfect grace) [Psalm 139]. 
 Another principle that can be seen in this text is Paul’s urgency to see the carry his calling.  Paul is testifying that after his conversion he did not ask questions but rather went straight into preaching the good news of the Christ-given grace of God.  Paul had a divine calling right? So how does this relate to me, I didn’t have a personal encounter with Christ on some desolate road in the middle of nowhere?  Maybe the real question is Paul’s calling a singular calling or is it shared by all believers?  Though Paul had a specific calling to reach gentiles, his calling to make disciples was not and is not a singular calling.  We are joint heirs of the Gospel and we have been called to go forth and make disciples teaching them to obey all Christ has commanded [Matt. 28: 18-20].  We, having been sealed with the Holy Spirit are to be Christ’s ambassadors to the nations [Acts 1:8].   May we like Paul be driven to sorrow if we are but to preach the Gospel and declare its excellences, even declaring with Paul, “woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” [1 Cor. 9: 16]  One challenge that I feel sometimes is the lie that I do not have enough knowledge of the word to share the Gospel.  Anyone who is now in Christ, by necessity, knows all that they should ever know to proclaim Christ.  If you are a follower of Christ, then you have heard the truth of Christ’s substitutionary death for our sake and it is this truth that is the heart of the Gospel.  Knowledge, or lack thereof, is not an excuse to be idol when Christ has commissioned you into the war.  Besides, what knowledge is there besides the Gospel?  None worth mentioning.  May we, like Paul, work, beginning in prayer and humility, to reach the nations. 
 My Prayer:  Father, thank you for calling me out, when I would have never called out for you.  Thank you, for being sovereign.  Thank you for your free grace because if it was free then it would be unattainable, for I am but a man who mocked you time and time again in my sin. And even as I desolated your name, you loved me anyway so much so that you willingly killed your son.  More than that, you have entrusted me to proclaim you truth and father I pray that you would instill in me a heart like Paul, that even the thought of not sharing your Gospel would greatly trouble my heart.  I pray that you would go before your chosen ambassadors and prepare the hearts of men for though we are you messengers we are powerless to change men’s hearts and so we ask that you do a supernatural work so that your name might get glory.  In your’s Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Galatians 1: 13-14 (Confidence in the Flesh? here is a story of Paul’s confidence in his flesh)

Summary:  Here Paul is beginning his testimony, starting with his Judaic background.  He once persecuted the church heavily, even “trying to destroy it.”  He was far beyond that of other aspiring Jews his own age.  He was zealous for his ancestor’s traditions, seeking with all his might to live by the law which was rigorous.  Some scholars would say that he may have had the entire Pentateuch committed to memory.  Impressive, call Paul a scripture memory champ. 

Timeless Principle:  Paul is beginning with some of his own background as he begins to guard his apostleship in giving it credence.  He petitions to the Galatians rhetorically asking if they had heard of his Judaic history.  He stood alone; he was the best at observing the law and holding true to its outward commands.  He was a student of the Great Pharisee, Gamaliel [see Acts 22: 3], who was one of the most respected Pharisees of his time.  Gamaliel was one of, if not the only Pharisee who served on the Jewish Sanhedrin (almost completely made up of Sadducees), a truly rare find [see Acts 5: 34].  Being Gamaliel’s disciple, Paul receieved some of the greatest teaching that a Jew could have received and it showed in his scriptural understanding and zeal to carry out the law.  In regards to his own achievements Paul says this, “though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless “[Phil. 3: 4-6].  John Piper calls this a layout of Paul’s spiritual trophy case.  He was circumcised in accordance with the law on eighth day, born into the tribe of Benjamin, a full-blood Jew.  In regaurds to the law he was a Pharisee, upholding the law and guarding it.  He gained zeal through seeking out and fighting to destroy Christians.  He was probably one of the more respected Jews of his age.  In retrospect, he would have been much like the guy who was valedictorian, prom king, and quarterback in high school.  But what is interesting about this, is the fact that God violently changed his heart.  Paul counted all of his achievements as but loss in comparison to knowing Christ as his lord [Phil. 3:7-8].  This is why Paul is arguing; he is arguing to prove that salvation is not by ANY works of the law but through Christ alone and anyone who would try to earn through the merit of Moses’s law is placing themselves under a curse [3:10].  Paul is using his testimony to say to the Galatians that I was did what you are trying to do (fulfill the law) and it was meaningless because grace is not earned but freely given.  So let us not pursue righteousness by our own works but let us rest only in Christ [Phil. 3: 8].

My Prayer:  Father, I have a dirty past like Paul.  I prided myself in my works, even mocking those who were not as good as me.  I was not worshipping you but rather I was worshipping myself, hating you.  Although I cursed and scoffed at men, against you alone did I sin, even causing you to burn with fury. You had, by your own nature in being perfectly just, to punish my sin.  But this did not stop you from loving me all the same, so much so that instead of crushing my sin on my head you destroyed your son, paving the way for me to commune with you.  Your Son’s is the only righteousness that can provide me with a way back to your side not any that I pursue in upholding the law.  Father remind me and your church of our deprivation, causing us to rely on you and you alone instead of on works like the church in Galatia.

Galatians 1: 11-12 (Not Man’s Gospel [nor could have been thought of by man])

Summary:  Previous to this passage it is hinted to us that it is very likely that Paul’s apostleship has been challenged because he was not with Jesus during the heart of the Gospel times.  In challenging Paul’s apostleship the people who were troubling the Galatians probably wanted to discredit his Gospel account in creating their own.  Now as Paul picks up in this passage, he is now beginning long defense of his apostleship in Christ, not for his own glory but rather so that he may defend the true Gospel.

                Timeless Principle:  Paul now begins his rather long defense.  He opens by declaring, in a straight forward manner, that this Gospel that he has shared with them is not “man’s” Gospel but rather it is from the very God-man himself, Jesus Christ.  It is important that Paul opens this way.  He is providing the thesis of his argument, being that the Gospel he had preached probably as little as a year or two before writing this letter is indeed the truth. We should ponder on the point that Paul makes about the mere fact that the Gospel is not man’s Gospel.  It can’t be man’s Gospel, for no man could have possibly conceived it.  It was perfectly laid out from before the foundations of the Earth and the things that have been made [Eph. 1].  The plan of salvation in Christ that was set into motion in Genesis 3 by the condemning sin of Adam and Eve, which was foretold by many prophets, which can be seen perfectly through all of the law, which has now been revealed in Christ Jesus is too perfect for it to of possibly been thought up by even the most brilliant thinkers in the whole of history.  Just a short study of God’s perfect plan would leave even Einstein dumbfounded and on his knees humbled, by the Glory of the almighty God.

 It should be noted, as will be revealed later in chapter two that though Paul had not been with Christ during His earthly ministry, he had in fact been directly appointed by Christ to proclaim the good news in dramatic fashion on the road to Damascus.

Hymn: In order to focus on the Gospel that caused Paul to write this letter, read this hymn by Isaac Newton and be reminded of the humility of Christ.

 The deity and humanity of Christ, John 1. 1-3 14.

Col. 9. 16. Eph. 3, 9 10.

“1 Ere the blue heavens were stretch'd abroad,

From everlasting was the Word;

With God he was; the Word was God,

And must divinely be ador'd.

2 By his own power were all things made;

By him supported all things stand;

He is the whole creation's head,

And angels fly at his command.

3 Ere sin was born, or Satan fell,

He led the host of morning stars;

(Thy generation who can tell,

Or count the number of thy years?)

4 But lo, he leaves those heavenly forms,

The Word descends and dwells in clay,

That he may hold converse with worms,

Dress'd in such feeble flesh as they.

5 Mortals with joy beheld his face,

Th' eternal Father's only Son;

How full of truth! how full of grace!

When thro' his eyes the Godhead shone!

6 Archangels leave their high abode

To learn new mysteries here, and tell

The loves of our descending God,

The glories of Imannuel.”

                My Prayer: Father, my prayer is that the Gospel which drove Paul to write this letter with the vigor in which he wrote it would so drive me.  May it and it alone drive me.  Remind me that it was not given by any man nor could any man have possibly conceived it but rather you planned it perfectly according to your perfect foreknowledge.  You pre planned the violent death of your son to save a deprived human race.  May this ravenous love that dramatically sought me out be my only conviction to pursue holiness and may it alone compel me to reach the lost.  Father please continue to kill my pride and give me strength to seek your face and wage war against my sin.  Thank you for giving namely yourself, coming down from an eternal throne and to be found in a the form of a man to converse with worms such as myself.  I thank you and love you oh Lord, in Christ’s name I pray, Amen.