Welcome to episode 146 of Grasp the Bible.  In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of Galatians, covering chapter 1:11-24. The series is called “Free.”  Today, we will cover: 

• The gospel’s source (vv. 11-12) 
• Paul...the persecutor (vv. 13-14) 
• Paul...the missionary (vv. 15-17) 
• Paul’s relative obscurity in Judea (vv. 18-24) 

Key takeaways: 

• If the messenger can’t be trusted, then neither can the message. So, Paul defends himself to defend his gospel. But how? With autobiography. 
• In Galatians, Paul affirms that the central elements of the gospel were given to him by Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road. 
• Before Paul was converted, he was convinced that his persecution demonstrated his zeal for God and His righteousness.  
• Just as Isaiah and Jeremiah were called to be prophets, so too the Lord appointed Paul to be an apostle. 

Quotable: 

• It is important to realize that our zeal and sincerity do not mean that we are necessarily right. 

Application: 

• Our life, changed by the gospel, is our best argument for the truth of the gospel. We are our best argument. 
• While our callings may differ from Paul’s, those Christians who assume that God is uninvolved in their lives could not be more wrong. Each of us is special to Him and “called according to his purpose.” 
• We all must make sure that both the beginning and the end of our ministries are entirely centered on God rather than on our reputation or status among people. Too many Christian leaders are motivated more by the acceptance of others than by their desire to please God. 
• Sometimes, we domesticate the gospel and forget it is itself the power of God. 

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