569. GAL 1:15-16. PAUL’S APOSTOLIC EXPERIENCE

Gal_1:15-16. Paul’s Apostolic Experience

"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood."’97Gal_1:15-16.

The apostle had been greatly honored, by the success of his ministry, in the region of Galatia. To him his converts were devotedly attached. So ardent was their affection, that they would have plucked out their eyes to have served him. At length, however, false teachers crept in among them, and proclaimed an adulterated gospel. They contended for the essentiality of circumcision, and an observance of the Jewish ritual. To give great weight to their teaching, they insinuated that Paul was not a rightly constituted apostle’97not fully authorized to preach the gospel of Christ Jesus. The apostle, therefore, had to vindicate his claim to the ministry, and the divinity of his apostolical call. In our text he does this, by referring both to his conversion, and his call to the ministerial work. Let us then notice,

His declaration concerning his conversion.

His divine commission to preach the gospel; and

The course of conduct which he adopted. Notice then,

I. His declaration concerning his conversion. Here he specifies three things,

1. His separation from his mother’s comb.

Now by this he might refer to his natural birth,’97recognize the God of his life as the author of his salvation. That he who formed and gave him being, regenerated him and gave him the new life, and the divine nature. But I rather judge that he refers to his separation from the Jewish church. He was in the highest degree a Jew. See Php_3:4, &c. To this church he was ardently attached, even as a filial son to his mother; but it pleased God to separate, &c., at a time when he was zealously laboring for its interests, &c. How striking’97how entire that separation!

2. God called him by his grace. That call was miraculous. When he was set against Christ and against the gospel. When he was exceeding mad, &c. A savage destroyer, &c. How gracious the interference of the Redeemer. How he expostulates’97Saul, Saul! &c. How he softens his heart, &c. How he directs him where to go for instruction, &c. This was a call from enmity to love. From bondage to liberty. From death to life. &c. From hell to heaven.

3. God revealed his Son in him. Now to reveal, is to make manifest what was previously hidden. The rising sun reveals the wonders of nature. Now in Paul’s case there was a revelation of Christ to him. Christ appeared in the overwhelming light of heaven, &c. He says, "Christ was also seen by him as one born," &c. Now the gospel reveals Christ to us. But Christ was revealed in him. Revealed to the eyes of his understanding,’97to his heart. His soul beheld him and received him. Now this is evangelical conversion,’97when Christ is revealed in the heart, the hope of glory. He that thus seeth the Son hath eternal life. I just add, that when Christ is revealed in us, he will also be revealed by us. We shall show forth Christ. We shall exhibit the resemblance of our spirits to his. Living epistles’97read and known, &c. Consider,

II. His divine commission to preach the gospel. "That I might preach him among the heathen." Now here you have, 1. His special work. "To preach." That is, to publish and proclaim. To announce, and declare, and to offer. He had many other duties’97to counsel, to visit, to write; but his great work was to preach. Whereever he went. Wherever providence placed him. From the time of his conversion to his death, he was to preach.

2. His great theme. To preach Christ. To preach Christ is to preach the gospel; for it is the gospel of Christ. And all preaching that is evangelical and saving, is preaching Christ. All doctrines’97all blessings’97all privileges’97all duties’97all ordinances’97all graces must be preached in close and indissoluble connection with Christ. All that relates to Christ. Christ to all. Christ always. Christ all and in all. How faithfully Paul obeyed his commission. "I am determined," &c. "We preach Christ," &c. "We preach not," &c. "God forbid," &c. "Yea, doubtless," &c.

3. The appointed sphere of his ministry. "Among the heathen." He was emphatically the apostle of the Gentiles, as Peter was of the Jews. Not indeed exclusively, but generally: "Unto me who am less," &c. See Act_9:15. So that his commission extended to all the Gentile nations of the earth. Hence he appeared as the angel flying, &c. We meet with him in almost every nation and clime of the then known world, &c. It is said that he visited the distant isles of the sea, and on our shores (England) lifted up the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This leads us,

III. To the course of conduct which he adopted. "Immediately I conferred not," &c.

1. He did not confer with his Jewish friends. If so, they would have labored to dissuade him, &c. But he surrendered them all; and though honored and loved by them he forsook them for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. He did not confer with the other apostles of Christ. Gal_1:17. He states this, that he might show he did not receive his commission from men, however high in office, &c. Had he gone to them they would have probably feared, or reasoned on the propriety of a period of probation, that the Christians might have confidence in his character and conversion.

3. He did not confer with the feelings of his own nature. His nature would have resisted the work, and fled from it. His nature would have said ease,’97his call was to toil; honor’97his call was to reproach; wealth’97his call was to poverty; earthly enjoyment’97his call was to suffer, and even to death; self’97his call was the moral crucifixion, and for Christ to be all and in all. Observe,

4. The promptitude of his conduct. "Immediately." With prompt decision. At once, and with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, he went forth, &c.

Application

1. How muck to adore in the Saviour. His condescension and grace to Saul. Wherefore?’97for his own sake, and for the sake of the church and the world. See 1Ti_1:16.

2. How much to imitate in the spirit and conduct of the apostle. In reference to his own calling to love and serve Jesus’97he says, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." He surrendered’97he yielded’97he cried for mercy. Have you all thus obeyed the call? &c. He did Christ’s work cheerfully. Have you followed the course that divine providence has marked out? &c. Give Christ your talents, influence, time, &c. Like Paul, do not confer with flesh and blood;’97with those opposed to Christ, and true inward religion. I urge this upon the young. Those who are half-decided, &c. Oh, be prompt, and earnest, and devoted to Jesus.

3. This revelation of Christ in us is essential to salvation. Nothing will do instead. "We must be born again." "Except a man be converted," &c.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS