Evidence of a Changed Life Through the Gospel pt. 2
18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare in the sight of God: I am not lying in what I write to you.
21 Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches that are in Christ. 23 They simply kept hearing, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. (Galatians 1:18-24)
Continuing from yesterday, Paul finishes up the chapter by stating the rest of his testimony. After the three years of learning through his relationship with the Lord in Arabia and Damascus, Paul then headed up to Jerusalem to stay with Cephas, better known as Peter, and James, being among them as peers for those fifteen days. Through verse 20, we can see that those persecuting Paul at the present time of writing this letter is intense, warranting that Paul makes an oath in the presence of God on the truthfulness of his testimony, “I declare in the sight of God: I am not lying in what I write to you.”
Then, in verse 21, Paul headed down to Syria and Cilicia, where his hometown was, Tarsus, because in Acts 9:29, Paul receives word of a plot in which people were trying to kill him. The disciples in the city snuck him out and sent him to his hometown. While there, Paul would plant many churches among the Gentiles.
Yet, because of the short time that he was in the city of Jerusalem, many of the Judean churches did not know him personally, but they heard of his testimony as seen in verse 23, “They simply kept hearing, ‘He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.”
Even though Paul didn’t have the opportunity to share his testimony first hand to the churches in Judea, others heard of the drastic change in his life done by God, leading them to worship the Lord. That is why believers must strive to live a life glorifying God, being living testimonies of His gospel message. People may come to the saving knowledge of God hearing of your testimony without even meeting them in person.
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
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