“I was one way, now I’m different.” From God’s Word, this is the epitome of Paul’s testimony of God’s plan to rescue him through Jesus’ sacrifice. This is the simple testimony of all who truly believe, repent, trust, and follow the One who changes everything about us after the rescue as we daily give our lives to Him as an offering of praise and submission to His will and holiness. 

Before Jesus’s rescue of Paul, who was formally known as Saul, Paul was a “holy terror” in every way.  Saul stormed into towns and villages with an angry vengeance based on a false religious philosophy.  This self-proclaimed Superman of the Jewish religious drove him to pull believers in Jesus out to the town squares for all to see his power over them.  Saul and his militia would then harass, humiliate, and beat the innocent before throwing them in to jail.  By persecuting believers, Saul thought he could stop God’s Plan of rescue for all people!  But Saul was wrong—so wrong!  We know now that these persecutions only caused the church Jesus established to grow in even greater numbers!

Saul, a proud Jew of heritage and tradition, was met on the road to Damacus by Jesus, Himself, who revealed Truth to Saul.  Jesus called Saul out into the Light of His Presence, blinding him to the world and himself for a few days, while asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”  (See Acts)  Jesus taught earlier that what we do to others we are doing to Him and this proves His words to be true!  Meeting Jesus on the road that day changed everything for Saul who become known as Paul, the Apostle of Jesus!  It is God’s Plan through Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins that the world may know and be rescued, too.   

Paul sees legalism more readily than most because that was the life he lived before knowing Jesus who rescued him from the bondage of laws and traditions that were manmade and imposed.  The Galatians are becoming tied to the law code so he sends a letter to this church to proclaim freedom in Christ!  He preaches, I used to be this way but now I am different! 

Galatians 1, The Message

^1-5 I, Paul, and my companions in faith here, send greetings to the Galatian churches. My authority for writing to you does not come from any popular vote of the people, nor does it come through the appointment of some human higher-up. It comes directly from Jesus the Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. I’m God-commissioned. So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace!We know the meaning of those words because Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!

The Message

^6-9 I can’t believe how you waver—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing an alternative message! It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God. Those who are provoking this agitation among you are turning the Message of Christ on its head. Let me be blunt: If one of us—even if an angel from heaven!—were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed. I said it once; I’ll say it again: If anyone, regardless of reputation or credentials, preaches something other than what you received originally, let him be cursed.

^10-12 Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or court favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being Christ’s slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn’t receive it through the traditions, and I wasn’t taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ.

^13-16 I’m sure that you’ve heard the story of my earlier life when I lived in the Jewish way. In those days I went all out in persecuting God’s church. I was systematically destroying it. I was so enthusiastic about the traditions of my ancestors that I advanced head and shoulders above my peers in my career. Even then God had his eye on me. Why, when I was still in my mother’s womb he chose and called me out of sheer generosity! Now he has intervened and revealed his Son to me so that I might joyfully tell non-Jews about him.

^16-20 Immediately after my calling—without consulting anyone around me and without going up to Jerusalem to confer with those who were apostles long before I was—I got away to Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus, but it was three years before I went up to Jerusalem to compare stories with Peter. I was there only fifteen days—but what days they were! Except for our Master’s brother James, I saw no other apostles. (I’m telling you the absolute truth in this.)

^21-24 Then I began my ministry in the regions of Syria and Cilicia. After all that time and activity I was still unknown by face among the Christian churches in Judea. There was only this report: “That man who once persecuted us is now preaching the very message he used to try to destroy.” Their response was to recognize and worship God because of me!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We learned from our study of Corinthians that we are all called by God to be rescued by Jesus’ blood of sacrifice for our sins.  We are called to speak His Truth so others will know and  be reconnected to God through Jesus, His Son.  We, as the called, are changing moment by moment as we give ourselves to Jesus who transforms us daily to be more and more like Him.

The book of Galatians was written by the confident hand of one who had known slavery to a law code of behaviors.  Paul, set free by Jesus’ salvation, now declares, and defines true freedom in Christ. It is by the grace of Jesus that we are saved—not by following all the laws.  Paul wrote these words to leaders in the church who were insisting that it was necessary to follow a law or code in order to be saved.  It is by God’s grace alone that we are saved, Paul will proclaim.

Many of the early Christians were Jewish Christians who were accustomed to following a law. They were used to being told what to do with when and how to do it.  Though they had accepted the gift of grace offered by Christ on the cross, some were falling away—substituting man’s works for God’s gift. Paul recognized this for what it was—legalism.

Legalism is not unique to the Galatians. Any time the gospel has been preached, there have been those who contend it is too good to be true. It’s not enough to be saved by faith, argues the legalist, we must earn God’s approval. Some teach that we earn God’s favor by what we know (intellectualism). Others insist we are saved by what we do (moralism). Still others claim that salvation is determined by what we feel (emotionalism).

Max Lucado writes;

“However you package it, Paul contests, legalism is heresy. Any gospel other than the pure gospel is anathema (abomination). Salvation comes only through the cross—no additions, no alterations.

We are free in Christ. “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Galatians is a document of freedom. As you read, note the confidence of the writer. His hand doesn’t shake, his conviction doesn’t waver, his belief doesn’t falter.”

But wait, there’s more! Paul will open the door to learning more about our freedom in Christ:

• Salvation comes by grace, not works.
• We should bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
• We will reap in life what we have sown in life.

If our salvation was judged by what we do, how high we jumped, or what score we attained on the tests of life; then we fail miserably by man’s standards or certainly be boastful and arrogant.  Jesus’ resurrection would not mean a thing.  Instead, we are saved by His grace alone! This truth sets us free with a desire to be like the One who rescued us!

How do I know?  I was one way and now I’m different—all because of Jesus who rescued me and set me free.  This becomes a daily difference making transformation as I give myself to Him! I will meditate on this freedom all day today and be grateful.

Lord,

Thank you for daily cleansing my soul, renewing my mind, refreshing my soul, and restoring the joy and peace of knowing that your salvation is at work transforming me to be who you have called out and set free!

In Jesus Name, Amen