The Kinetic Word of Paul’s Gospel

“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:”

Galatians 1:15-16

Galatians chapter one is a riveting synopsis of the salvation and calling of Paul. Galatians was written by Paul’s hand, thus providing an inside scoop into view of Luke’s account in Acts 9. What happened according to the observer and what was going through the mind of Paul are equally gripping. And for good reason; Paul’s Gospel to the Gentiles is the most important discovery of the last 2,000 years.

“For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 1:12

This revelation has been the goal of every nation. Whether by peace or by war, mankind has tried to become unified equally regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, education, heritage, wealth, or background. Every nation will push the boundaries of their collective conscience to end discrimination. But every nation buried in the dust of history has tried to unify without believing what was revealed to Paul.

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.“

Galatians 3:26-28

Those verses contain both the stumblingblocks and the stepping stones between the world and God. As stublingblocks: the lost will never have what they desire because they refuse to get it God’s way. They discredit faith in Jesus Christ, prefer baptism in water, or gather as a “United” denomination without the dominating truth. The Bible says, “By faith… baptized into Christ… one in Christ Jesus.” But as stepping stones: Bible Believers have been preaching the Gospel truth since Paul, and those that have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Saviour have realized all of these blessings because they believed all the words.

God grants incredible power, permission and freedom to His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, was and is the only One trustworthy enough to bequeath these blessings to. No man is more miserable than one who tries to exercise Christian liberty but is not himself saved by the blood. A man can get those blessings, but only by faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul knew he had a revolutionary truth when he first heard it. It so electrified him as a new convert that it drove him to the ends of the earth to certify it. Then he personally carried it as far as he could, from Jerusalem to Asia, Greece, and then to Rome and Spain. What a legacy!

Yet, it was not what was revealed that most drove Paul. Rather it was how God chose to reveal it; the kinetic word of Paul’s Gospel.

You won’t find it in the RSV, ESV, NLT, NWT or the CEV. They all boast of reliability and accuracy to the message of the gospel, yet these all miss– among other things– the most motivating fact of the revelation.

Paul was not just called to proclaim a message about God.

Paul was not just called to dedicate his life to God.

Paul was given an undying gift by God that would fuel his passion his entire life.

Paul said he was called by God’s grace: “To reveal his Son IN me.”

Not to reveal the Son TO me, or BY me, or THROUGH me. The fulness of the act of faith in Jesus Christ to save a sinner is this: God indwells that man, so that he is endowed with the presence of his Saviour in his own body. As Paul fully describes later,

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

Colossians 1:27

IN ME. God put inside Paul the Person He wanted Paul to become. He only had to let Him take control. No wonder Paul got so excited!

IN ME. God put inside me the Person He wanted me to become. I only have to let Him take control. We have much to be excited about!

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