So often Paul comes across like a mad man! It is amazing how many battles and how many battle fronts he maintained. At this moment in Galatians we see him fighting and rebuking legalism, the "traditions of men" and in other places the battle rages against idolatry in its countless forms. The amazing thing is that he is always battling for others and not for himself! Remember what he told the Corinthians in 2 Cor. 11:2? "For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin." He is jealous that he might present them to Christ and here in Galatians 2:5 we see his fight is to maintain the truth of the gospel...he put it this way, "we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."
Think about the fact that you have unconverted Paul on his way to Damascus seeking to destroy the Church, Paul has an encounter with Jesus Christ and he is transformed! I believe that Moses, Isaiah, Job and others encountered Jesus and they were transformed...radically transformed! You might even say that they are new creatures, new creations!
Two thoughts are haunting me...yes haunting! How is it that there are so many that can say that they know and love Jesus, they say that they have a relationship with HIM and yet they continue unchanged, living like the world? How is this possible? It does not reconcile with the Bible...does it? Where is the transformed life? Are they followers of Christ? Are they carnal? Are they deceived?
The other haunting thought is where is the passion for Jesus? I see a passion for "our way of life," but I don't see much passion for HIM, to know HIM and make HIM known.
I long to burn with a zeal that is white-hot, a burning zeal and passion for Jesus Christ...but that burning zeal must be according to knowledge...right...it must be according to HIS precious Word. I long to know HIM as HE is...not as I want HIM to be!
I acknowledge that without Jesus Mark Gates would spend eternity in hell and that is what I deserve and that would be right, just and fair...as a matter of fact anything better would be unjust because that is what I deserve for the countless sins I have committed. I also acknowledge that just one sin that I have committed would be sufficient to send me to hell for all eternity.
I rejoice in knowing that Jesus took my place and became sin for me so that I might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, I celebrate the fact that God the Father adopted me as his son and I am now and heir and a joint heir with Jesus Christ! This is incredible news, this is good news, this is the gospel!
When you see it, taste it, smell it and receive it by faith you cannot walk away unchanged and unmoved...transformed! If you do then you are still lost in your sins!
Ps 143:2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
Ro 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Ga 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Come to Jesus and live!