Taught by God – Galatians 1:11-17

Topic: Taught by God

Reading: Galatians 1:11-17

11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; 14 and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.

Introduction and Overview

There is an important principle in these words today. Paul shows that after his conversion, he did not go to the church to learn. He went into other regions, specifically Damascus and Arabia. It was in those days and subsequent to his conversion that Paul was taught by God.

Paul had a powerful understanding of the scriptures. He was extremely well read in the teachings of Judaism. We find that he was advanced beyond many of his peers in the teachings and tenets of Judaism. It was by understanding these teachings that he could be taught by God. The teachings of Judaism laid the foundation for Christianity. Many of the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. In fact estimates of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled range from about 200 to 456, with the average being around the 300 mark.

Paul knew these things and was exceptionally well read in the Old Testament law and prophecies. But God revealed that the truth was to be found in Jesus Christ. The truth that is the New Covenant, filled with grace, love, faith, and hope comes through Christ. And these things were not taught to him by other men. They were taught by God.

This is a principle we need to understand today. When people go to Bible schools and the like, they are taught by men. They are typically taught the specific “brand” of religion as espoused by that particular school of thought. And often these teachings perpetuate false doctrines that have plagued the church for many years.

This is why it is important to be taught by God. As Paul was taught by God, we too need to go to God to be taught the truth. The truth is there to be found. The Lord encourages us to “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) We need to go to God first in prayer when we want to learn the truth. Ask Him, and He will give you the answer. It may be in the form of scriptural insight. It may be in the form of deeper understanding. Perhaps it may even be in the form of someone else saying the right thing at the right time that gives you the insight. But it is important to God to God to be taught by God. And this is the key message in these scriptures today.

Key points from reading:

1. The gospel preached by Paul is not a human gospel. It was a gospel taught by God.
2. We can and should learn the truth of the gospel by seeking the insight from God and pressing into the search for truth with zeal.
3. Following the teachings of men will not necessarily lead to the truth and may lead to error. This is especially true today as there are many errors in church doctrines.

Discussion:

1. Scripture: Galatians 1:11-12
   • Paul shows that the gospel he taught was not received from man. He did not confer with other men after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Instead, he was taught by God.
   • Paul already had a strong understanding of the scriptures of the Old Testament. But his insight and knowledge lacked understanding. He had not been able to put it all together to see the truth. His great knowledge lacked the spiritual insight that comes only from God and through the teachings of Jesus Christ. He also did not have the Holy Spirit to open up the scriptures for a full and complete understanding of the words of God.
   • To find these things out though, he did not seek other men to teach him. He sought God and was taught by God through the working of the Holy Spirit. He was led by the Spirit into a full and complete understanding of the truth, which was pointed to in the Old Testament, but which could not come about until Christ. We see in the words of Jesus that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us when He said:
     
     “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
     
   • We see in Paul’s words that he did not receive these teachings from other men. He was already well-versed in the scriptures given by God through Moses and the prophets. But when he was taught by God, the truth of these scriptures was “revealed” to him through the revelation of Jesus Christ. He had the veil that clouded his mind from understanding the truth lifted so that he could see. As he wrote to the Corinthians:
     
     14 But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16)
     
   • When we are taught by God we understand that although the Old Covenant of the law was good, it covers our eyes so that we cannot see the truth. The truth of the New Covenant is freedom, not the bondage of the law. This clarity of thought, and having the veil of the law lifted, can only come when we are taught by God.
2. Scripture: Galatians 1:13-14
   • In these words Paul gives us a glimpse of his former life in Judaism. He shows us that he was well advanced in the teachings of the Jews. And he was extremely zealous for God under those teachings. He was so zealous that he believed these new Christians were corrupting the ways of the truth. And in his zeal, misplaced as it was, he sought to remove and destroy these Christians so that the truth could prevail, that is, the truth of Judaism.
   • Little did he know that God had other plans for Paul.
   • It was evident that Christ saw in Paul a person who could understand the truth, AND who would zealously preach the gospel to many others. Paul was clearly a man of great intellect, as well as being able to teach and expound the truth to others. He was fearless in his mission to spread the gospel, and one need only to read the sufferings he experienced in the Book of Acts to see how much he suffered for the gospel.
   • Despite his initial opposition to the early church, God had different plans. When Paul was called, he became one of the greatest of the Apostles. It was through Paul that the Lord explained the workings of the New Covenant. I often look at it like this: Jesus brought the gospel, the first disciples spread the gospel, and Paul explained how it works. Paul was used to write the letters that ended up in the New Testament to explain how this work of transformation and the hope that exists only in Jesus Christ works. He was taught by God and inspired by Him what to write so that his legacy would be a record for everyone after him to receive and learn.
3. Scripture: Galatians 1:15-17
   • Paul recognised that God had predestined him to do this work. He speaks here of being known by God “before I was born.” He also recognised that despite the path he had taken to try and destroy the church, God called him to build and grow the church.
   • When God revealed His Son, Jesus Christ to Paul on the Damascus Road, his life changed. Not many people have such an immediate and dramatic change when we come to Christ as had Paul. In that moment of revelation, Paul’s life and outlook changed. He discovered the error in his ways and worked hard to remedy his mistakes by trying to build the faith he once tried to destroy.
   • And it was not easy. When we read in various places of the struggle to see the new way and not fall into the old ways, we feel his struggle. Being taught by God is a wondrous and amazing thing. But it may not come easy. Learning the truth, especially when we have believed or practiced something different as Paul had, can be painful.
   • But these were lessons Paul accepted. He went away into Damascus and beyond where he was taught by God. He had much to un-learn and did not confer with others in the church for some years. God was teaching Paul the correct ministry and the gospel of salvation that he subsequently taught to others.
   • Likewise, we need to be taught by God. We need to seek Him out in prayer and study to find the truth. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to be our Counselor, guide and teacher, as the scripture quoted above from John 14:26 explains.
   • If we seek the teachings of men through the various Bible schools, colleges, and universities, what we get are the teachings of men. But if we study God’s word, following the teachings of Jesus Christ and seek God to teach us, we will find the fullness of the truth. We will not have the blinders of religion or the veil of the law covering our eyes preventing us from find the truth of the gospel. So, we should seek to be taught by God and so find the real truth, not what is often expounded as truth but is not.

Prayer Points

1. Pray and ask God to help you find the truth of the gospel and the New Covenant directly from Him.
2. Ask God to show you where you are believing in error and to help you find the truth so that you can follow Christ correctly, according to the will of God and not the will of man.