Patient Faithfulness

Day 57

PATIENT FAITHFULNESS

[Scheduled Reading: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians]

There’s a tendency to think that Paul (formerly Saul) had his conversion experience, then hit the road as traveling missionary and whipped out a bunch of letters.

But that’s not the case.

While Paul did begin some preaching right away, he kept a low profile, too.

Some of his letters came 10-20 years or more after his conversion experience. A few verses in Galatians give us a hint. Let’s take a look:

After his role persecuting Christians, and then his Damascus road experience - Paul "went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus."(Gal 1:17)

Then after three years…. (Gal 1:18)

Then after fourteen years… (Gal 2:1)

So here we have at least 17 years on record before his letter to the Galatians.

This tells us Paul’s letters are the result of many years of careful study, observation, teaching, learning, and revelations (yes, visions from God).

All the more reason we can trust them.

If Moses was the author of the foundational books of the old covenant laws, Paul is the one who reconciles them to the new covenant.

What better candidate would God choose to reconcile the old to the new, than one who was a fanatic of the law...one who knew it frontwards and backwards?

As you read Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians - you’re reading from one who understood the law… and spent decades learning to unravel and communicate the mysteries of the gospel.

Paul understood he had been set apart before birth (Gal 1:15) for this very purpose. And he stewarded his calling well, wouldn’t you say?