Thoughts From Galatians 1 - Part 4

  Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.   Gal. 1:18-24

       Has your encounter with Christ changed your life or was it just a part of your life's story like graduating High School? Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus and it was the turning point of his life.

      First, the people he hung out with changed. We see him here meeting James, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the fledgling Church. We also see him meeting Peter, the lead disciple. All his old friends wanted to kill him! I highly doubt that when you got saved all your friends wanted to kill you, but try as you might, chances are that they hung out with you less and less because as Peter would say in 1Peter 4;

"you do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you."

My guess is that if your friends didn't change after coming to Christ, you never really "came".

        Second, his residence changed. Does that mean we need to move when we find Christ? Not necessarily but maybe? Maybe you will want to go to a Christian school or University if God is telling you to. When you get saved you go where He tells you to go. You may need to move out if you are living together. You may have roommates that you shouldn't live with anymore. Your career path may change to a field that you feel glorifies God instead of a self-serving one which might require a move. The writer of Hebrews describes our "putting down roots" in this way in chapter 11;

" By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Paul lived as a nomad. He had no home except Heaven. That was where he had put down roots. If you feel like Earth is your home you probably didn't really encounter Christ.

          Lastly, people knew he was a Christian. Do people know you are a Christian or are you undercover? Maybe you see yourself as a Secret Agent Christian. You are a "mole" in the world. If so, it's time to "come out". Your social media, house, car, office, countenance - everything people see should scream "I'm a follower of Jesus." Everyone knew Paul had changed. Do they know you've changed. If not, you probably haven't. Paul said in Romans 1;

 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

              Has your friend group changed? Has your citizenship changed? Has your identity changed? Everything changes if you are truly born again because you are a new creation. Old things have passed away- the new has come! (2Cor.5:17)