“Proclaiming

The Faith”

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother. In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

Galatians 1:13-24

Have you ever tried to imagine what Paul went through in his conversion from Judaism to Christianity. For most of us, it never makes as many headlines. But one thing is for certain, we all become new in Christ.

Here was a man who had turned completely around in his beliefs, and it took time for people to believe that he had been converted. How did your own conversion process go? Did you make new friends? Did you make new enemies?

Did you do it all for God, as Paul did?

Will God someday be glorified by what He did for you?