“But when it pleased God, …to reveal His Son in me.” Galatians 1:15,16
Dear Ones:
There were two things that radically changed the life of the Apostle Paul. The first was the revelation of Jesus Christ to him on the road to Damascus. Before that moment, Paul believed that Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor, a fraud and deceiver, whose followers were enemies of the established religious order of that time. He felt it was his calling and responsibility to persecute his followers by putting them in prison, and approving of some being put to death. In a moment, all of this changed. The “light from heaven” that surrounded him, and those with him, along with the voice that he heard, calling his name, so arrested his attention that his whole life and purpose came into question. But it was when Jesus “revealed” Himself by His words that all changed: “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 26:15) Paul becomes blind, and in that “darkness” light began to rise in his soul, for he had come into contact with spiritual reality. He had met God.
The second thing that radically changed Paul was another revelation. In the Apostle’s own words: “It pleased God, …to REVEAL His Son in me, that I might preach Him.” (Gal. 1:15,16) It is one thing to KNOW that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. It is quite another to grasp the reality that He literally lives in our hearts by the Spirit, “Christ IN us, the hope of glory.” With the knowledge of this truth, Paul begins to become what he already IS, a man, complete in Christ, being conformed into the image of Christ. His experience will be what he prays for the Ephesian church, “…that Christ may DWELL in your hearts by faith.” There are two questions that must be asked at this point with regard to us, as we look at God’s dealings with the Apostle Paul. The first is: Does God still reveal Himself to the hearts and minds of men today? And secondly, what is the means by which Christ can be perfectly at liberty to live in our hearts?
From beginning to end in Paul’s writings, he along with the other apostles, speaks of the “otherworldly” work of God. His work is just that…HIS work. It is separate from that of men, even though he works in the heart of man to bring him to the place of repentance and faith. He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. But we must grasp at this point that it is not a question of being born “…of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or the will of man,”…but of God. The same principle is true concerning our walk with God. It is not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. God speaks still today, revealing Himself to our hearts and minds through His word. He gives faith to the one who responds to the revelation, who chooses to truly HEAR the word of God. It is in the unveiling of the truth, as it is in Christ, that He works to bring us to faith according to that truth. Faith is the key that unlocks the door to the experience of life with God, knowing the reality of Christ dwelling in the heart. By faith, not only are we justified before God, and have peace with Him, but we partake of the heavenly bread of heaven, Christ Himself, and drink living water given by Him, by which we live, and have the capacity to give to others. We love because He first loved us, and this is possible as we walk BY the Spirit, in faith, according to the truth of the word of God.
Dear Father, grant to us that Spirit of wisdom and REVELATION in the knowledge of Thee. Let us not be those who settle down with a little knowledge of Thee. Strengthen our hearts to go up and possess the land, take Christ in His fullness as our life, believing Thee to fill us, and keep us filled with Thee. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad