12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.
We used to play a game called “Telephone.” Someone would come up with a message like, “I like to eat chocolate cake,” and pass it along to the next person, who passed it along to the next, and so on until the last person heard it. They would then repeat the message. “I like to eat chocolate cake” might turn into “I like to choke on steak.” Funny game.
Paul was speaking to the church in Galatia, which was being sidetracked by people proclaiming a different gospel than the one Paul preached. In verse 1, he says, “I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.” In other words, Paul’s revelation about how the church should function, act, and be like came from Jesus (see vs. 12).
These “Judaizers” were adding things to the message of Christ. They insisted that Gentiles follow the law of Moses and Jewish laws to be saved.
Paul refutes this by calling Christians to faith and freedom in Christ alone, not adherence to a system of laws. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:17-18: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus fulfilled the law, and all its requirements, but 1st-century Jews were still hung up on it. I can see why; they had been obeying these laws for centuries. Still, in Jesus’ own words, He fulfilled the law.
This might not seem like a huge revelation to us in modern times with cell phones and the internet. Back then, it was a huge stumbling block. Paul had to refute this in many of the places he went.
For us, it points to a different kind of bad habit: getting our Christian facts from other people instead of the Bible. Podcasts, sermons, and even preachers from the pulpit can lead us astray. I am not throwing a blanket over all of them by any means. I am simply saying that Paul outlines where our ultimate revelation should come from. Verse 12 says Paul received his knowledge through direct revelation from Jesus Himself.
The Word of God is the holy, living Word of God and should be treated as if Jesus were sitting down with you and speaking to you directly. Sadly, we sometimes misconstrue doctrine and truths laid out in Scripture. That is why we must check even the strongest of preachers with the Word of God. It is the benchmark of our faith.
Telephone is a great game if you want to laugh, but Paul warns us not to play Telephone with the Word of God. You must read it for yourself! The church in Galatia had become caught up in believing everything they heard from whoever said it.
Today, be the person who goes directly to the Bible to check what a podcaster says. Be the person who looks up the verses and reads them in context after church. Jesus came to have a direct relationship with every one of us, and He wants us to seek Him directly. He uses all kinds of people, and most are spot-on, but those people should also tell you to check everything with the Word for yourself.
Get trusted people in your inner circle to help you work through topics you are not clear about, and make them show you in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 12:11, the Bible tells us to “…grow to maturity.” Start today by reading the Word every day and asking the Holy Spirit for direct revelation.
Prayer: Father, too often we take someone’s word for truth. I pray that we will go to Your Word, check what it says, and seek out people we trust to help us understand it. I pray for direct Holy Spirit revelation in everything we read and hear. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Leave a comment