TUESDAY January 5, 2021

Defense of the Gospel

…I [Paul] am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
Philippians 1:17

God humbled Paul and he became converted! He was born again of the Holy Spirit. After Ananias prayed for Paul, he received his sight and was baptized (Acts 9:10-18). God changed his whole life! However, Paul the Apostle, at this time, did not meet with Peter, James and John who were in Jerusalem. In fact, Paul went into the wilderness area of the Sinai––the Arabian Desert. He spent 3 years there while waiting on the Lord to theologically instruct him. When Paul returned and over the course of his life, he wrote 14 doctrinal letters to the Church.

Paul was a Jew and a religious leader—a Pharisee. As such, the disciples of Christ in Damascus knew he had zealously persecuted Christians. After a short stay in Damascus, he finally came to Jerusalem to see Peter, but many of Christ’s disciples there still did not trust him. They also knew of his reputation––he had killed Christians!

In Acts 9:26, we read their fearful response to his arrival: And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. It was Barnabas who brought Paul to the Apostles; he told them Paul’s testimony and of his bold preaching in Damascus (Acts 9:27).

Later in his ministry, Paul founded the church in Galatia. False teachers had invaded the church and had begun to teach a different message that contradicted what Paul preached. The church was under attack spiritually and doctrinally. Paul knew the message of the Gospel was under assault.

These deceptive men had at one time claimed they had a true conversion to Christ. Now they had turned away from the grace of God and went back into the Law with many regulations. Paul did not defend himself, but he defended the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul preached on grace, whereas the false teachers spoke of works––Law, legalism, ceremonies and circumcision.

Are you well versed in the Scriptures so that you can give a defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

There‘s no better book with which to defend the Bible than the Bible itself.
~D.L. Moody~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!