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Skip Heitzig: As we have said before, so now I say again, "If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Just listen, you have a gauge. It's called the Bible. If I get an appearance from an angel, it's cool. Lay it on me, angel. What do you have to say?

What he or she has to say is what I judge that experience by. "Oh, but I had tingles and I saw bright lights and..." Okay, what did he say? What was the message? Now take the message and compare it to this. If it's in sync with this, awesome, you're good to go. It's a confirmation of this.

If it's something other than this, it's not a confirmation, it's a competition to this. It's another gospel, and let him be accursed. So you have a gauge. You have the Word of God. Verse 10: "For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ."

These Judaizers, these false teachers apparently went to the churches of Galatia and accused Paul of adjusting his message to please people. "You can't trust Paul. He's just a people pleaser. When he's with the Jews, he acts Jewish. When he's with the Gentiles, he acts Gentile. He's not reliable. It's just a people-pleasing message."

Now, they probably took what Paul said when he wrote to the Corinthians, remember he said, "I become all things to all men if by all means I may save some." They took that, misinterpreted that to mean he's one way with one group of people and a different way with another group, just trying to lay a message on them that's pleasing.

Actually, Paul says that's not true. Actually, what is true, you want to know what's really true, what's really pleasing to people? Legalism. And you say legalism? That wouldn't be appealing. Actually, it is. It makes people feel safe. "Oh, those are the rules. Okay, I'm going to strive to keep those rules because when I do, then I feel I'm good now. God and I are good now."

So, it's that message that is appealing because most of the world's religion is that way. There's only two religions in the entire world. You say, "Skip, I think you need to go Google that again because there are like thousands of them." Actually, there's only two. Religion number one: the religion of human accomplishment or human achievement.

The other one: the religion of divine accomplishment. The gospel we preach is the message of divine accomplishment. God has done it. Jesus has done it. He paid the price. We believe in him. We are saved. We have a relationship with God. He changes our lives. All the other religious systems are human accomplishment or achievement. "I'm going to achieve it. I'm going to work hard to get it."

Verse 11: "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man." Have you ever thought about the message we believe in and how when people say, "Somebody just made that up. That's a man-made belief, what you believe about Jesus dying on a cross," when they say that, people make that up?

I say who on earth would make anything like that up? If I'm going to make up a religion, it ain't going to be this one. You're saying that we're going to make up a religion that virtually condemns the entire world to an eternal hell unless they come one way? That's not appealing to anybody.

That is an affront to everybody, naturally speaking. Nobody would make that up. You would make up easy believism, or you would make up one of the Old Testament religions of Baalism where there's sensual sexual worship, something that has a free lunch or a sensual experience or something.

That's the kind of religion people make up. Not this one. So I couldn't stress that enough. This message, this gospel is not according to man. "For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it."

The word means to sack a city, to destroy it, to devoid it of any power. Paul saw Christianity as a threat, and he was part of the cancel culture, the Jewish cancel culture. "I've got to cancel Christianity. I've got to do everything I can to stop this movement because I hear they're now leaving Jerusalem and going up to Damascus. So I'm going to cut it off right there."

He saw it as a threat. In Acts chapter 9, it says, "As for Saul, Saul of Tarsus, aka Paul the apostle, he made havoc of the church." Paul says, "My testimony is well-known, how I sacked the church or I tried to destroy it." Now, who was this guy? Paul, originally Saul, was a Jewish leader born around AD 1 by our calendar.

He was born in Tarsus, a town of Cilicia. Cilicia is where Turkey and Syria meet right in that area. It was a cosmopolitan town when Paul lived there. There were about 500,000 people that lived in Cilicia. It had universities. It was known for advanced learning. But it was principally known for its silicium.

The province Cilicia was named after the black goats' hair harvested from black goats called silicium that was made into tents. Paul's father was probably a master *skenopoios*—is the Greek word—tentmaker. Paul learned that trade from his dad because wherever Paul went, he also was a tentmaker using hides and hair to make tents as making a living.

So he had that background. He was Jewish, we know that. We also know that he was a Roman citizen. He was a *civis Romanus*, they would call it. A Roman citizen was very unique. You could only become a Roman citizen one of four different ways. You had to either be born into it, or number two, you got it as if you were in the military for a few years, they would grant you Roman citizenship.

If it was given to you by the emperor as a gift because you did some great thing, he could grant you Roman citizenship. The fourth way is you could purchase it. It would cost the average going rate for *civis Romanus* was two years' wage of a working man would pay for Roman citizenship.

Remember when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem because he stirred up the crowd, and the Roman soldier said, "Tie him up, beat him, flog him, find out what he said because he's speaking in Hebrew to this crowd. We don't understand that language. So beat him, find out what he said."

And Paul said, "Would you flog a Roman citizen?" The guard said, "Roman citizen? Wait a minute. I paid a lot of money for Roman citizenship. How did you become one?" Paul said, "I was freeborn. I was born into it." If you were a Roman citizen, it granted you certain rights, certain privileges.

Number one, if you were in a court of law and you felt like you were not getting a fair trial, you could appeal directly to Caesar himself, and you would have audience with Caesar in Rome. When Paul felt like the trials in Caesarea were at an impasse, he was getting falsely accused, he couldn't get out of it, he finally said, "I am laying this case at Caesar's tribunal. I appeal to Caesar."

They said, "You appeal to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go." Could only happen if you were a Roman citizen. That's how Paul got to stand before Caesar Nero and give his defense. He was *civis Romanus*. So he is from Cilicia, he's Jewish, he is a Roman citizen. He speaks Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic. He's very well-educated and he was steeped in Judaism because he mentions it here, but he had a very interesting mentor.

And you know who he is, he's mentioned in the book of Acts. Who taught Paul the apostle in Judaism? Gamaliel. Rabbi Gamaliel, the grandson of the famous Rabbi Hillel. Gamaliel wrote something very nasty against the Christian church. Very, very bad against them. I've shared that with you before. Just know Paul was mentored by him in Judaism.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Every day, the generosity of friends like you helps reach more people with clear, practical Bible teaching, changing lives as they discover who God really is. This month, we want to thank you with a powerful resource bundle designed to help you know God more deeply and walk in the freedom he offers.

It features Skip's book, *Biography of God*, a thoughtful, approachable look at God's character, his attributes, and the hope we gain when we understand who he truly is. You'll also receive Skip's six-message CD series, *Expound: Galatians*, a verse-by-verse journey through Paul's call to spiritual freedom: freedom from legalism, shame, and striving.

We'll send you both resources as our thanks when you give $50 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/offer. Now, let's return to today's teaching.

Skip Heitzig: So that's part of his background under Gamaliel. Gamaliel, by the way, was so influential he was given the title by the Jews "the beauty of the law." This guy's teaching is so sublime, so pure, so Old Testament biblical. He is the beauty of the law incarnate. And when he died, the Talmud says, "Since Rabban Gamaliel has passed away, the glory of the law has ceased."

So he was held in high esteem. Paul was mentored by him in Judaism. He makes reference to that here. But he says, "You've heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and how I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers."

Don't do it now, but maybe write in the margin of your Bible, if you have the freedom to do so, or in your notes, write down Philippians 3 and go read that later where Paul gives likewise his pedigree, his background. "I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews. I am of the stock of Israel, circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin."

King Saul was from Benjamin, first king was from the tribe of Benjamin. I came from that tribe. Then he says, "I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews." In other words, I'm a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents. I'm steeped in Judaism. A Jew through and through who became a Jew born anew as time went on.

But he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Concerning the righteousness which comes by the law, Paul said, "I was perfect." That's an interesting statement. I won't get into it now, but Paul is—I look at the Old Testament law and I've always said nobody can keep it. Paul comes on and goes, "Actually, I've kept it. I've done a pretty good job of keeping, of doing righteousness by rule-keeping. Kept all the laws."

But then he said those things that were gain to me, they're dung, refuse, pile of you-know-what is the literal term as I compare that to the righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ. He's very colorful in that description in Philippians. I'll move on here.

Verse 15: "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but—get this—I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus."

Now next week, I'm going to give you—I was going to do it this week, but I'm looking at the time—I wanted to give you the chronology of all that together. I'll do that next time. But it would make sense if this Jewish boy from Tarsus, who trained in Jerusalem, who leaves Jerusalem, goes to Damascus, gets saved on the way, the first thing that would make most sense is he goes back to Jerusalem, confers with the church.

But he said, "I didn't do that. I spent three years in Arabia." Why would he go to Arabia? That's a broad term. It could not just mean Saudi Arabia, it could mean Nabataean Arabia, probably that's what it meant. Could include Mount Sinai. I'm guessing Paul, who kept the law, who said he was blameless, went to the place where the law was given at the foot of Mount Sinai in Arabia.

And here where the law was given to Moses, here the message of grace was given to Paul's heart, the new covenant. And he will make a comparison between the old law of Mount Sinai and the new covenant in this book later on we will read. So maybe there he's working through for three years in the desert his theological stance that he would write in the book of Romans and in the book of Galatians.

He's hammering that down because he has to undo all that he learned and probably he is personally tutored by the Lord himself because he said, "I didn't get the message from people. I got it directly from the Lord." So maybe by direct revelation for three years he was in Arabia.

By the way, some of the greatest people in the world get sent to the desert. Moses left the Nile, beautiful Nile region, was sent to the desert for 40 years. He was called by God, his ministry began at age 80. Take heart as you're getting older. Best years of his life were past 80.

That's one of them. David was another one. He was chased by Saul for 10 years. He went down to the deserts of En Gedi by the Dead Sea. Joseph was sent to Egypt where he was in prison. Some of the greatest men of God were given BSD degrees: backside of the desert degrees.

They were trained apart from people by the Lord, working things out before God before beginning their ministry. So he went from Damascus to Arabia, then returned again to Damascus. Then after three years—this is after the post-Arabia tutelage—after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days.

But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. There are two Jameses that we know of principally. There's James and John, sons of Zebedee. That's not this James. That James was dead already. He was murdered by Herod. This is James the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, grew up in the same home as Jesus.

So his parents were Mary and Joseph. Jesus' parents were Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. So James was a half-brother who did not believe, by the way, in Jesus at first until the resurrection. Came to believe and the leader of the first church was not Peter. This was a shock to me growing up Catholic.

When I read the book of Acts and I go, it wasn't Peter. It was James. James was the spokesperson and was the leader to whom Peter and the others submitted. So he met with Peter, met with James. "Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, I write before God, I do not lie. Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia."

So he goes back home. Gets saved on the way to Damascus, goes up to Damascus, leaves Damascus, goes to Arabia three years. After three years goes back to Damascus, then goes to Jerusalem. He's there just for a couple weeks. Things get really hot there so he has to leave. They want him to leave. They send him back to his hometown in Cilicia where he grew up. He went back home.

Before he was used by God, he went back home. Remember the demon-possessed man in Mark chapter 5? He said, "I'm going to come with you, Jesus. This is awesome, man. I'm healed, I'm saved, I'm going to follow you." Jesus said, "You're not following me. Go back home. Tell your family the great things God has done for you."

So Paul first faced himself, his own self and his God in Arabia for three years. He then faced his enemies in Damascus. He faced his family back home. All of that made him ready to face the world. He was in Tarsus, in Cilicia we think for about seven years.

So from the time he was saved to the time he was used by God—he first shows up in Antioch because Barnabas brings him there, we'll get to that next week—it's probably about ten years. You know why that's important? Because whenever we see somebody famous like Paul, who's like, "Wow, this guy's such an anti-Christian guy," as soon as they get saved, we want to put him in the spotlight. Interview him at our church.

"Oh, he's a rock and roll star. Bring him in, let him talk." No. Don't let him say anything because he's going to say something stupid. Let him earn influence by humbling himself and getting discipled for a while. Then he has something to say.

So Paul had something to say eventually after he was discipled and he comes back and we'll close off the chapter. "I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. They were only hearing, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.'"

So they couldn't recognize me if I walked down the street and had a falafel in their town. But they heard my testimony, they knew about my story, and they glorified God in me. Jesus said, "So let your light shine before men that they will see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven." If you're doing ministry right, people won't say, "You're awesome." They'll say, "God is awesome."

Now we'll get more into the gospel of grace as we go further on it next week. But let's just revel for a moment, shall we, in the fact that God reached Saul of Tarsus and made him Paul the apostle. No one is beyond the grasp of the grace of God. You have no right to give up on anybody. God can reach them. God can save them.

That's the glaring lesson that comes out here. Also, the glaring lesson is the problem with most people isn't that they're not good enough to be saved, but that they're not bad enough to be saved. I'll explain that as we close. Most people think, "I haven't been to church because my life isn't together and I'll get good enough."

Stop it. The problem isn't that you're not good enough. The problem is you're not bad enough. You don't see how bad you really are that would force you to the foot of the cross in the grace of God that he would freely give you. So most people don't see that they're really bad, don't see that they're fallen.

They hide behind their religion. They hide behind their righteousness. "Oh, I go to church and I've always believed and I do this." I, I, I. That's self-righteousness. You think you're better than you are. The truth is you are so bad off. It's pathetic how bad off you are. And yet God loves you with an eternal love and will take you as you are and save you as you are and make you his child. That's the gospel. Any other message isn't the gospel.

Guest (Male): We're so glad you joined us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before you go, here's a reminder. As our thanks for your gift this month, we'll send you Skip's book, *Biography of God*, along with his six-message CD series, *Expound: Galatians*. These two resources work together to help you understand God's character more deeply and experience the freedom that comes from the gospel of grace.

Your support helps keep this Bible teaching ministry on the air, connecting more people with God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times. Give today at connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your March resources. See you next time.

(singing) Make a connection at the foot of the cross. Cast your burdens on his word. Make a connection. A connection.

Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.