Galatians 1:13
"For ye have heard of my conversation (or my manner of living) in times past in the Jews religion, (as you know he was a religious zealot, a Pharisee) how that beyond measure I persecuted the church (called out assembly of God, those who he took captive and imprisoned and even put to death) and wasted it."
Now that was the Body of Christ as is taught in Paul’s letters. Here he’s talking about the believers, which were Hebrews in Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians and else where that he was after before his encounter with the risen Lord on the Damascus road.
Galatians 1:14
"And profited in the Jews religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers,"
He was very religious, he was a religious zealot above his brothers but God in Christ pulled him out of all that. Now verse 15.
Galatians 1:15-16a
"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among (who? The Gentiles, the nations) the heathen;…"
This is the first time this has ever been mentioned. A revelation of the Lord. Something held secret. Though it is in plan view within the Old Testament scriptures for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. The Christologicalness of scripture can only be received by those who have become matured in Christ or have the Son matured within them. Otherwise it remains veiled. Read on:
Galatians 1:17a
"Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me;…"
Now some of you have heard me say this, what would have been the logical thing for the Apostle Paul to do (recently Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor, but now struck down by the Lord from Heaven outside the Damascus gate and told you’re going to go to the Gentile world with the Good News of this Gospel, much the same way that Jacob became Israel, prince (Yisrael, notice the el) the house of strength or righteousness, he will rule)? What was the logical thing to do? Traipse back to Jerusalem, find the Twelve and just say, "Fellows, sit down with me. Let’s get out a pencil and pad and I want you to tell me everything you know about this Jesus of Nazareth." But what does the Scripture say? Exactly the opposite – He sent him in the other direction so that he couldn’t sit down with the Twelve.
He didn’t want the Twelve muddying this fresh new mind recently brought from religious tradition. So He sends him out into the desert, the wilderness in the opposite direction. So he said:
Galatians 1:17a
"Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia,…"
What was the whole purpose? To unload on this man things that had been kept secret, the revealing of the ancient path which had been lost. And he, over and over, refers to them now as the revelation of these mysteries or things that had been kept secret.
There’s another one in Ephesians chapter 3. It’s the same type of concept – and don’t ever accuse the Apostle Paul of being an egotist or of being puffed up. He was the most humble of servants. In fact the name "Paul" means a person of little stature or a small man. He was the most used of God of any man other than Christ himself. Of course, we don’t compare him to that. But I think the Apostle Paul stands head and shoulders even above Moses as God’s man for taking the Good News to the human race.
Ephesians 3:1-2
"For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you (what people?) Gentiles. (remember "Gentiles or nations" was a hated word in Israel) If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:"
Now before we get to far along we need to look at one word here used and that word brings fear to many as they don't understand its proper usage and the word is "dispensation". Here its application means administration or the new fashion in which God will deal with men. I know there are some who would agree with a certain part of this. They’ll say, not all of this was kept secret. Just maybe the ‘Body of Christ.’ Now wait a minute. When we get a new administration in Washington, does half of the old group go out or all of them? All of them. That’s the whole idea of a transition. The old goes out and the new comes in. When we have a new administration, half the cabinet doesn’t stay with the old, they all move out. So the administration is the whole, not just part.
All right, now look what the Apostle says here in the second verse. "The administration of the grace of God was given to me to you-ward." Not half of it. Not just parts of it. Now, you remember what have I told you? That whole body of truth that is involved in the Gospel of the Grace of God – that is revealed in this dispensation or administration or economy is the Grace of God in the person of Christ Jesus. All of it. "The beginning of the Body of Christ, to the end of the Body of Christ."
That’s why I adamantly say that the Church or Family of God cannot go into the Tribulation because this dispensation does not fit within it [the Old]. It won’t. It can’t because the whole body of truth as revealed to this man. So the secrets are now revealed. And oh, God expects us (like he told Moses), when He reveals it, to receive of it and then believe it or act upon it. It all has to become part of our being, as a teaching written on our inward parts. All right, if you think he’s stretching the point, look what the Holy Spirit inspired him to write. Go all the way down to verse 9.
Ephesians 3:9a
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship (intimacy, intercourse) of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been (what?) hid in God,…"
God had it all laid out or choreographed if you will and had it written within a book which He then sealed. But not with a wax type of sealing but rather a written seal, such as a signature, His.
Now back to Hebrews chapter 10 verse 1.
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