保羅的見證
加拉太書一章11至24節
11弟兄們，我告訴你們，我素來所傳的福音不是出於人的意思。
12因為我不是從人領受的，也不是人教導我的，乃是從耶穌基督啟示來的。
13你們聽見我從前在猶太教中所行的事，怎樣極力逼迫殘害神的教會。
14我又在猶太教中，比我本國許多同歲的人更有長進，為我祖宗的遺傳更加熱心。
15然而，那把我從母腹裡分別出來、又施恩召我的神，
16既然樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡，叫我把他傳在外邦人中，我就沒有與屬血氣的人商量，
17也沒有上耶路撒冷去見那些比我先作使徒的，惟獨往亞拉伯去，後又回到大馬士革。
18過了三年，才上耶路撒冷去見磯法，和他同住了十五天。
19至於別的使徒，除了主的兄弟雅各，我都沒有看見。
20我寫給你們的不是謊話，這是我在神面前說的。
21以後我到了敘利亞和基利家境內。
22那時，猶太信基督的各教會都沒有見過我的面。
23不過聽說那從前逼迫我們的，現在傳揚他原先所殘害的真道。
24他們就為我的緣故，歸榮耀給神。
信息分享
他們藐視他，質疑他作使徒的位份。他們曲解他所宣講的福音，也攻擊他對外邦人的事奉。我們在這裡看到保羅的部份回應──他透過講述自己的見證，來表明自己的生命如何得著改變，並證明確是神差派他作使徒的職份。
聽別人講述自己如何在罪中得蒙神拯救的見證，實在很能激盪人心。保羅首先告訴我們，他在大馬色路上遇見主之前是個怎麼樣的人。他說：「你們都知道我是個怎樣的人。我並非在基督徒家庭中長大。反之，我憎恨基督，憎恨教會；我試圖用盡方法來摧毀它。作為正統派的猶太人，我自問比其他同齡的年輕人更熱心。我不單做足律法的一切要求，而且還逼迫基督徒。
「但是在某一天，我遇見了基督，發現我從前所謹守的所謂『義』，在神眼中原來是毫無價值的。於是，我接受基督，成了一個新造的人。你們如果想證明福音本是神拯救人的大能，只要看看我的生命和基督對我的改變就可以了。還有別的『福音』可以成就這事嗎？你們知道是沒有了。
「你們既然關心我的使徒職份，那麼，你們知道我信主之後，接著發生甚麼事情嗎？神帶領我去到阿拉伯的沙漠住了三年。那期間，神親自教導我明白舊約聖經的意思。我終於明白舊約聖經的許多經文，原來都是預表基督。而且，我在那裡領受了我所傳講的信息，以及神親自呼召我作使徒。後來，我去到耶路撒冷的教會，全教會都為神在我身上的作為讚美神。對於我所傳講的福音，你們還需要其他證明嗎？」
我們今天能否反思：神如何改變我們的生命，以致我們可以藉此來證明福音的大能？神的本意是希望福音能改變我們。我們經歷到這種改變嗎？別人能否在我們的生命中看見耶穌呢？
PAUL'S PERSONAL TESTIMONY
Galatians 1:11-24
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.
23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they glorified God in me.
Message
Character assassination is all too common today, isn't it? It is nothing new. That is exactly what the Jews in Galatia were doing to the apostle Paul in order to justify their position and destroy his teaching of the gospel.
They belittled his standing as an apostle. They perverted his gospel and spoke against his ministry to the Gentiles. Here is part of his answer - his own testimony of his changed life.
Isn't it thrilling to hear a man tell his story of how Christ saved him from a life of sin? Paul told us first of all what he was like before Christ met him on the road to Damascus. "You know what I was like. I wasn't brought up in a 'Christian home'. I hated Christ. I hated the church. I tried to destroy it in every way possible. And as an orthodox Jew, I was ahead of even other young men of my own age group. I did everything the Law demanded and more besides!
"Then one day I met Christ and I discovered that all my righteousness (so-called) was like filthy rags in God's sight. I accepted Christ and I became a new creation. If you want proof that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, just think of my life and the change Christ has made. Can any other 'gospel' do that? You know it can't.
Are you concerned about my standing as an apostle? Do you know what I did next? God led me into the deserts of Arabia for three years and He taught me what the Scriptures (the Old Testament) are all about. I saw Christ in them everywhere. That is where I got my message and it was God himself who called me to be an apostle. When I finally went up to Jerusalem, the whole church praised God because of what He had done in my life. Do you want any more proof than that about the gospel?"""
Can we ask ourselves today - what changes has God been allowed to make in our lives which are real proof of the power of the gospel? That is His desire. Is it ours? Can others see Jesus in us?