“But they had heard only, that he who persecuted us in times past now preaches the faith which once he destroyed.” Galatians 1:23
Paul gave his personal testimony in the letter to the Galatian churches for several reasons, one of which was the purpose of illustrating the effects of the gospel in the life of one converted from false religious worship.
Paul, once motivated by the traditions of his ancestors (Ga. 1:14) became a zealot for the gospel, as a destroyer of the church, (Ga. 1:13) he became a tireless builder, once a destroyer of the faith, (Ga. 1:23) he then preached the gospel. Paul’s former life was religious but he did not honor the true God of Israel; after Paul was struck down by God (Acts 10), and repented of his sins and placed his faith in Jesus Christ his religion had meaning before God.
Man is most sinful in his false religious acts because it is there he is the most deceived. We are told, “the god (devil) of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe…” (2Cor 4) and in their blindness they worship false gods and heap judgment upon themselves.
Paul’s testimony is a perfect illustration of conversion from false religious worship, even though it was rooted in Judaism (given by God yet distorted by men), to worship of the true and living God through repentance of sin and faith toward God in Christ.
The Christian experience is one of transformation, especially from false religious “worship.”
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