Pastor Ed Hamilton explores the transformation of Saul, from a religious terrorist to a Christian evangelist. Through Galatians 1:15, the sermon highlights how God chose, called, and saved Paul by His grace. Pastor Hamilton emphasizes that God’s plan for each of us begins before birth, and His grace equips us to fulfill His purposes. The message draws from scriptures like Luke 1:13-17, Isaiah 49:1-5, and 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 to show how God’s grace and calling are central to the Christian life.
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Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s
womb, and called me by his grace,
Every Christian’s testimony is made up of our life before conversion, at conversion
and after conversion.
Galatians 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted
the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
Galatians 1:14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
“Other than the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there has been no greater influence on
the world than the conversion of Paul.”
Church historian J.L. Hurlbut, in The Story of the Christian Church writes
“In all the history of Christianity no single conversion to Christ carried with it such
momentous results to the whole world, as that of Saul the persecutor, afterward
Paul the Apostle”
Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, called Paul the wisest man after Christ.
Quote “Paul is the first theologian in the early church and arguably the greatest in
the early church and arguably the greatest in the history of Christianity.”
Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God …”
I. GOD DID THE CHOOSING.
Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s
womb …”
Galatians 1:15 (NLT) But even before I was born, God chose me …”
Galatians 1:15 (ESV) But when he who had set me apart before I was born,
Galatians 1:15 (GWN) But God, who appointed me before I was born …”
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your
prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall
call his name John.
Luke 1:14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Luke 1:15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither
wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his
mother’s womb.
Luke 1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Isaiah 49:1 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me,And take heed, you peoples from afar!
The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made
mention of My name.
Isaiah 49:2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;In the shadow of His hand
He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
Isaiah 49:5 And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious
in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength),
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were
born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you …”
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
* We did not choose when we were to be born.
* We did not choose our body type.
* We did not choose where we were to be born.
* We did not choose our parents.
* We did not choose our influences early in our life.
* We did not choose whether we were to be male or female.
* We did not choose our genetics.
* We did not choose our temperament.
* We did not choose our looks.
* We did not choose our physical abilities.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 16:33 (GW) The dice are thrown, but the Lord determines every outcome.
Proverbs 16:33 (TLB) We toss the coin, but it is the Lord who controls its decision.
Matthew 26:39 ” … nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
In life, there are things we can’t control and there are things we can control.
II. GOD DOES THE CALLING.
Galatians 1:15 “… and called me …
1 Corinthians 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according
to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to
shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to
shame the things which are mighty;
1 Corinthians 1:28 and the base things of the world and the things which are
despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the
things that are,
1 Corinthians 1:29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
God says I’ll take:
Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks;
Tough kids, sissy kids; even kids with chicken pox;
III. GOD DID IT ALL BY GRACE.
Galatians 1:15 “… and called me by his grace, .
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God …”
2 Timotthy 2:13: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.”
Romans 3:11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
Romans 3:12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work
in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
In this video, we dive into Galatians 1:11-14 and explore the powerful transformation of Saul, a former persecutor of the church, into Paul, one of Christianity’s greatest advocates. We discuss the significance of Paul’s testimony: his life before Christ, his encounter with Jesus, and how he became a vessel for the gospel of grace. This message highlights the reality that you can be sincere, religious, and even zealous, yet still be lost without the true revelation of Christ. Discover the power of grace and the radical change that comes when the gospel is revealed to us through Jesus Christ.
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Galatians 1:11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached by me is not according to man.
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came
through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted
the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
Galatians 1:14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Every Christian has a testimony and there are three parts to every testimony:
1) My life before Jesus Christ.
2) How and when I met Christ.
3) How my life has changed since I met Christ.
He went from being Saul one of Christianity greatest opponents to Paul one of
Christianity greatest proponents.
Galatians 1:11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached by me is not according to man.
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came
through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1) BEFORE CONVERSION: LIFE BEFORE CHRIST.
Galatians 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, …”
Galatians 1:13 (NLT) You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion–
Galatians 1:13 (VOICE) Surely you are familiar with my personal history, with my
dedication to the teachings and traditions of Judaism…..
1) YOU CAN BE RELIGIOUS AND LOST!
Acts 26:4 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning
among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
Acts 26:5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that
according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Philippians 3:5 (NLT) I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded
citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there
ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest
obedience to the Jewish law.
among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
2) YOU CAN BE SINCERE AND BE WRONG!
Acts 26:7 (GW) Our twelve tribes expect this promise to be kept as they worship
with intense devotion day and night.
“It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you’re sincere.”
3) YOU CAN VOTE AGAINST THE LORD AND NOT KNOW IT.
Acts 26:10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison,
having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death,
I cast my vote against them.
Did his religion make Paul better or worse?
4) YOU CAN THINK YOU’RE SERVING GOD WHEN YOU’RE SERVING SATAN.
Galatians 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted
the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
Acts 22:4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons
both men and women.
Acts 26:11 (ERV) I visited all the synagogues and punished them, trying to make
them curse Jesus. My anger against these people was so strong that I went to
other cities to find them and punish them.
John 16:2 (WE) The people will put you out of the meeting place. Yes, the time is
coming when someone will kill you and think he is working for God.
A Muslim mother said, “Because I love my son, I encouraged him to die a martyr’s
death for the sake of Allah. Jihad is a religious obligation encumbered upon us
and we must carry it out. I sacificed Mohammed [her son’s name] as a part of my obligation. I asked Allah to give me ten Israelis for Mohammed, and Allah granted
my request,and Mohammad made his dream come true, killing ten Israeli settlers
and soldiers. Our God honored him even more in that there were many Israelis
wounded.”
The greatest persecutor of the church has always been an ungodly government
5) YOU CAN CHOOSE TRADITION OVER TRUTH.
Galatians 1:14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Jesus said this to the religious Pharisees of His day about their traditions:
Mark 7:13 (NOG) Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of
God’s word. And you do many other things like that.”
Mark 7:13 (NLT) And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own
tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”
The Word of God not only has to be read, it has to be interpreted.
Acts 8:30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said,
Do you understand what you are reading?
Acts 8:31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip
to come up and sit with him.
Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,
Matthew 5:34 But I say unto you,
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came
through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation to Paul meant not just knowledge about God but the act of God revealing
Himself to Paul.
1 Timothy 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent
man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1 Timothy 1:13 (ICB) In the past I spoke against Christ and persecuted him and did
all kinds of things to hurt him. But God showed mercy to me because I did not know
what I was doing. I did those things when I did not believe.
In Don’t Mess With The Gospel (Part 2), we explore the various distortions of the true gospel that have infiltrated the church, including the prosperity gospel, the poverty gospel, the social gospel, and the liberal gospel. Paul warns in Galatians 1:6-10 that turning to a different gospel is a serious matter, and those who pervert the gospel of Christ are under a curse. The true gospel is salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone—any attempt to add to or subtract from it is a false gospel. Join us as we stand firm in the truth of the gospel of grace.
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Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called
you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want
to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 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.
Galatians 1:10 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 a bondservant of Christ.
I) GOSPEL DISTORTIONS AND PERVERSIIONS.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called
you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want
to pervert the gospel of Christ.
1) THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty
might become rich.
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and
showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Matthew 4:9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down
and worship me.”
1 Timothy 3:3 “… not greedy for money…”
Titus 1:7 ” …not greedy for money.”
Luke 9:57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him,
“Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”
Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
2) THE POVERTY GOSPEL.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty
might become rich.
Proverbs 30:7 Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):
Proverbs 30:8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty
nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Proverbs 30:9 Lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor
and steal, and profane the name of my God.
3) THE SOCIAL GOSPEL.
Matthew 25:44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see
You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not
minister to You?’
Matthew 25:45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch
as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.”
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were
of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews;
but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Adrian Rogers said, “If all we do is preach a social gospel then all we do is make this
world a better place to go to hell from.”
4) THE LIBERAL GOSPEL.
Jude 1:4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out
for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness
and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 (AMP) They are ungodly persons whose condemnation was predicted
long ago, for they distort the grace of our God into decadence and immoral
freedom [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they want], and deny
and disown our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 (ERV) They have used the grace of our God in the wrong way—to do
sinful things. They refuse to follow Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.
Jude 1:4 “… who turn the grace of our God into lewdness…”
Jude 1:4 (AMP) for they distort the grace of our God into decadence and immoral
freedom [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they want],
Jude 1:4 (ERV) They have used the grace of our God in the wrong way—to do
sinful things. They refuse to follow Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.
Cheap grace wants to justify the sin rather than the sinner.
True grace on the other hand, justifies the sinner, not the sin.
What this gospel says is come on in.
The water’s fine.
You come just as you are.
You stay just as you are.
You live just as you are.
You die just as you are.
Romans 5:20 “…. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
Romans 5:20 (NCB) “… but the increase in sins was far exceeded by the increase
in grace.
Romans 5:20 (NLT) “… But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace
became more abundant.
Hymn lyrics
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin
Those great theologians the Animals once sang:
I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Romans 6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
I) GOSPEL ACUSATIONS AND ANSWERS.
Galatians 1:10 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 a bondservant of Christ.
The gospel is the foundation of the church, and any distortion of it is a serious matter. In Galatians 1:6-9, Paul warns against turning to a different gospel—one that is not truly the gospel at all. He declares that those who pervert the gospel of Christ are under a curse. This message, “Don’t Mess With The Gospel,” explores the dangers of legalism, works-based salvation, and man-centered religion. The true gospel is salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. Join us as we dive into Paul’s passionate defense of the gospel and its implications for our faith today.
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Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called
you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want
to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 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.
The gospel is the reason why this church or any church exists.
The gospel brings us together.
I) PAUL’S CONCERN: ANOTHER GOSPEL IS NOT THE GOSPEL.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called
you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away … to a different gospel,
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be
justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want
to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Works-Based Man-Centered Religions:
Judaism: keeping of the law
Islam: five pillars
Buddhism: eight fold path
Hindu:reincarnation and karma
Mormonism: law of eternal progression
Jehovan’s Witnesses: works
Catholism: grace plus the sacrments
Religious Legalism: If you clean up your act,follow rituals, display religious dedication,
perform, perform, perform
Cardinal Francis George (quote)
“It boils down to this: Even though the Church is often less than what God intends
it to be, we still encounter Christ through the sacraments, especially through
Baptism and the Eucharist. This is how Christ comes to us, this is how we experience
God’s grace, this is how we find assurance. It is through the church and its ministries
that Christ comes to us to save us.”
As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.
The moment your money thumps in the chest, one of your relatives finds heavenly rest!
Here is a quote from someone experiences raised in a protestant church:
Some of the churches I went to growing up had a tendency to emphasize conformity
to a set of rules as the mark of a real Christian.
Real Christians do this; they don’t do that.
The problem was these rules is that they were the center of Christianity for us, the
thing we focused on—if we did them God would accept us and we would be spiritual.
So, I usually left church thinking about what I needed to do to make myself more
acceptable to God rather than trusting in what God had done for me and promised
to do in me.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
II) PAUL’S CURSE: FROM A HYPOTHETICAL ONE TO AN ACTUAL ONE.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
1 Corinthians 16:22, If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed,
Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren,
my countrymen according to the flesh,
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you
cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Galatians 1:9 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.
John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow
rivers of living water.
John Newton: “I am not what I ought to be .. I am not what I wish to be … I am
not what I hope to be … Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish
to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am not what I once was; a slave to
sin and Satan; and I can heartily join with the apostle, and acknowledge, ‘By the
grace of God I am what I am.'”
Augustus Toplady words in the hymn Rock of Ages
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill thy laws’ demands
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save and Thou Alone..
This passage from Galatians 1:1-5 highlights Paul’s apostleship, his message of grace, and the mission of Christ to redeem sinners. It emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work on the cross, rejecting any addition of human effort to salvation. The text outlines the themes of ministry, message, mission, and motive, pointing to God’s glory and the transformative power of the gospel. Supporting Scriptures from Corinthians, Psalms, Matthew, John, and Titus further reinforce the doctrines of grace, redemption, and God’s sovereignty.
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Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus
Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
Galatians 1:2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
Galatians 1:5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Don’t add anything to the finished work of the Cross of Christ
It’s not Christ plus…
Christ plus my performance…
Christ plus my good works…
Christ plus the meetings…
Christ plus holy communion,
Christ plus keeping away from bad things…
Christ plus doing good things…
Christ plus baptism, christening …
Christ plus baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues …
Christ plus church membership, church confirmations …
Christ plus denominations …
Christ plus the sacraments …
1) ONE MAN’S MINISTRY: GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES.
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus
Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy
to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
1 Corinthians 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his
special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than
any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me
by his grace.
Galatians 1:2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
2) ONE MAN’S MESSAGE: GRACE OF GOD.
Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
3) ONE MAN’S MISSION: GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
Matthew 12:29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods,
unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill destroy; I have come that they
might have life, and have it to the full.”
1) It meant a transfer from darkness to light.
2) It meant a transfer from slavery to freedom.
3) It meant a transfer from condemnation to forgiveness.
4) It meant a transfer from the power of Satan to the power of God.
Psalm 22:4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.
Psalm 22:5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were
not ashamed.
4) ONE MAN’S MOTIVE: GLORY OF GOD.
Galatians 1:5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God.
Hymn “To God Be The Glory”
To God be the glory great things He has done
So loved He the world that He gave us His son
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
And opened the life gate that all may go in
Max Lucado (quote)
“You may be decent. You may pay taxes and kiss your kids and sleep with a clean
conscience. But apart from Christ you aren’t holy. So how can you go to heaven?
Only believe. Accept the work already done, the work of Jesus on the cross.
Only believe . . . It’s that simple? It’s that simple. It’s that easy?
There was nothing easy at all about it. The cross was heavy, the blood was real,
and the price was extravagant. It would have bankrupted you or me, so he paid
it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift. But don’t call it easy. Call it what it is.
Call it grace.”
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.
In this insightful sermon on “God’s Guiding Principles for Gray Areas (Part 2)”, we explore biblical wisdom from Romans 14 and other scriptures about making decisions in morally ambiguous situations. Drawing from Paul’s teachings, we examine 7 key questions to guide our choices: Will it direct or detour us? Build up or tear down? Help or hinder? Free or enslave? Free or violate our conscience? Lead us by faith or feelings? Lift up or weigh down? Learn practical biblical principles for navigating life’s complex moral decisions while respecting others’ convictions and maintaining spiritual freedom. Perfect for Christians seeking wisdom in decision-making and understanding biblical perspectives on personal convictions. Based on Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23, Galatians 5:16, and Hebrews 12:1.
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Romans 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over
doubtful things.
Romans 14:2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats
only vegetables.
Romans 14:3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not
him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he
stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him
stand.
Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every
day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind..
1. WILL THIS DIRECT ME OR DETOUR ME?
1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient;
2. WILL THIS BUILD ME UP OR TEAR ME DOWN?
1 Corinthians 10:23 “… all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
3. WILL THIS HELP ME OR HINDER ME?
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful ….
4. WILL THIS FREE ME OR ENSLAVE ME?
1 Corinthians 6:12 … All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under
the power of any.
Romans 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over
doubtful things.
Romans 14:1 (GWT) Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an
argument over differences of opinion.
Romans 14:2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats
only vegetables.
Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every
day alike.
Romans 14:3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not
him who does not eat judge him who eats ….
Romans 14:3 … for God has received him.
Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he
stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him
stand.
5. WILL THIS FREE MY CONSCIENCE OR VIOLATE MY CONSCIENCE?
Romans 14:5 “… Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”
Romans 14:5 (PHILLIPS) Let every one be definite in his own convictions.
Romans 14:5 (GWT) Every person must make his own decision.
Romans 14:5 (MSG) So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.
Romans 14:5 (TLB) On questions of this kind everyone must decide for himself.
Romans 14:5 (VOICE) In these matters, all must reach their own conclusions
and satisfy their own minds.
Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by
which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
The is not just “Would it hurt you?”
The question is also “Will it hurt somebody else?”
Romans 14:22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God …
Romans 14:22 (NLT) You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing,
but keep it between yourself and God…
In other words, don’t impose your beliefs in gray areas on other people.
Some things are wrong for you that are right for others.
And some things are right for you that are wrong for others.
6. WILL I LIVE BY FAITH OR BY FEELINGS?
Romans 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned … for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Galatians 5:16 “… Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh..
We don’t pray because we are trying to change God.
We pray because we are trying to change ourselves..
7. WILL THIS LIFT ME UP OR WEIGH ME DOWN?
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1 (TLB) “… let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back,
Hebrews 12:1 (VOICE) “… ‘let us drop every extra weight
Hebrews 12:1 (KJV) “… let us lay aside … the sin which doth so easily beset us …”
Hebrews 12:1 (CEV) “… especially the sin that just won’t let go
Hebrews 12:1 (GNT) “… the sin which holds on to us so tightly
Hebrews 12:1 (NET) “… the sin that clings so closely
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT) “… especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress
Hebrews 12:1 (TLB) “… especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around
our feet and trip us up
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.
