Discover How To Have A Transformed Life (Gal 1:11-24)

A transformed life is illustrated in Galatians 1:11-24. This powerful passage speaks to the transformative power of Jesus Christ. It highlights how the Apostle Paul’s life was dramatically changed by encountering Jesus Christ, emphasizing that salvation comes through faith in Christ alone and not through any human efforts or works.

This theology is crucial to understand. It shows us that we can be saved and regenerated only by Jesus and His finished work on the cross. It reminds us that we cannot earn our salvation. We cannot be good enough. Instead, we must surrender our lives to Jesus. Trust Him to give us a transformed life. The theology in this passage is essential for every believer to grasp. It reminds us that our salvation and recreation are not based on our own efforts. but on the grace of God through faith in Christ.

Transformed, Changed, Remade

¹¹ For I would have you know, 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 I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; ¹⁴ and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. ¹⁵ But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; ²³ but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they were glorifying God because of me.

Gal 1:11-24

How to Get a Transformed Life

1. Salvation by grace through faith, not by works

(Galatians 1:15-16, Ephesians 2:8-9)

Paul’s conversion experience demonstrates that salvation is not earned by good deeds or religious rituals. It is a gift of God received through faith in Jesus Christ. It is important to remember that this is a central theme in Christianity.

We are lost on our own. The Bible is very clear, in both the Old & New Testaments that humankind is utterly depraved. A transformed life comes only from God.

Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Oh, but God brought the flood and everything was cool after that. Right?

Real soon after the flood ended you can read about Noah’s ‘mishap’ (to put it politely). Genesis 9:20-21 says, “Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.” Oops, not such a transformed life.

Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.”

Mankind continued in our silliness.. umm.. sin from the get-go. It is ‘human nature’ to be a sinner.

There are countless Old Testament references to Israel’s continual sinning.

Paul is very clear in the New Testament also. Romans 3:10-12 states, “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.'”

It should be clear to anyone honest with themselves that there is no way on God’s Green Earth that anyone could save themselves with some kind of good work. We cannot give ourselves a transformed life.

2. The Holy Spirit is the agent of change in a believer’s life

(Galatians 1:15-16, Romans 8:9-11)

Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was a transformed life experience, but it was the Holy Spirit who enabled Paul to live out his new identity in Christ. The Bible is replete with examples of God doing the changing.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 tells us that God promises to give His people a new heart and put a new spirit within them. He takes out their hearts of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. In Jeremiah 31:31-34, God promises to make a new covenant with His people, writing His law on their hearts and forgiving their sins. That is a transformed life.

Well, that was then, what about now you ask. Let’s see… we already mentioned Paul on the road to Damascus. So, I’ll mention the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). They weren’t the most Godly folk around before their conversion.

Oh, I have to mention Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:1-3). You know, the woman possessed by demons and who led a rather immoral life in addition to that. Jesus miraculously gave her a transformed life.

3. God can transform anyone’s life, regardless of their past

(Galatians 1:13-14, 23-24)

Paul’s former life was characterized by the persecution of the church/hating, and ignoring the things of God, but God transformed him into one of its greatest champions. This underscores the transformational power of the Gospel to change anyone’s life, no matter their past.

I gave several examples in the last point. So I won’t belabor it again. You just need to understand that ONLY God, through the Holy Spirit gives you a transformed life.

But How Does A Transformed Life Happen?

It’s All About Grace

Galatians 1:11-24 teaches us that salvation (and a transformed life) is by grace through faith and not by works. You cannot earn your way into heaven by doing good deeds or following the law. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that you are saved. This can be a challenging concept to apply in your daily life. 

Here are three challenges to help you apply this point: 

• Resist the temptation to try to earn your salvation by good works. Instead, focus on growing in your relationship with Jesus through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers.
• Avoid legalism, which is the belief that following a list of rules or laws is necessary for salvation. Remember that it is grace that saves us, not our own efforts.
• Be humble and grateful for God’s gift of salvation. Recognize that you are a sinner in need of a savior and that it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that you can be forgiven and have eternal life.

Look For His Presence in Your Life

Today, we saw how Paul’s life was transformed by Jesus. However, it was not a transformed life that he achieved on his own. In verse 15, Paul says that God “set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.” This transformation was accomplished through the Holy Spirit’s work in Paul’s life. The Holy Spirit is the agent of change in a believer’s life. He empowers you to live a life that is pleasing to God and to overcome sin. 

3 to Grow on

• 1. Recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life. Nurture a lifestyle of looking for God throughout your da. See where you think the Holy Spirit is at work in and around you.
• 2. Be willing to surrender control to Him and allow Him to work in/through you. This is not easy I know. But, you are still reading, yes? So keep going. You can do this through the power of God in you.
• 3. Cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit through prayer and reading God’s Word. You have a transformed life. Cultivate it.

Surrender Your Past so Jesus can transform Your Future.

Galatians 1:11-24 is a powerful testimony of how Jesus can transform anyone’s life, regardless of their past. Paul, formerly known as Saul, was once a persecutor of the church and a violent man. However, Jesus gave Paul a transformed life radically! And made him one of the greatest apostles of the Christian faith. This passage is a testament to the transformative power of Jesus and His ability to change even the hardest of hearts. No matter how dark someone’s past may be, Jesus can make all things new and turn their life around.

Sanctification: A Big Word

Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Jesus and being set apart for His purposes. That is why He saved you, you know? I talk in Gal 1:1-5 about God having a plan for you. Jesus wants you to have a transformed life. Feel free to go read that for a little more insight. But back to the big word.

First, most people think sanctification is just a New Testament concept. God’s plan is eternal. He’s been doing this sanctifying stuff since the beginning. It was just called something different back then: consecration, being set apart.

Ok, the Greek word for “sanctify” is “hagiazo” (ἁγιάζω), which means to make holy, consecrate, or set apart for God’s purposes. The word for “sanctification” is “hagiasmos” (ἁγιασμός), which refers to the process or state of being made holy or consecrated. Did you catch that? “Consecrated” – God is the same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. We just see Him differently. COnsecration is a transformed life.

Why can’t I just sanctify myself?

Because you can’t! You will never be able to give yourself a transformed life. Did you forget what I just wrote above? “There is none righteous, no not one”? Don’t take my word for it though.

1 Peter 1:2 says, “…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ…”

Additionally, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 it says, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

My point is this. The Holy Spirit is the one that does the change in us. The things we talk about here are the actions we do because we have a transformed life. These are things that put us in a position to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. Our responsibility is to be doing the spiritual disciplines that will open us up to the Holy Spirit. Then allow God to do God things, to give you a transformed life.

For the Seeker or the Unsure

I know that not everyone reading this is a Christian. If that’s you, I want to talk to you specifically for a second. I want you to have a transformed life. What we are talking about has eternal consequences. So, please read this knowing that I wish you the best. 

Being a Christian is not easy, and that is why most are reading this. They know that becoming a Christian is a huge commitment. There is no such thing as being a Christian because you got fire insurance at some meeting or in a Mall. You aren’t a Christian because you go to church every Sunday, or because you said a prayer, or because you were raised in a Christian home. 

A Christian is someone who knows they are a sinner separated from God, accepts the Bible as the Truth, and commits their life to follow Jesus.

God loves you and desires a relationship with you. 

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” 

Sin separates you from God. 

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

John 14:6 – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”

You must receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

Acts 2:38 – “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”

Conclusion

If you want to know more about having a relationship with God through Jesus, please leave a comment. I would love to provide you with resources to help you on your journey. I want you to have a transformed life.

God Bless,

DonR