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Paul, Peerless Apostle and Prophet (6 of 15)

Focus Text: Galatians 1.10-20

Sometimes rhymes are nice; sometimes they are spice. Sometimes they speak volumes; sometimes their volumes speak. But, when it comes to Paul, a man of great tenacity; It is also needful that we see him as a man of veracity. Corny? Maybe, but at least you get the point!

Veracity can be most simply be defined as the characteristic of being unwilling to tell a lie. Paul was that! Not only was he unwilling to tell a lie, he was unwilling to live a lie. In other words, Paul was a man of great integrity, veracity being a component of that trait. It was his veracity that forced him to declare the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus and the verifiable claims of the Christ that He was Messiah. It was his veracity that forced him to dispute those who denied the resurrection and, by implication, the Supreme authority of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Concerning Paul’s integrity and his veracity, we would do well to consider the four verses from his pen which explicitly claim as much. We will quote each of these verses, draw some conclusions, and make an application as we conclude today’s devotional. First, we quote the verses: “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit…” (Romans 9.1). “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.” (2 Corinthians 11.31). “Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.” (Galatians 1.20). “[F]or which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth [verity; KJV].” (1 Timothy 2.7).

Anyone can claim to speak truth, but the claim in and of itself is of no value. Thieves do not tell you they are thieves; they conceal the fact. Even past Presidents of the United States who have been caught red-handed claimed their innocence (e.g. “I am not a crook!” Nixon; 1973), but the facts eventually contradicted the claims. Paul’s claims to veracity were tested in the crucible of Jewish and eventually Roman trials and persecutions, but there was never one scintilla of evidence available to convict him of any wrong doing, not even of lying! If ever a man’s life was under the microscope of the critics, Paul’s certainly was. Such was Paul’s veracity that the officials who heard the evidence in his case were forced to say, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains… This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” ([Festus and Agrippa conferring and Agrippa to Festus] Acts 26.31-32). However, the real “proof of the pudding” was in the fact that God also bore witness to Paul and to the other apostles and prophets “…with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2.4).

When tenacity and veracity team up, they have no equals! Such were the twin pillars that support the character of the man we know as Paul. He was not divine nor was he blameless, but he lived a life deserving of imitation. That is why he could say, “Imitate me [Paul], just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11.1). The admonition to follow Paul in that way is yet viable today!

Questions:

1. What is the context of Paul’s denial that he was lying in Galatians 1.20?

2. Why is it not wise to accept the mere claims of people as to their honesty or truthfulness?

3. Besides their word, what did God give the prophets to attest to their veracity?

4. Why is tenacity and veracity an unbeatable duo when it comes to things spiritual?

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

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