Galatians 1:16-17 :
to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
Paul didn’t meet with anyone to learn about Christianity. There were other apostles, but Paul didn’t get his message from them. We learn here that he left the area. Paul received a direct revelation from Jesus Himself. This is an amazing affirmation of His message. Miraculously, Paul was given wisdom about what he was to say and do and it matched what was going on in Jerusalem anyway.
Remember that it was in Damascus that Paul was stricken blind after seeing the light of Jesus’ appearance. The Bible does say, in Acts 9 that Paul immediately started preaching that Jesus was the Son of God, but it was only after he “increased more in strength” that he “confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus” (see Acts 9:1-31). We read here that Paul left for Arabia. That is probably where he “increased more in strength.”
It is interesting to note that even though Paul immediately started preaching, He didn’t stop learning. That’s good for us to know. God can teach us while we work for others. We can learn while doing. Also, God can speak the truth directly to our hearts. It’s important, however to take that fact along with what Paul will be saying later in this letter.
One other important thing is how Paul talks about his salvation. He doesn’t say, “I repented, said the sinners prayer and got saved.” He does say that God revealed “His Son in me.” It was the work of God, not any work of Paul’s. Paul was marching off to hurt God’s people at the time!
Since we are all sinners, when we don’t believe in the message of Jesus Christ, we are marching off to hurt others as well. There is only one thing that is important right now and that is that as many people come to know Jesus as their savior before it is too late for them. Anyone’s unbelief, makes it easier for those around them to stay away from their salvation too. The Bible says that we are like sheep that lead each other astray.
That’s proof that Christianity is not a democracy. Sheep lead each other astray together! Jesus’ government is a Monarchy. It’s hard to accept this in my American culture today, but this is the fact. The only problem with monarchy’s is that a corrupt human has to be the king!