Galatians 2:6
And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.
I’m sure you could name a few “Big-Time” Christians: John MacArthur. Franklin Graham. Greg Laurie. J.D. Greear. Beth Moore. Jeremy Camp. Al Mohler. Tim Tebow. David Platt. Kirk Cameron. There are pastors, musicians, politicians, actors, and businesspeople who are well known for both their accomplishments and their Christianity. Do they intimidate you? Impress you? Disappoint you? Inspire you?
The Apostle Paul knew of a few, too.
Paul received the Gospel from the Lord and that was enough for him. And while he was aware of and possibly even admired the actions of the more famous Christians in the early church, he was not seeking their approval nor relying on them with respect to his own calling and ministry. Bible commentator David Guzik notes that, “Paul didn’t wait for someone else to make him a great Christian. He knew that it came down to a personal relationship between himself and Jesus. This isn’t to say that Paul received nothing from others or that no one else could ever bless him; but his Christian life was not built upon what other people did for him.”
It’s easy to become enamored by the abilities of other people, and that happens in the Church as well. We tend to measure ourselves against the accomplishments of others, but God is no respecter of people or position. As Paul said in this passage, “God shows no partiality,” and we do well to remember that. The Lord holds us accountable for what we do with what we have been given—time, talent, treasure, etc.—and that measurement has nothing to do with other Christians. Whether you can teach like Pastor John MacArthur or sing like Jeremy Camp is irrelevant. Nor should we put them or any other accomplished Christian on a pedestal, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). You can learn from them and even be inspired by them, but you are never to rely on them.
“God is impartial in the bestowment of His gifts and in the selection of His instruments. The apostle takes God for his model, and he judges and acts accordingly” (John Eadie). God has given each of his children a unique set of circumstances and sphere of influence. The main question is never, “What are others doing with theirs,” but rather, “What am I doing with mine?” Paul appreciated the gospel work of the more well-known leaders of the early church, but he was not pre-occupied with it. He could certainly learn from them, but none could be a substitute for learning from God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul knew his calling and kept his eye on that ball. He also knew the Gospel well enough to be a good steward and protector of it’s Truth. As individual Christians and those who seem NOT to be that influential, the calling on our lives is the same. God is the primary source of biblical knowledge, and while we can learn from great Christians, their voices should never be a substitute for His.
