Confer Not with Flesh and Blood

"... when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus." -- Gal 1:11-17 (See also, Acts 9.)

From the excerpt above, we learn that, after his conversion, the Apostle Paul first went into isolation, presumably to study and mediate and receive instruction from Christ (1 Cor 11:23, 15:3). For us it is also a lesson on where the authority of pure religion begins -- not with flesh and blood, but rather with Jehovah Himself.

Mankind turns religion into a perversion of what God has decreed (Rom 1:17). The Pharisees of Christ's day were more concerned with procuring the praise and recognition of their fellow man and with the rituals of the Law of Moses than faith in the Most High God they professed to serve. But God is not in the mere practice of religion or ritual. If He has not instituted an ordinance, then of what value is the practice of it?

The Lord Jesus said: "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, ..." (Mark 7:8) "...If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." (Gal 3:21) but " by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Gal 2:16)

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law." (Gal 2:16)

Consulting with "flesh and blood" has sent an untold number of "Christians" to Hell. But "Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Mat 16:17)

Reader, with whom have you consulted concerning the state of your soul? Are you relying upon the inventions of "flesh and blood" or do you believe in the atoning work of Christ crucified for the salvation of your soul?

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" (Gal 3:1) "Beware lest anyone lead you away through philosophy and empty deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Col 2:8)