Monthly Archive for March, 2000

Page 2 of 4

Galatians 4:20

Published on March 21, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“…I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you”
 
I would like to be present with you
 
Paul wishes to be personally present with the Galatians so that he can address them face to face rather than through an epistle. The situation was so grave in Galatia that Paul wished to be there so that he could diagnose it more accurately and deal with it more directly.
 
now
The word “now” is the emphatic word of this verse. The church was at a grave point in their spiritual journey.
and to change my tone;
It is difficult to put the tone of one’s heart in a letter. Paul wanted to adapt his voice to the true situation in Galatia. It is always wise for leaders to understand the context in dealing with a problem situation in a local church.
for I have doubts about you
The relapse into legalism perplexed Paul. He was at loss to come up with an adequate reason for the Galatians leaving the grace principle. The word “doubt” means to be without a way to go and so to be puzzled. Paul doesn’t know what to think of the Galatians. How could he teach the grace principle so clearly, and yet they turn away from it so quickly?
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).
Principle:
Good leaders concern themselves with tone as well as truth in confronting false doctrine.
Application:
Do you love truth enough so that when believers relapse into false doctrine, you grieve over them? Does their aberrant doctrine puzzle you? People with a heart for truth find themselves bewildered by people who go sideways theologically. People who love truth will take a stand for truth. Not because they are obnoxious but because they honor God’s Word.
Mature Christian leaders do not rush into doctrinal error like a bull in a China shop. They seek to understand the context of the situation. They concern themselves with tone as well as truth.
Share

Galatians 4:19

Published on March 20, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…”
 
My little children,
 
Paul views himself as a mother and calls the Galatians “my little children.” Paul bases his appeal to the Galatians on the fact that he nursed them into salvation by teaching them the grace principle of faith in the finished work of Christ.
 
“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8).
 
for whom I labor in birth again
A mother goes through birth pangs in bringing a child into the world. Paul experienced birth pangs in leading the Galatians to Christ while in Galatia. Now he goes through birth pangs “again” by helping them apply the principle of grace to their Christian living. How many mothers go through birth pangs two times for the same child? He seeks to help the Galatians understand how to live the grace principle in an ongoing way.
until Christ is formed in you
The word “formed” means to give shape to. Paul’s desire is that his followers would take on the shape of Christ like a fetus takes shape within the mother’s womb. We cannot become like Christ by legalism, by the external and extrinsic. We become like Him by the real and inward. The forming of Christ in us is the outward expression of the inner nature God gives us through grace. We cannot fully form to the image of Christ unless we operate on the principle of grace. Grace produces the likeness of Christ.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The outward form of our Christian lives must correspond to our inner life in Christ. We need to give outward evidence of the indwelling Christ.
Principle:
Legalism restricts the character of Christ from developing in the believer; grace is the basis for growth in the Christian life.
Application:
Some Christians understand the grace of God in salvation, but they inconsistently live the Christian life by attempting to gain merit with God by works. Both salvation and sanctification are by faith apart from works. Works are the result, not the cause, of spirituality.
Many Christians have a case of arrested spiritual development due to legalism. The fundamental flaw of legalism is the allusion that we can become like Christ by self-effort. If this is so, then we have a flawed Savior. We must trust Christ and Him alone for our spiritual growth.
The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ by filling us (John 7:39; 16:14; Ephesians 5:18). He produces the character of Christ in us and thus glorifies Christ in us (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19,20). The filling of the Spirit is the supernatural means of doing this.
“You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18 )
The exercise of faith orients our heart to Christ. Christ’s character develops in us as we trust in His person and work.
Share

Galatians 4:18

Published on March 19, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you”
 
But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always,
 
Zeal is commendable, if other criteria are also present. Paul was zealous for the Galatians, but truth controlled his zeal. Paul did not preach to gain popularity (Philippians 1:15-18), but he preached truth even when it cost him personally.
 
Paul is not against other leaders influencing the Galatians so long as they did so “in a good thing.” He did not exclude other leaders from interaction with his followers.
and not only when I am present with you
The Galatians had zeal for grace when Paul was with them, but when he left, they became vulnerable to the legalists. God’s work should never depend on people. It must go on even when key leaders must leave. The fact that other leaders are zealous toward Paul’s followers is not wrong in itself. He welcomes the fact that his followers would attach themselves to other leaders, so long as those leaders teach truth.
Principle:
Freedom from pettiness advances the cause of Christ.
Application:
Zeal is good if we exercise it under the restraint of truth. Leaders should release their followers to the influence of other leaders, so long as those leaders teach truth.
Christian leaders should not possess their followers so as to exclude others from having influence on them. God uses different people with different gifts. Some sow, others water, yet others reap. Petty jealousy should never get in the way of the growth of our followers. Great leaders seek the welfare of their people, not their own welfare.
Share

Galatians 4:17

Published on March 18, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them”
 
Paul now challenges the Galatians to change their attitude toward him (Galatians 17-20). He warns them of being manipulated by bad motives.
 
They zealously court you, but for no good;
The legalists were zealous. Zeal in itself is not good, but zeal for truth is good. Their courting the Galatians was unadulterated manipulation. They did not seek the good of the Galatians, but their own gain.
yes, they want to exclude you,
The word “exclude” means to shut out. The legalists wanted to shut the Galatians out of grace. They wanted to introduce merit into salvation and sanctification. In order to do this, they had to lock out Paul from having any influence on the Galatians. The ultimate aim is to get the Galatians to follow them.
that you may be zealous for them
The double use of “zealous” shows the motivation behind the legalizing Judaizers. The Judaizers zealously courted the Galatians to persuade them to join their camp. They were not interested in the truth; they were interested in a following. The end justifies the means, so their group became an end in itself. They did not truly love the Galatians but only used them. Legalists preyed on the Galatians, so that they would unite behind them.
Principle:
Flattery always blinds us to truth.
Application:
Many naive Christians use zeal as their sole criterion for determining whether something is true. They figure if a person shows passion about something, then it must be real. This may be true sometimes, but there is more than just one reason why people show passion about something. To hold to this single criterion for determining truth is to put oneself at great danger of being swayed by something other than truth.
The usual method whereby false teachers mislead their followers is to demonstrate great zeal for their subject. Most cults display great concern for prospective followers. Their true interest is power lust. They use religious means to satisfy their hunger for power. False teachers will fawn all over people to get their attention.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light [not darkness]. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Share

Galatians 4:16

Published on March 17, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”
 
Have I therefore become your enemy
Paul pointedly spells out the issue that the Galatians did not want to face – Paul tells the truth about legalism. The Galatians did not want to part from their valued legalism. They moved from the one extreme of wanting to give their eyes for Paul (Galatians 4:15) to the other extreme of regarding him as an “enemy.” They went from greatly loving Paul to greatly hating him.
 
“Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8).
because I tell you the truth?
Paul became the enemy of the Galatians because he told the truth about the error of legalism. He confronted them with truth, not opinion. A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. Grace was an unwelcome idea to them.
 
A true friend tells the truth even when the truth hurts. The truth hurt the Galatians, because they would have to renounce their prized false teaching. Truth can damn us.
Principle:
True love tells the truth even when it hurts.
Application:
It is precarious business to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It is amazing how many people are willing to count someone their enemy when they tell the truth. Biblically, someone who tells us the truth is our best supporter.
“Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5).
There are times when pastors must tell their congregation the truth, but the church members do not want to hear it. They reject their pastors because they reject their message. This is a necessary peril of ministry. Preachers should bite the bullet and pay the price for truth even if it costs them their job. Sadly, there are ministers and leaders who withhold telling the truth for fear of offending people.
Grace, amazingly, is a revolting thought to many people. Faithful teaching of God’s Word will fly in the face of legalism. Many people in the church today are poised to embrace legalism. A faithful teacher of God’s Word will confront this proclivity.
Many Christians are always on the search for new things. They are more than ready to cast off their past, because they are titillated by things they have never experienced. They are blind to foundational truth of the Word.
Share

Galatians 4:15

Published on March 16, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me”
 
What then was the blessing you enjoyed?
 
“Blessing” indicates an ascription of blessing rather than a state, to pronounce one blessed. The Galatians counted themselves blessed when they first heard the gospel of grace. What has happened to that conviction? It does not appear that they hold that belief any longer. They formerly received Paul with a sense of blessedness, what has happened? They no longer view him and his message as a blessing, whereas once his physical appearance did not bother them (Galatians 4:14), now they are repulsed by his message of grace.
 
For I bear you witness that, if possible,
Paul did not say it was possible for the Galatians to pluck out their eyes. The “if” in the Greek means “if, and it is not so.” The “if” is a contrary to the fact “if”. Paul speaks hypothetically of the time when they first grasped grace as a reality. At one time they would have gone to great lengths for the apostle Paul. Now they follow legalistic leaders. They are both unstable and fickle. They went from deep love for Paul to intense hatred . They are now his enemies (Galatians 4:16).
you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me
There was a time when the Galatians would have torn out their eyes for Paul. This may indicate that Paul’s physical problem was an eye problem. Paul may speak with hyperbole but the idea is clear that they had great love for him when they first became Christians.
“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved” (2 Corinthians 12:15).
Principle:
Whenever we abandon the principle of grace, we become spiritually fickle.
Application:
Whenever we lose sight of the wonder of the gospel of grace, our hearts will grow cold toward God. Our zeal will decrease. Legalism always robs us of blessedness and spiritual prosperity.
Share

Galatians 4:14

Published on March 15, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus”
 
And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject,
 
When Paul came to Galatia to preach the gospel, he came with an appalling disease that reeked havoc on his appearance. Despite his looks, the Galatians received him with open arms.
 
Paul uses two terms to describe the Galatians’ response to his coming: they did not “despise” or “reject” him. The word “despise” means to set at naught, treat with utter contempt. They did not regard him as of no account. They did not disdain him as a person because of his illness. The Galatians saw beyond the repulsion of his appearance.
The second word “reject” is a compound word made up of two words: to spit and out. They did not spit him out when he came. They did not spurn him or his message.
Paul healed many people but he could not heal himself. He preached Christ as a handicapped man. God left him with this infirmity so that he would depend on God in his ministry (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus
The Galatians showed huge respect for Paul when he first came to Galatia. The word “received” means welcome. They not only tolerated him, they embraced him. His appearance did not affect the way they viewed his message.
The Galatians received Paul “as Christ Jesus,” as a representative of Christ. Paul was not handsome. There is no evidence that he had a great personality. He came to Galatia as a total stranger with no advance man or advertising. He was not impressive. He had nothing but God’s Word.
“‘For his letters,’ they say, ‘are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible’” (2 Corinthians 10:10).
Principle:
God uses people with insurmountable barriers.
Application:
Some people feel that they cannot be servants of Christ unless they are attractive with a great personality. There are few people with outstanding gifts in the service of the Lord. Most of us do not have all the resources. God even uses people with limitations.
God does not necessarily use people with promotional ability and good looks. God transcends a great personality to get His message across. A bracelet in a brown paper bag is as valuable as a bracelet in a beautiful box.
Share

Galatians 4:13

Published on March 14, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first”
 
You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first
 
When Paul came to preach the gospel the first time in Galatia, he came with physical illness. Paul did not come to Galatia with personal power or strength, he came with “physical infirmity” depending on the grace of God.
 
Principle:
Handicaps help grace.
Application:
When we feel that we have little means to preach the gospel, we must depend on the Lord’s provision. Handicaps help, not hinder, grace.
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Share

Galatians 4:12

Published on March 13, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all”
 
Paul now shifts his approach from dealing in the historical and doctrinal, to personally appealing to the Galatians remembering their initial reception of the grace principle (Galatians 4:12-20). At their conversion they accepted the mutually exclusive principle of grace.
 
Brethren,
Paul makes an appeal to the Galatians based on their relationship in Christ. Why should they resent him for telling the truth?
I urge you to become like me,
Paul is faithful to the gospel of grace. He now urges the Galatians to be faithful to the gospel as well. As a Pharisee, Paul was proud of his self-righteousness but when he came to Christ, he left self-righteousness for Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:4-9). He completely threw himself on the grace of God. Paul’s appeal is that the Galatians would come to the same position.
for I became like you.
Where Paul was once, the Galatians are now — legalistic. Paul laid aside legalism to take his place beside the Gentiles. He gave up legalism and its associations. Paul urges the Galatians to abandon the law as a system of gaining God’s approval as he abandoned it for them.
Paul was just like the Galatians when they received Christ. They rejected religion as a way of salvation and fell on Christ as their only hope. Paul is a man of grace, for he rejected legalism as a way of salvation. He understood the pressure legalism could put on people.
You have not injured me at all
The Galatians did not injure Paul in their regression into legalism. This is not a personal issue with Paul. He has no personal quarrel with them.
Principle:
We should not make doctrinal battles a personal issue.
Application:
When someone falls into false doctrine, it becomes not only an issue of principle but also an issue of people. False doctrine is a valid area for falling out with those who err from the truth. In any case, mature Christians cannot allow personal feelings to get in the way of principle or essential truth. If we allow feelings to get in the way of truth, we undermine truth. There is no place for unfriendliness and hostility in the work of Christ.
Fighting for the principle of grace should never become a personal issue, however, it is worth the price of war on grounds of principle. The issue is too great and the stakes too high to cave into the false teachings of legalism. We should not view this as an attack on us personally; it is an attack on the person and work of Christ. Legalism puts people in a religious straightjacket.
Share

Galatians 4:11

Published on March 12, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
Read Introduction to Galatians

 

“I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain”
 
I am afraid for you,
 
Paul fears for the Galatians because of their relapse into legalism. How easily we surrender the grace principle! The issue here is clearly a danger for Christians, not non-Christians.
 
lest I have labored for you
The word “labored” means labor to the point of exhaustion. Paul went to great lengths in his labor for the Galatians.
The words “for you” indicate that Paul aimed at obtaining results in his ministry at Galatia.
in vain
If the Galatians revert into legalism, Paul would have labored in vain. Paul’s labour to the point of exhaustion for the Galatians was fruitless if they fall back into legalism.
Principle:
We should design our ministry to obtain results.
Application:
A great heartache of ministry is for a leader to pour his or her life into someone and then watch them go off on some theological tangent. The best contribution we can make to those who follow us is to give them the Word of God and trust that it will remain in their souls.
“…holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:16).
Anyone who violates the equation Christ plus nothing, shackles himself or herself with legalism. Christ plus nothing equals salvation. Christ plus nothing equals sanctification. It is not Christ plus our religion. It is Christ plus nothing, period!
Many Christians are more than willing to defect from the principle of grace. Some people are incurably religious. They want to go through religious rigor to gain favor with God. This gives them the feeling that they can make some contribution on their own that will commend them to God. They have great difficulty in accepting pure, unadulterated grace.
Share