Misplaced Passion

Becoming, 12

Paul became like them

Not embracing their wrong beliefs

Not embracing their bad behaviors

Embracing their general culture. The Gospel has always caused the development of a hybrid culture. But our hybrid culture is not the Gospel. We do not seek to outsource our hybrid culture, we seek to present the Gospel and let it do its thing, aware that it will create a different hybrid culture in a different place.

1 Corinthians 9:19–22 NKJV

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Paul wants them to become like him. In what way? in embracing Christian liberty and not turning to religious law. The harm (injury) they were doing was to themselves, not him.

Accepting, 13-15

Because - by means of. His physical infirmity did not cause him to preach to them, He preached to them despite his physical infirmity. What infirmity? The context mentions that it was a trial in his flesh, that it was something that could naturally caused them to despise or reject him, and that it had to do with his eyes.

Galatians 6:11 NKJV

11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!

Romans 16:22 NKJV

22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

Acts 23:1–5 NKJV

1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” 4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

Paul may have been out of circulation a bit, but he knew who all the major players in judaism were…even if he could not see them when they spoke.

Paul’s conversion experience left him blinded

Acts 9:8–9 NKJV

8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:17–18 NKJV

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NKJV

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 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. 10 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.

While we do not know for sure, there is ample evidence to suggest Paul had ongoing problems with his eyes that caused blindness but also may have been caused seepage of his eyes and ongoing medical attention. It is probably not coincidental that one of his closest companions was also a doctor (Luke).

In the ancient world (and very often in the modern world too, despite our protestations) people with chronic ailments are looked upon as somehow inferior and rejected rather than embraced. Despite this tendency, the Galatians had embraced Paul and the message of the Gospel.

Questioning, 16

Why is it that those who are being truthful with us are sometimes deemed to be our enemy when they are really being more of a friend than those who mislead us?

Passion, 17-18

Zeal is what we would think of as passion.

The Judaizers were passionate in recruiting the Galatians

The Judaizers wanted the Galatians to be passionate about their religion

Paul agreed that it is good to be passionate…but about the right things

The passion that the Judaizers had was to “exclude” the Galatians. They wanted to pull them away from the liberty that the truth afforded them and into the bondage that a counterfeit allowed them.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: It’s Time to Grow up! (Galatians 4:1–18)

They had not lost the experience of salvation—they were still Christians; but they were losing the enjoyment of their salvation and finding satisfaction in their works instead. Sad to say, they did not realize their losses. They actually thought they were becoming better Christians by substituting Law for grace, and the religious deeds of the flesh for the fruit of the Spirit.

We tend to be be passionate about a lot of things, but not always about the right things. Paul’s passion here was for their continued freedom in the truth. What is our passion?