Liberated- Part 12

Introduction- Galatians 4:12-20

Last week we considered the first 11 verses of this chapter in which we find that those who have believed on Christ are no longer under subjection to the law and are no longer in bondage but have been set free.

The scripture here reveals that those who have believed on Christ are no longer slaves but sons.

These receive the full privileges and benefits of sonship in Christ and now are enabled to cry Abba, Father having been adopted into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

This then leads to the question— “Why return to bondage?”—which is exactly what the believers in the churches of Galatia have done.

They have substituted the law now for grace and bondage now for the liberty which is their in Christ.

They were now measuring their Christian experience by the keeping of rituals and religious observances rather than relationship to Christ.

They had apparently been convinced that this was the path to righteousness and justification in the sight of God even though they were already considered righteous being justified by their faith in Christ.

They were now turning to what the scripture refers to as “the weak and beggarly elements” desiring to be in bondage when they could be living in the liberty which is in Christ.

The passage before us today will show how the believers in the churches of Galatia had initially responded to Paul’s ministry among them and what had brought about so drastic a change that now it would seem that they considered him to be an enemy.

This passage will also affirm the deep heartfelt concern which Paul had for these believers which he had invested so heavily in.

Call to Liberty (Vs. 12)

This passage opens with the Apostle Paul pleading with the believers in the churches of Galatia to be as he is as stating that he is as they are.

This may at first seem to be an unusual plea, but it makes perfect sense if we consider exactly what Paul is saying.

Paul was formerly a devout Jew who adhered strictly to all the law and even to the traditions of men which had been added to the law.

Upon coming to faith in Christ, Paul had left the rituals and traditions of Judaism behind—he no longer felt the need to observe all these because he recognized that these could never produce righteousness or justification.

Philippians 3:3–9 “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

It is evident that where Paul’s hope was once in the deeds of the law now he laid aside those things in order to follow Christ exclusively recognizing that righteousness come through faith in Him.

Paul is here challenging the believers in the churches of Galatia to do the same—the statement “I am as ye are” is meant to indicate the fact that Paul no longer lives as a Jew but lives as a Christian just as these Gentile believers had done until the false teachers had come and exerted their influence over them.

Paul is in essence pleading with them to do as he had done—to set aside the deeds of the law in favor of following Christ and His leading in their lives.

He is challenging them to live by faith in Christ submitting to Him rather than living by law and placing themselves in bondage to live according to the dictates of the law.

Paul is challenging them to live in liberty and to avoid the bondage which comes in living by law.

He knew what it was to live by law and had now been set free to live unto Christ and he does not want these believers to make the mistake of picking up what he had set aside knowing full well the effect it will have upon them.

Loving Reception (Vs. 12b-15)

At this point in the epistle Paul again appeals to their past experience—now reminding the believers in the churches of Galatia of the loving reception that they had given him when he had first come to them.

He states first that they have not injured him at all—this seems to be designed to indicate that what he writes now is no written vengefully or spitefully and is not an attempt to simply defend himself—rather he writes to them now out of a genuine concern for their spiritual wellbeing not in response to some injury which they might have inflicted upon him.

Some men might write as Paul does here simply as a result of their wounded pride in an effort to avenge injury and to win back their followers, but that is not the case for Paul.

He then proceeds to remind them how that it was the infirmity of his flesh which had led him to Galatia where he first preached the gospel to them.

We do not know the details of the events which led Paul to Galatia but it seems that he had not planned on going there but some fleshly infirmity had taken him there.

Whatever the circumstances which led him to Galatia, Paul had then preached the gospel there and had received a warm reception.

The people of Galatia had not rejected him in his infirmity, but had received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

They had given him a reception worthy of an angel or even of Jesus Christ had he come among them—indicating that they had welcomed him and his ministry among them in a special manner.

Paul then asks “Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?”—this is an indication that at one time the believers in the churches of Galatia would have said that they were especially blessed to have Paul with them and ministering to them.

Basically Paul is reminding them of their reception of him at the first for the purpose of asking the question— “What changed?”

He testifies of the fact that at one time these believers would have even plucked out their own eyes and given them to him if they could.

Some have suggested that this statement shows that Paul’s infirmity was some ailment of the eyes and though this may be the case it cannot be stated definitively.

The greater point which Paul is making is that they cared deeply for him and were especially receptive to his ministry among them at the first, but now something has changed and they have chosen to reject his influence.

An Enemy Now (Vs. 16-18)

This leads Paul then to ask the question “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

It is evident that the attitude of the believers in the church of Galatia towards Paul had shifted so that now they treated him as though he were an enemy where once they considered him to be a friend and mentor.

He asks them a pointed question—do you now treat me as though I am your enemy simply because I tell you the truth.

The trouble now is that Paul’s words to them conflicted with those of the false teachers and the believers in the churches of Galatia had embraced their erroneous teaching.

Paul had not changed his message but was simply reaffirming the truths that he had already before delivered unto them and yet now they consider him their enemy simply because he has told them the truth.

How tragic it is when men would treat as their enemies those which have done nothing but tell them the truth.

The trouble is that sometimes the truth is inconvenient and confronts us in our error forcing us to reckon with the fact that we have allowed ourselves to be deceived.

This is exactly what has happened to the believers in the churches of Galatia—they have been deceived by the false teachers and have embraced error and now Paul has boldly proclaimed the truth to them and in doing so has forced them to reckon with the fact that they have been deceived.

Paul speaks about the influence of the false teachers stating that they had zealously affected the believers in Galatia but not well.

The false teachers had zealously sought influence in their lives and unfortunately had succeeded in large part but it was not to their benefit because they had led them into error and brought the believers into bondage where before they had lived in liberty.

He also speak of the desire of the false teachers to exclude them—this is an indication of their desire to separate them from Paul’s continued influence on their lives knowing that the allow his continued influence would affect their ability to win them over to themselves.

We should alway approach with great caution anyone who insists that we must separate ourselves from the influence of others in order to dedicate ourselves entirely to following them.

This is a move which is characteristic of cultish leadership and which can lead to the creation of an echo chamber where we are separated from any information that might conflict with what we have been told.

The false teachers sought to isolate the believers in the churches of Galatia from Paul’s influence because they rightly believed that Paul’s influence would negate their own.

Paul then encourages the believers in Galatia that it is always good to be zealously affected so long as it is in a good thing—his desire is not simply to isolate them from the influence of others, only to help them to realize that those whose influence they have yielded themselves now are leading them into error and not truth.

He would have been glad for others to zealously influence them so long as it was according to truth and not leading them into error.

Genuine Concern (Vs. 19-20)

In the next couple of verse we can see the heart which Paul still had for the believers in the churches of Galatia.

He addresses them now as “my little children” a phrase which speaks to the concern which he had for them.

He speaks now of travailing in birth again until Christ be formed in them—this is no doubt a reference to the care and energy he now has devoted to them just as he had done before.

It was Paul who had come to them and who had preached the gospel among them and who undoubtedly had invested a great deal of time and attention to minister to them at the first when they were birthed into the family of God through placing their faith in Christ.

Just as is always the case with newborn babies they had demanded much attention and Paul had sacrificed much to invest in their spiritual growth and yet now as a result of the influence of the false teachers it seems that they have reverted back to this early stage and now Paul must invest much attention and energy in them again until Christ be formed in them.

Paul intends to do whatever is necessary to bring them back to Christ and to cause them again to live in the liberty which is found in Him as a demonstration of his love and concern for them.

His heart longs to return to them so that he might have the opportunity to minister to them in a more personal way because he is deeply concerned about the direction that they are presently moving because of the influence of the false teachers.

It is evident that Paul cared deeply for the believers in the churches of Galatia and would not abandon them to the false teachers but would strive to combat their influence in order to bring the believers back to Christ and to the truth.

Conclusion

Events similar to those recorded here have played out over and over again throughout Christian history up to and including the present day.

So often false teachers zealously seek to influence believers away from the truth and away from the influence of those who have invested so deeply in them from the time that they first came to faith in Christ.

First we must consider the instruction which Paul gives and we must reject the bondage of the law in favor of the liberty that is found in Christ.

We must choose to live by faith rather than to live by law.

We ought also to be mindful of those who have faithfully sacrificed and invested into our lives and not allow ourselves so easily to be turned against them simply because they tell us the truth.

May it never be said of us that we have allowed those who faithfully tell us the truth to become our enemies.

May we be careful that if we are going to be zealously affected that it is in a good thing and not by those who would lead us away from truth and into error.

As a pastor I hope you know that I care deeply for you and long for you to follow Christ.

Your spiritual wellbeing is my greatest concern as your pastor and friend and it is my desire always to tell you the truth and I hope that it will never be the case that I should become your enemy for doing so.

I am glad when you are zealously affected by those who stand in support of the truth but it deeply concerns me when some are zealously affected but not well by those who would deceive them and would lead them away into error and I will do all that I can to combat their influence.