Extreme Allusion
Sanctification • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
I don’t think people realize how passionately they are loved by godly pastors and elders.
Zeal for the good of the saints is what drives godly men to serve the saints.
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. 7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection 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 very dear to us. 9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. 18 For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; 8 for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, 10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? 11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
Paul’s passion for the good of these saints and for the godliness of their conduct and receipt of their reward drove him to be emphatic at times.
ILLUSTRATION:
1 While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. 4 The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.” 6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. 9 Those who died by the plague were 24,000.
The emotion that Paul has concerning how badly he wishes for these people to grow properly in Christ leads him to very strong language.
He has been pouring out his heart to these people in love and pastoral concern.
12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.
19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—
Body:
Body:
v. 12
v. 12
12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
“Imprecatory”
Psalms (Vol. I) § 5. Chief Groups of Psalms
One other group of psalms seems to require special notice, viz. “the Imprecatory or Comminatory Psalms.” These psalms have been called “vindictive,” and said to breathe a most unchristian spirit of revenge and hatred. To some truly pious persons they seem shocking; and to a much larger number they are more or less a matter of difficulty. Pss. 35, 69, and 109 are especially objected to; but the spirit which animates these compositions is one which constantly recurs; e.g. in Pss. 5:10; 28:4; 40:14, 15; 55:16; 58:6, 9; 79:6–12; 83:9–18, etc. Now, it is not, perhaps, a sufficient answer, but it is some answer, to note that these imprecatory psalms are, for the most part, national songs; and that the utterers of them are calling for vengeance, not so much on their own personal enemies, as on the enemies of their nation, whom they look upon also as God’s enemies, since Israel is his people.
Psalms (Vol. I) § 5. Chief Groups of Psalms
Further, the “imprecations,” if we must so term them, are evidently “the outpourings of hearts animated by the highest love of truth and righteousness and goodness,” jealous of God’s honour, and haters of iniquity. They are the outcome of a righteous indignation, provoked by the wickedness and cruelty of the oppressors, and by pity for the sufferings of their victims.
Psalms (Vol. I) § 5. Chief Groups of Psalms
Bishop Alexander has noticed that “each of the psalms in which the strongest imprecatory passages are found contains also gentle undertones, breathings of beneficent love.” The writers’ desire is that the wicked may be recovered, while their conviction is that God’s chastisements alone can recover them.
v.13
v.13
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Galatians 5:13
13 For you were called to afreedom, brethren; bonly do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love cserve one another.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Galatians 4:21
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not alisten to the law?
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Galatians 4:26
26 But athe Jerusalem above is free; 1she is our mother.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Galatians 4:31
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, 1but of the free woman.
Galatians 5:13 (UBS4)
13
Ὑμεῖς 2pl you all
γὰρ conj for
ἐπʼ prep upon
ἐλευθερίᾳ msdat freedom
Freedom in what sense?
ἐκλήθητε, 2pl apassind you have been called out
ἀδελφοί· mplnom brethren
μόνον msacc only
μὴ negative
τὴν ἐλευθερίαν msacc the freedom
εἰς prep into
ἀφορμὴν msacc no starting point
ἀφορμή, ῆς, ἡ strictly starting point or base of operations for an expedition; hence (1) occasion, opportunity, favorable circumstance (RO 7:8; GA 5:13); (2) pretext, excuse (2C 11:12)1
1 Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Baker’s Greek New Testament Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 84.
τῇ σαρκί, msdat by the flesh
ἀλλὰ conj but rather
διὰ prep because/through
τῆς ἀγάπης fsgen of love
δουλεύετε 2pl paimpv serve/be enslaved
ἀλλήλοις. mpldat to one another
v.14
v.14
14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.