“Galatians 4:16-20”

Saturday, July 21, 2018

“So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you — but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”

---End of Scripture verses---

At one point in time the Galatians had received Paul as “an angel from God” and even “as Christ Jesus himself” (verse 14). They would have given their own eyes for him if that had been a necessity and possibility (verse 15). In other words, they really loved, respected and appreciated Paul and his teaching. But now, somehow, their attitude toward him and opinion of him had changed. And it was actually because he had been “telling them the truth” about their spiritual decline (verse 16).

Far too often it is the case that people just don’t like to hear the truth. And when someone with their best interests at heart tells them what they NEED but do not WANT to hear, they despise the messenger instead of being honest with themselves. But you know what? We still need to SPEAK and HEAR the truth just the same. No matter how badly it hurts to hear, the truth is still the truth. Don’t stone the messenger. Take an honest look at the person in the mirror and make the necessary changes.

Paul was willing to risk becoming the ENEMIES of his brethren in order to try and SAVE his brethren. Paul was trying to form Christ in them all over again (verse 19). This meant that they had lost their first love (Revelation 2:4), and had fallen from God’s saving grace (Galatians 5:4). Yes, Christians can, by disobedience and faithlessness, lose the salvation that they had gained by obedience and faith. In spite of the fact that Paul loved his brethren in Christ, he would not tickle their ears with pleasant words. In fact, he spoke to them in this harsh manner precisely BECAUSE he loved them.

He wished that he could actually talk to them face-to-face instead of by letter so that he could “change his tone” (verse 20). If he was with them personally, maybe he could convince and convict them of the truth and elicit their repentance so that he could talk to them less severely. He didn’t enjoy the tough love he was administering, even though it was necessary. Unfortunately, while Paul was out of their sight, he was also out of their minds (verse 18). We must be careful to do the right things all of the time, not just when certain people that we respect are watching and can see what we are doing.

We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Our God is out of sight (physically), but we dare not let Him slip out of mind.

Please read the allegory in Galatians 4:21-31 for tomorrow.

Have a great day!

-Louie Taylor

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