Who hindered you from Obeying the Truth?

Galatians 5:7-12

Do you have a friend who cares enough to tell you when your ladder is on the wrong wall?  You may answer quickly with a yes, if so, count it a blessing, but most do not and especially in Christian circles.  We may tell someone else, but it is exceptional to have a friend who will confront you with the fact that you have missed the mark and are going to reap havoc because of the path you have taken.

In my early 30’s I was just a baby in Christian, but because of my personality and my little experience with the enemy of my soul, I was on a collision course with disaster for my family, with little understanding of the shame it would bring on my Lord’s name.  I had men who saw and understood what was taking place, but only told others. Then I had Mickey Johnson, who confronted me in this manner;  “Bob, I do not agree with anything you are doing, but I love you and will help you if you will let me.  I did not let him, but the Holy Spirit of God used that phone call to show me how off base my life was.  My barber also confronted me, but with a much harsher message of how selfish and ignorant my actions were, and that I only had one choice, confess and repent; how I love those men for telling me what I needed to hear.

The churches of Galatia, as well as all who claim to be a follower of Christ, need to hear these words of the apostle Paul, found in Galatians 5:7, “You were running well.  Who hindered you from obeying the truth?  In John’s second letter he warned us to watch-out, these are his words: “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.”  If you had been in the barbershop when I was confronted, you would have agreed I was left with no wiggle room.  In 2 John 9, we also are not left with wiggle room.  “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

Paul goes on using the example of yeast and dough, “A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough, and he is explaining that it only takes a few people to follow the false teaching of the Judaizers for it to spread quickly.  These Judaizers may have been using the account of Paul having Timothy circumcised, but it was not for salvation, but that young Timothy could minister to the Jewish people. 

Paul ends with this thought; “I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves.” These Judaizers were very religious false teachers, and they were attempting to have faith, plus works.  We no longer call them Judaizers, but we still have false teachers wanting to require Jesus-plus baptism, church membership, tithing, and special worship of days and weeks.  Paul is saying I wish they would lose their manhood in so many words, for he knew that a gospel of Jesus-plus would be passed down to all other generations.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice