Gospelology (Part 12)
Perplexed and Perservering
Galatians 4:8-20 ESV
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Idols Are Not God
Idols are not God and if you're not worshiping God, you are worshiping an idol. a. Irreligious Idols: “Whatever controls us is our lord. The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by acceptance. We do not control ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our lives.” (Rebecca Pippert) b. Religious Idols: “Earning oneʼs own salvation through scrupulous Biblical morality and religion is just as much enslavement to idols as outright paganism and all its immoral practices.” (Keller) c. This Was Our Condition When We Did Not Know God i. Rules Over The Redeemer (Jesus Plus Our Obedience) ii. Rituals Over Relationship (Ceremonies Over Communion)
Idols Are: Weak, Worthless, Simple, Worldly, Slave Makers (9-11)
A challenge to idols: Do they die for you or kill you? Can they raise you from the dead and promise you eternity?
Blessing through suffering
Vs. 13 - indicates that a physical ailment was the cause of Paulʼs preaching the gospel to the Galatians at all. “It was because of an illness that I first preached... to you.” That most likely means that he was in Galatia because of either a detour from his planned itinerary or because of a delay in his planned schedule. Either way, he was not planning on preaching the gospel to them. But the illness caused it to happen. 1. God does not promise to bless Christians by avoiding suffering, but to bless Christians through suffering. 2. Ministry does not happen strictly according to human plan. Paul had not targeted Galatia in his strategic planning sessions, but God brought him there.
Differences in goals of ministry
1. The false teachersʼ goal is, “...that you may be zealous for them” (v.17). The gospel-energized ministry does not need to have fans who are emotionally dependent on the leaders. These false teachers are ministering not because they are sure of their salvation but in order to be sure of and win their salvation. This means that they emotionally need to have people emotionally need them. They need their converts and their disciples to be wrapped up in their leaders, obeying and adoring them. Only this can assure them that they are good and great believers, blessed and favored by God. By contrast, Paulʼs goal is in v.19: “till Christ be formed in you.” This is very critical. Despite Paulʼs appeal in v.12 to “become like me,” Paul is only being an example to the Galatians in order for them to be changed into the likeness of Christ. (And Paul does not say “like me,” but “become like me.” He is not trying to get fans but to get people to follow Christ as he does.) Paul wants people not to become dependent on him but on Christ. 2. The false teachers are “zealous to win you over.” This is a way of saying, “They are telling you what you want to hear; they are tickling your ears, pandering to you in order to get your loyalty.” On the other hand, Paul is not telling them such flattering things. He is telling them “the truth” (v.16) and is being vilified for it. Yet (as we alluded under the last question) Paul is putting his truth-telling in the context of many affirmations of his love for them. The gospel frees us from the need for peopleʼs approval and adoration so that we can confront and anger the people we love, if that is what is best for them. And although it does not always work, this is the only kind of communication that really changes people. If you love a person so selfishly that you cannot risk their anger, you wonʼt ever tell them the truth they need to hear. If, on the other hand, you tell a person the truth they need, but with harshness and not with the agony of a lover, they wonʼt listen to it. But if you speak the truth with lots of love evident at the same time, there is a great chance that what you say will penetrate the heart and heal. A gospel-based ministry is marked by loving honesty, not spin, image and flattery.
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