When we back off and think
about it for a moment, we might wonder why Paul the apostle is having
to make a defense against false teachers who have crept into the
churches of Galatia. We might ask, shouldn't the gospel of Jesus
Christ be able to prevail against all onslaughts against it? However,
we must keep in mind that Satan, our enemy, desires to do everything
he can to stop the true gospel. One of the ways he works is to
infiltrate the church with false doctrine, and often he will use
people who are in authority to promote it. In Paul's case, he will
not acquiesce to anyone for the sake of the gospel, and we discover
an example of this in chapter two and verse five where we read:
To whom we gave place
by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel
might continue with you.
There
were authorities among the church membership in Galatia who were
promoting the idea that each Gentile who was saved by Jesus Christ
must also be circumcised and keep the law. In the book of Acts
chapter fifteen, at the first church council in Jerusalem, those
within leadership decided what the Gentiles should and should not
follow when it came to the law, however, these teachers in Galatia
were promulgating more. Paul says, “To whom we gave place by
subjection, no, not for an hour;”. In other words Paul and his
companions did not yield to these authorities or make themselves
servants to them for any time at all. In today's vernacular we might
say, “we didn't give them the time of day” or “we totally
ignored them and their positions.” We must admit that when it came
to the gospel, Paul would back down to no one.
Paul
then shares the reason he would not back down from them, “that
the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” When
outsiders, false teachers, or false brethren presented other ideas
and persuasions that were against the truth of the gospel, Paul stood
against them. The integrity of the gospel of Jesus Christ was at
stake, and Paul being authorized by God the Father and His Son Jesus
Christ to be an apostle, would speak out strongly against it or them.
Paul was taught the gospel by Jesus Himself, and there was no
variance from the truth which Jesus presented no matter who was in
authority promoting something else. Paul desired that not only would
the people of Galatia know the gospel, but that the gospel as
presented by him in the original form would stay with them.
When we
ponder this verse, we might wonder how strongly we stand for the
gospel of Jesus Christ when others come in with some other ideas or
teachings? We live in a time where it seems that every day we have
those come into our society with a “gospel” which is in direct
opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They promote their cause,
their thoughts, their ways, and sometimes even state that “it
really doesn't matter what you believe as long as it is okay with
you”. This was not the case with Paul. Paul stood when it may not
have been popular to stand. Paul defended even if there were those
who were in authority promoting the idea. The intimidation factor had
no power when Paul saw teaching that was against the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and we would do well to gather from his standing as the
coming days approach us. The deterioration of the gospel is a devise
used by none other than Satan himself, and those who promote it are
nothing more than tools in his hand. Let us stand when we need to
stand. Let us defend when we need to defend, and may the boldness to
speak as we ought be granted by the Holy Spirit of God to everyone of
us as we face those in opposition to our Lord.
Next
time will see how Paul treated those in authority, so read ahead, and
let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to
Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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