When we know someone is
excited about what they are learning, but then discover that what
they are learning is false doctrine, what are we to do? Perhaps that
question should loom in our minds today as we look further into Paul
the apostle's words to the churches in Galatia where false teachers
called Judaizers have infiltrated the church with the idea that
Christians are to follow the law of God in addition to receiving the
grace of God through Jesus Christ to be saved. Paul has recognized
that the Galatians were zealously affected by these false teachers,
and in chapter four verse eighteen, he shares the importance of
knowing about what one is to be zealously affected. He wrote:
But [it is] good to be
zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am
present with you
Paul
made reference to the Galatians being zealously affected by the
Judaizers in our last verse, and today he adds, “But it is good
to be zealously affected always in a good thing...” It isn't
that Paul is concerned for the church members to burn with zeal, but
rather that they know that it must be “always in a good thing.”
The implication is that they have been zealously affected in
something that is bad. The doctrines of the Judaizers were false, and
to be zealously influenced by them is not good at all. Any teaching
that draws a person away from the gospel of grace by Jesus Christ is
not a good thing.
Paul
adds, “and not only when I am present with you”. There is
something about having someone in authority around that makes people
desire to perform in an acceptable manner. They feel they are being
judged or perhaps have the potential to be judge, so it is natural to
employ better behavior or at least different behavior when one is
being observed. The Galatians were no different. When Paul was around
they acted one way, and it is obvious by Paul's remarks that they
were different when he was away from them. Paul noted their zeal for
good things when he was present, however he desired that they also be
zealous for good things when he was away.
What
would we say we are “zealously affected” by? Is it a good thing
or a bad thing? Is it something that changes when someone in
authority is around, or is it something that we burn with zeal for no
matter who looks upon us? Perhaps as we consider Paul's words to the
Galatians we will note our areas of passion and measure them by the
gospel of grace. We must be sure we align our zeal with the truth of
God's word, and if we find error, our error must be removed no matter
how zealous we are about it.
Next time we will see how tender Paul is toward the church members in
Galatia, so read ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily 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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