Paul the apostle has
addressed the problem with the Judaizers who were teaching false
doctrine, and he has instructed the Galatian church members to love
one another. But what happens if they do not love one another? We
discover this in today's verse found in Galatians five and verse
fifteen where he wrote:
But if you bite and
devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of
another.
Paul
begins, “But if you bite and devour one another,...” As an
example of walking and living in the flesh rather than the spirit,
Paul contrasts the idea of loving one another with biting and
devouring one another. The idea behind the word “bite” is not
simply a physical biting with the teeth, but implies a wounding to
the soul, a cutting or rending with reproaches. “Devour” means to
consume, eat up, squander or waste. It means to strip one of his
goods, and destroy. Paul knows because of the Judaizers division has
entered the church, and usually when divisions arise people contend
with one another. Paul employs the word “But” to call the
Galatian believers to note that if they ignore the call of the spirit
to love one and serve one another, the fleshly way of biting and
devouring will come naturally.
Paul
goes on to say, “take heed that you be not consumed of another.”
Paul knows the enemy of our soul has one thought in mind, “to
consume and destroy us.” Because people are prone to take sides and
be in opposition as a group to others who do not think like they,
consumption is possible. Most people like to align themselves with
others of similar thinking, and when a person or group of people
think differently, consumption is a natural bent. Paul warns the
church members in Galatia against this happening. The Galatians are
to live after the Spirit, put away the fleshly things, and love one
another. They are to avoid biting, devouring and consuming one
another, and they should be attentive to those who might consume
them.
If
there has been one convicting verse in this book, there have been
many, and today's verse is nonetheless a challenge. How many times
are we caught in the trap of “biting and devouring” one another
rather than loving them? How many times do we allow ourselves to be
brought to defensive positions because we posture under our own ideas
without consideration of others? How many times do we use others'
names when not in their presence just to posture under our own
thinking? Perhaps the challenge to all of us today is to consider
once again how Jesus and Paul said all the law is fulfilled, “love
one another”, and as we do, may all our “biting and devouring”
others subside.
Next time we will see the benefit to walking in the spirit, 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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