Cut Off Galatians 5:12 - Equipped for Battle

If we haven't been able to tell it thus far, Paul is very upset with these Judaizers who have come into the church located in Galatia and filled them with false doctrine. He has stated that their teachings were like leaven that leavens the whole lump, and he has marveled that the church members would believe such balderdash. In chapter five and verse twelve Paul gets even more specific about what he would desire for them. He wrote:

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Paul said, “I would they were even “cut off”...” The idea behind “cut off” is to amputate or mutilate. In other words, Paul desired that these false teachers would be castrated! They desired that the church members be circumcised, and Paul desired that they be castrated! Now this may seem a little extreme for us, but there were those among their society who would castrate themselves in worship to a god named Sybil. This process might be foreign and way out to us, however, we can certainly note the seriousness of Paul's desire when we read these words.

Paul continued, “ ...even cut off which trouble you.” It wasn't that Paul desire that everyone be “cut off” but rather only those who were troubling the church members with their false doctrine. There is little more troubling to a teacher and pastor of the gospel of Jesus Christ than to hear that one of his followers is now believing some false doctrine. Paul's desire was that those who promoted such trouble were not an influence at all in their lives. He saw them as troublemakers, and whenever they brought their false teachings into the church, they were the target of Paul's attention.

Paul was protecting his flock of followers in Galatia as well he should be. He knew they were following the truth, and now because of these trouble-making false teachers, the church members in Galatia were believing a lie. He desired that they be cut off, and he knew that the Galatians would know exactly what he meant and how serious he was about putting these false teachers and their doctrine out of the church. Perhaps if we took note of those who are promoting such false doctrine today with such a serious fervor as Paul we would not see as many fall away from the church. Maybe our desire should be that all who teach these false doctrines be “cut off” in the same manner that Paul desired for those who deceived the Galatians, and may they evermore be cut off.

Next time Paul tells the Galatians what to do with their liberty, so read ahead, and let us join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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