TEXT: Galatians 4:8-20

SUBJECT: Exposition of Galatians #9: A Reproof and A Reminder

This Epistle is Paul's defense of the Gospel. He defends it, not against its avowed enemies, but against its professed friends. They believed in Christ; He was very important to their theology. He was not, however, their "all in all". To their way of thinking, salvation begins with faith in Christ, but doesn't reach maturity apart from the Law of Moses. Paul, however, argues the opposite: It is Christ who "is made our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption". Consequently, "God forbid that (we) should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

From 1:11 through 4:7, Paul demonstrates his point. He begins by proving that he--and not the false teachers--is an Apostle of Jesus, and therefore, an infallible spokesman for God. Next, he reminds them that they received the Holy Spirit, not when they kept the Law, but when the believed in Christ. He goes on to recall the example of Abraham. He was a righteous man--no one denies it. But how did he become righteous? "He believed God". Then he turned to the Law itself; who does the Law justify? He who keeps it perfectly. But what does it do for the rest of us? It curses us! The Law, therefore, never justified a sinner. Finally, he makes the argument from redemptive history. The promise made to Abraham preceded the Mosaic Law; the latter, therefore, cannot annul the former. We receive the blessings of God just as he did: by faith alone.

Paul has made his case. In v.8, he begins to apply it. First, by a reproof (vv.8-11); then by a reminder (vv.12-20). Let's look at each in turn.

First, the reproof, vv.8-11. "But then indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you return to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain".

The Gentile believers were once enslaved to their idols. The servitude was a result of their ignorance--they "did not know God". But then something happened--something wonderful. They "came to know God". Paul arrived in Galatia with the "Good News". He told them that God had long ago promised a Savior; and now--in the "fullness of time--had kept that promise by sending Christ into the world to die for sinners and to rise from the dead to secure their salvation. Now, the pardon of sin is offered to everyone who believes in Him. As the Galatians listened to Paul, they came to believe in Christ and thus to "know God"--which is itself "life eternal".

They came to "know God" says the Apostle. But then, he corrects himself a bit. It is not so much that they came to know God as God came to know them. It is He who took the initiative; it is God who struck up the relationship. The result was freedom! They came to enjoy "the glorious liberty of the children of God". Centuries later, Charles Wesley put the experience in verse:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;

I woke! The dungeon flamed with light!

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

The Galatians were free. But now--Paul is shocked to learn--they are hankering after slavery! "You desire again to be in bondage". In bondage to what? Not to their idols, of course, but to the Law of Moses. They were exchanging one slavery for another. Richard Longenecker comments:

The Galatians prefer slavery to freedom. They were not alone. The Corinthians felt the same way. They couldn't put up with the tender-hearted Paul. But they could "put up with fools...with one who brings (them) into bondage, one who devours (them), one who takes from (them), one who exalts himself--even one who strikes you in the face".

Many believers feel the same today. Freedom scares the bejeebers out of them! They've got to have rules, rules, rules. And more: they've got to have pastors (and others) to enforce the rules. It seems that walking in the Spirit and living in love won't do.

How does Paul know that the Galatians are reverting to slavery? Because they're "observing days and months and seasons and years". What does this mean? It means they're following the Hebrew Calendar with its various Sabbaths. What's wrong with this? In itself, nothing. But when Sabbath-keeping is made a condition for pleasing God or becoming holy, or obtaining a place in the church, it denies the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. And, therefore, it distorts the Gospel. Paul won't allow that.

He's chiefly worried about his friends, but he's also concerned with himself. Paul didn't preach for a paycheck or for a reputation. He preached for souls. Not decisions--but souls. As he looked back upon the work he did in Galatia, he wondered if it was worth it. If they reverted to the Law, he wasted his time. But, of course, he hopes they won't. He wants them to recall the grave disservice they would be doing him if they turned from the message he preached to the legalism of the false teachers.

With these words, Paul has sharply reproved the believers in Galatia. But he won't leave it there. In vv.12-20, he reminds them of a happier time. "Brethren, I urge you to become as I am, for I am as you are. You have not injured me at all. You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. What them was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Have I therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth? They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you".

In v.12, Paul reminds them of their relationship. At the moment, it was strained. But not on Paul's part! He still identifies with them, why won't they--once again--identify with him? And, although they've done him wrong, he hasn't taken it personally. He doesn't resent them in the least; Paul loves them as a father loves his wayward children. Make no mistake about it, Paul's ready to "kiss and make up".

One reason he loves them so much is because he remembers their first meeting. He preached in Galatia--he tells us--"Because of physical infirmity". He had no plans to preach there, but sickness changed his plans. Too ill to travel, he was still able to preach. And preach he did to the Galatians.

How did they receive the sick preacher? "As an angel of God, as Jesus Christ Himself!" Nobody listened more intently than they; no one believed with more joy than they. They were so blessed by Paul's ministry that they would have gladly "plucked out their own eyes" for him. He gratefully remembers their love. Therefore, he hasn't "become their enemy because (he) tells them the truth". He rebuked them--not because he was frustrated--but because they were in grave danger. It was an act of love. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend".

After recalling his love for them, Paul proceeds to expose the legalists' sinister motives. They "zealously court you"--but not for your good. Their goal is to make the Galatians "zealous for them". All they're trying to do is to recruit a party! Paul wants his friends to be "zealous"--but not zealous for men or parties or factions--but "in a good thing". And he wants them to do this on their own, not just when he's there putting pressure on them.

In the vv.19-20, he makes his final plea. He wants "Christ to be formed in (them)". He wants them to quit legalism for good and glory in no one but the Lord Jesus! He wants it so badly that he's willing to labor in birth pangs till it is accomplished!

He knows that his vehemence may be taken wrongly; he knows they think he's enraged. But he's not. He wishes they could see the love on his face as he pleads with them. He'd prefer to speak more moderately--but can't--because he's not sure about their souls. He hopes they'll return to Christ, but fears they'll revert to the Law. This leaves him in a state of deadly apprehension. And so he ends his first appeal--hopeful, but not sure of his beloved brethren.

Paul was a worried pastor. But he wasn't the last pastor to worry about his people. Others have; so do I. We worry that our people will not place all of their trust in Christ; that they'll reserve a little trust for the Law, for the church, for the ordinances, or for something else. But if Galatians teaches anything at all, it teaches this: Our whole trust must be in Christ alone! We trust Him for pardon; we trust Him for holiness; we trust Him for fellowship; we trust Him for glory. And not only do we trust Him for these things, we trust Him alone for these things. Like the disciples on Holy Mount, we must open our eyes and "see no man anymore, save Jesus".