Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday weekend is on the horizon, and mentioning him here today fits with a verse I want to hone in on this morning (Galatians 4:16). Growing up in the South, I remember not so much of when Dr. King was evangelizing and actively campaigning for social change. (I was in the single digits of years...) But, I do remember the controversy surrounding making his birthday a national holiday. And, back then in the South, especially, there was a lo-o-o-ot of controversy.
The main reason for this was that Dr. King advocated for social change, and in so doing, made many enemies (including the one who assassinated him). As he lay dying, he could have mouthed Galatians 4:16 - - -
16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Now, not all versions of "social change" are good. You can argue with me about whether Dr. King's version of the truth was the whole truth or not. That would be a distraction, and not at all the point of my illustration. The point is that the truth changes people and often makes the truth-teller a target.
This is what was happening in Galatia, concerning Paul. Paul had started the Galatian church, but found himself (and the truth) being marginalized and fiercely criticized after he moved on to deliver the gospel elsewhere.
I admire Paul and others like them, whose hearts burn with the message they've been given to share. No shrinking violets are they! Even if I disagree with the content of the message, I admire those who are willing to take a stand and "put it out there". Paul says a couple of verses later ... (Galatians 4:18 KJV)
It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing!
Or, as The Message puts it:
It is a good thing to be ardent in doing good.
As far as the gospel is concerned, it is not a good thing to keep quiet about it. We were commanded by the Master to be bold in sharing it, with everyone (Matthew 28:19-20). What we often fail to anticipate, though, is the opposition we will face when we do. Jesus saw that coming, and told us so in John 15:18-19...
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
No surprise, right? The message of the gospel is antithetical to the ruling philosophies of this world.
The false teachers of Galatians wanted to shut the baby Christians out of the freedom that is God's grace, so that they would always be dependent upon the Judaizers for approval and direction (4:17).
The Galatians were unprepared for the battle, apparently, because look at their response to the law-bringers, the rule-peddlers, the enemies of the truth. Paul says in 4:8-11 (The Message) ...
Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those paper tigers? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!
Not an effective battle strategy, I'm afraid, this bowing down to paper tigers, this returning to enslavement. Yet, it is one that the redeemed of the Lord, Christ-followers, sometimes devolve to, losing ground in the process. Our spiritual progress is sometimes "two steps forward, and one step back". We willingly enslave ourselves to forces which have no power over us. I know I've been guilty. Old habits die hard. Often the truth dies on the altar of the comfortable.
In response to the Galatians' veering far off the path, Paul was fearless in proclaiming to them (again) the liberating truth of the gospel. The character trait of truth-bearers: fearlessness in the face of opposition, courage in delivering an unpopular message.
The same God who told us to "Love one another" (John 13:34) also told us repeatedly to "Fear not" (Luke 12:32, e.g.) So, I'm not talking about those who just love to be disagreeable. I'm talking about being fearless in telling the truth, but doing so with love in our hearts. Soon, we'll be examining the fruits of the Spirit, in the next chapter, in fact. They are indispensable for all Christ-followers, all of whom are, like it or not, truth-bearers.
Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.
From the fears that long have bound us,
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.1
God of Grace and God of Glory, Henry E. Fosdick, 1930.
Lord, give us wisdom, courage and opportunity to share the gospel. Empower us with your Sprit and deliver us from our backsliding into the more familiar, unrighteous ways of living. In Jesus' name, amen.
Source:
http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/godgrace.htm
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