Law is Blessing Lost - Part 1
Galatians 4:15-20 · Bob Eckel · Aug 1, 2010
Galatians (2010), No. 31
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926211167187

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

So the title of today's lesson is Law is Blessing Loss, and it's a two-part series. And when Roger and Randy and I kind of arranged the teaching, we found a number of areas of Galatians that were kind of two-part series. And we've tried to have the same teacher for both. Occasionally that breaks down, but I'll be teaching next week again. And I'm particularly excited because I've broken six verses down to four this week and two next week.

And the reason just to next week is if you just peek ahead to verse 19 it says, until Christ be formed in you. And so I think, you know, verse 19 will encompass much of what we deal with next week, this process of Christ being formed within us. And really that is identification truth played out to its extent. So we're going to set the stage for that Christ being formed in us today to kind of look at what happened to the Galatians here over time as Paul has made his second visit to the Church of Galatia and what subsequently followed. So let's read the entire passage. In fact, it might be good to begin at verse 8, and let's read down through verse 20, and today we'll cover 15 through 18. Tom, Bible open, ready to read?

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto men which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are not of God, how turn ye again to the weak and vaguely elements, whereunto ye desire a hint I am afraid for you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

President, I beseech you, be as I am for I am as you are. You have not injured me at all. You know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but not well. Yea, they would exclude you that you might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good time, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I trivet on birth again until Christ be formed in you, Okay, thanks Tom. All right, so verse 15.

What then 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. Kind of a profound verse and actually when you first look at this you're kind of, I was kind of confused by this. There seemed to be kind of a number of different messages within this verse and And I think you really need to interpret this in context with some historical perspective of where Paul's coming from.

The gratulation of the flesh. Okay, blessedness. This blessing you enjoyed, in fact, may have been false and not have been well grounded. So let's just turn to Romans briefly. There are many other passages that reflect on this kind of congratulation or congratulating the flesh on works well done. And this is, I think, to what Paul is speaking here. So whoever comes up with those verses, Romans 4, 6 and 9, you could read, in fact, 6 through 9 would be fine.

Knowing this, that our old self is crucified with him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again, death no longer is master over us. I'm not sure that those were the right verses. As you were reading it, I said, that's beautiful scripture. I wasn't quite sure that that's what I had intended. OK, Cheryl. Go ahead, please. No, this is fine. This is good. All scripture is. Anyway.

Just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those who lawless deeds have been forgiven, whose sins have been covered, blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. Is this blessing then on the circumcised or on the uncircumcised also? where we say faith was credited to Abraham of righteousness. Okay, so we're dealing here with congratulations or self admiration and the blessedness. In fact what Paul's beginning to address in these verses now is the blessedness that they once knew has now lost them. and in fact is now being looked upon in terms of their own response to legal principles. And we'll build that case going forward. So the term here, blessedness, relates to gratulation here of the flesh and not the blessedness the Lord gives us in the Lord Jesus Christ. The time of Paul's first is that the Galatians gratefully acknowledged the fact that Paul had come to them with a gospel. And that's what Paul's alluding to here.

He said, I first came and you were thrilled about what I had to tell you, and now for some reason things have changed. And you've fallen under the principles of law from whence you came. Why? What's really happened here? And so they in fact were so filled with joy the first time he came, I state here, that there was a sense of obligation, so much that they were willing to pluck out their eyes. to get to Paul. I mean they were so thrilled with the message of the Lord Jesus Christ and his crucifixion and burial and resurrection, this gospel message that ultimately they were willing to sacrifice of their own eyes. Yes, Tom. It's quite possible that Paul may have exhibited symptoms of physical infirmity and they were so grateful for what they first got that they were willing to So, the question is, is this a proverbial phrase for the greatest self-sacrifice?

If you look at the Sermon on the Mountain of Beatitudes, actually, I mean, Matthew 5, 29 gives us, you know, let's turn to Matthew 29, because I don't want to misquote it. When I first got saved, I memorized Matthew 5, 6, and 7, because I thought that was the Christian life. And I kept falling short of all this that I had memorized. And the more I worked on the memory, the farther short I fell.

But anyway, Matthew 5.29.

Somebody, please. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. For it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish. and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Okay, so this is simply a verse to turn to, and this is Old Testament based also, where in fact, you know, this idea of being under some legal system, gee, if we get, if the YFN should take it out, and anyway, I mean, the concept of being able to take care of everything that's part of the flesh to ultimately bring God's grace to us is really a false principle. And back to what Thomas said. Could this in any way relate to Paul's thorn in the flesh? And let's look at these verses. So Tom, I'm going to give you the longer passage, 2 Corinthians 12, 1 through 7.

Ingrid, could you do Galatians 6.11 for us?

And Roy, how about Acts 22.11? And I'm going to let you make your own conclusions here. Was Paul's thorn in the flesh his vision? And all these verses kind of suggest that it could be. So whoever has the verse, please.

Okay, so some people have interpreted these large letters he wrote was because they didn't see very well. It's kind of like people who are deaf speak loudly. I mean, people who are blind or relatively blind write with larger letters. I mean, all of our aging grandparents and stuff, you give them big print, Reader's Digest or whatever you gave them.

So is that what Paul was writing the script in large letters for? Tom? I'm wondering if it's more like, now hear this. OK, could be. I'm not going to make an interpretation here. We're just setting the possibility to address the point you brought up.

Roy, Acts 22.11.

Yeah, this is when he was on the road there. And when I could not see for the glory of that light being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Okay, so Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus. Is it possible there was some residual effect of that blinding? Tom, the longer passage, which is the thorn.

I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell. Such a man caught up to the third hip, and I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell. but in my affirmities. For though I would desire the glory, I shall not be a fool, for I will say the truth, and now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be without any fear of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

When you think of the Lord Jesus Christ as portrayed in Revelation, what do you think of in terms of His magnitude? What's one thing that comes to mind? the bright and shining star. God's glory has got to be intense. Moses was in a position to experience that.

Even though these verses don't say this, this thorn in some way may relate to this period where Paul was tied up in heavenly places. The issue here is in fact this statement of plucking out their eyes from Paul related to the fact that the Galatians were willing to help restore his vision because he had visual disturbances.

I think you've got to speculate on that because scripture is no longer so clear on this. Tom, do you have another point? No, no. Okay. All right, so we'll leave that as it is. I mean, I've always been comfortable with the fact that Paul's thorn was vision, but we're not sure about that. We certainly could see how his ministry could be affected by his visual disturbances, and I think there's some evidence for that in the verses we just read, but it's still conjectural and not proven.

All right, let's proceed then. So going further, meaning let's, so if you bear witness that it was possible if you plucked out of your own eyes and give it to them, going further, how about 1 John 3, 16 and 18, continuing on this thought process of what going further might really mean. And I'll read this.

So it says in 1 John 3, 16, 18, By this perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren. But whosoever hath this world's good, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassions from him, how dwells the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." So the first John, the spirit through John indicates that, gee, plucking your eyes out isn't maybe enough. We ought to be laying down our life for others, right? And I'm not saying that, in fact, at times God might not call a believer to do such.

I mean, if we're thinking about the ways that we might respond to God's great grace and the idea of doing something like plucking our eyes out for preservation of Paul's vision or something sacrificial, laying down your life would be a further extension of this type of a principle.

Think back. I ask you, were you that grateful when you heard the gospel? I mean, the fact that Paul's reflecting back. You were willing to pluck your eyes out on behalf of what I told you. Actually, I'd say that that didn't actually come to mind. That's me, personally. I was so grateful. Actually, I realized that I was a sinner. That's what my focus was. I'm a sinner and I need a remedy for that sin, not that I was going to do something to physically help that along, I realized I knew the Savior.

So what's the nature of this response, do you think, of the Galatian believers at the time? Believers, quote-unquote, maybe? The Galatians who heard the gospel on Paul's verses. What's the nature of their response? Anything like that sounds so far out of the ordinary, even for Galatians who were former Jews or kind of leaving Judaism or thinking of leaving Judaism for Christianity. You have a scene that they would have more questions than answers if they were former Jews. But if they were former pagans, this would have been a lightning flash of revelation that would just basically tear down the whole edifice of false teaching. And it just knocked them silly. And they decided, we've got to really appreciate this.

This is some good news. Other thoughts? All right, Romans 15, 13, now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that which may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. So here's kind of the appropriate response. that he fills you with all joy and peace and hope through the power of the Spirit. This is not kind of a temporary kind of what can I do response, but in fact one that is uplifting from the time of salvation going forward.

In context, the Galatians no longer were blessed with Paul's presence. Here he is again and he's saying, what happened to you since I was here before? These visits will come back to this for about four years apart. At least the text was transcribed approximately four years apart. Can you relate in any way to this, I mean this this kind of waning enthusiasm for the gospel and what it means? I think, you know, we can relate to it to some extent. The old nature can show up, can't it? I mean, but I guess the question comes up, are these people really saved or are they not saved?

Yes, Tom? Alicia, go ahead. But I'm just thinking that if there is somebody who gives you the gospel, and then he goes away, suddenly, I mean, in this time of internet, it's just easy because you can keep writing emails, but then, it was just like he wasn't there, so they, if they received the Holy Spirit, if they had belief, they were suddenly dependent on the Holy Spirit, and somebody else started saying that I mean, I had that when I was left in Sheikh Zuh, I had to start reading the Bible as well, but they didn't have any reading set, so I guess that's why Paul is writing them. So that they have something studied to my support. Yeah, those are some very good points. Tom, do you have a comment too? I think you have to make the assumption, since Paul's writing this letter to the Galatian church, that ultimately we're dealing with people who actually were saved and actually came to salvation at the time the gospel was presented.

And they've fallen back on legal ways. And that's why I say the old nature easily comes upon us, doesn't it? I mean, the old nature can ultimately respond to legal principles. The old nature has its sinful nature that plays out left and right, and these people have been influenced by other thoughts and theologies of the time, and their principles were being modified by what others were saying. Margaret?

Well, if you think about it, look at our own culture. I mean, here we are. We have churches on every other street corner, big churches, and we hear the gospel. We have the ability to go and hear. We have the written word. And look how many people fall away into legal principles or totally fall away, become carnal or whatever. Even now, we have all these resources. So how easy would it be when they didn't have any other resources?

When we come to know the Lord, most of the time we're coming to Him, I think this would be for all of us, for our own needs. We're not thinking, what is His thoughts about us? What is His thoughts that pleases Him? And so, as we go along, we say, well, gee, He did so much for me, I've got to do something back for Him, rather than seeking to know his desires and what really pleases him.

And I think that takes good teaching. I mean, if they don't have a follow-on of, this is God's ways, this is the way he is, and this is who you are in relation to him. Without that, they're going to go their own way. And some of you came in late, but that's why I said at the beginning of the lesson today that the six verses we're covering as part of this, we're covering four today, and that's because verse 19 is having Christ form Dennis, is next week.

And really that's the process that we're all about. Did you read The Hungry Heart today, by the way? Did anybody read it today? It was exactly what you just said. Almost exactly. And I just thought that maybe you'd read that, you were reiterating it. So this is a gospel that continues to live out in Roy. I'm thinking of my own experience as a young mother. I was saved when I was 12, but I guess my Christian life kind of began to function more when I was head or joint head of a family.

And you know, this is what we do. We go to church. We try to have a daily altar, and if we don't, we feel guilty. And I try to have time alone with the Lord, and if I don't, I feel guilty. And if I try, the kids wake up from their nap, and I get interrupted. And I was constantly beating myself up because I couldn't perform as a Christian. And so in a sense, it was about me, not about his relationship with me.

Right. In a sense, that's what Roy said now in a very practical example. Yeah, the law is nothing but defeating. It's perfectly holy and righteous. But boy, we just can't make it when we fall back under these principles. And the Galatians clearly had lost kind of that first love, if you will, which is like the Ephesians had in the book of Revelation. They've lost it. There's something really, really missing here.

This is so, so important because I finally came into the principle of grace when the Lord wore me out. I mean, haven't we all experienced that, where you try to do everything for God to show him how much you're responding to his great love for you, and boy, you just don't make it. And that doesn't mean let go, let God and become passive. No, grace demands an act of faith. And that relates to having Christ formed in us. And that's what we're gonna really dwell on next week. But let's continue to set the stage this week.

Verse 16, have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? They were so antagonistic against Paul. They, in fact, look at him as an enemy now. I mean, is it possible a saved person could, I mean, To some extent, with my oldest daughter and her husband, we kind of felt like we were enemies.

But praise God for his great grace. Something's happening here. But I can understand how someone who had been saved and is being led by the power of the sin nature and the influence of the world around him or her, that they can be drawn back and ultimately view the true bearer of the gospel as an enemy.

Wow. Amazing, isn't it? Enemy, adversary, someone intentionally hateful. This is a strong term. I mean enemies, well they're the enemies, we're the good guys. I mean you kind of use that term kind of loosely, but this is really a strong term. Intentionally hateful. Boy, I don't know how you could describe that. Tom, you keep getting ahead of me here a little bit, but the teamwork, good sportsmanship, good motives are really what we're going to get back to.

I tell you, Paul's in the present tense actively demonstrating to them that this is their sentiment towards him. I mean, here I was before and you were so excited and now here I'm back and you're hatefully and intentionally dealing with me as your brother. In general terms, why should the truth offend? It says here that I tell you the truth and it presumes that the truth offends. Why should the truth offend? Well, Scripture tells us that exact message. It says that the message of the gospel is an offense.

But us who believe, us who are in fellowship with the Lord, know, the power of God. In Rutgers we walk on a day-to-day basis. I think one thing that comes up a lot, and I must admit I kind of reflect on this constantly, am I offending Or is the cross offended? And remember, Christ said, take up your cross.

I mean, the point is that the Christian life is the cross that offends, not us. And boy, if that's not Christ being formed in us, right? When Christ is formed in us, Christ offends. The cross offends, not us, by our biases or our ignorance or whatever other mode we're walking in. So the truth is offensive in it.

And I would claim that the truth is probably the most important aspect of who we are in Christ, the truth of the gospel. And we seek truth. I'm scientifically inclined, that's my job. I got saved by the truth of who I was before God. Nothing. without Christ. And I was finally convinced that this is the truth. This is the only way that I'm acceptable to Him. And then when you're acceptable, as we grow in grace, we're fully acceptable adopted sons and heirs to the throne. Boy, a whole different bargain, isn't it? But it's not us. It's entirely of Him. Now, more specifically here.

The truth is offensive, Galatians 2.14, but when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, if you being a Jew live in the manner of the Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as the Jews? I mean, there's kind of a verse that maybe in context relates to what the Galatians are going through. This sentiment occurred again, I mentioned earlier, after Paul's second visit to Galatia.

His first visit, which is alluded to in Galatians 2.1, was around 50 A.D., and that was written about in 50 A.D., and the second visit was written about in 54 A.D. in Acts 18.23. We don't need to go to those verses, but this is his second visit now, and over a four-year span, they've kind of lost the truth of the gospel, at least it appears that they have.

Do not correct a scoffer, it says in Proverbs, lest he hate you. Rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Kind of Old Testament stuff, but it was a nice application, I think, here. Notice what it says. Do not correct a scoffer lest he hate you. And in a sense, that's where these Galatians were at. It's always kind of interesting that the Lord says, be ready with an answer. So in a way, that implies there's a person who's seeking something. A scoffer is not seeking anything. He's just scoffing. So he's not going to be welcomed in the truth.

So back to the question we posed a few minutes ago, can a believer be a scoffer? Hey, does the old nature go away after we're saved? So I think Alicia mentioned it nicely, under the influences of a believer that's led down wrong paths, you can become a scoffer. In a sense, I think my oldest daughter and her husband became scoffers.

And where they're at now scripturally, we're not quite sure, but at least there's a relationship that's changing before our eyes, and we're thankful for that. And maybe over time we're going to understand exactly the rationale that existed behind their behavior for so many years. Not that we weren't partially, if not mostly responsible, We'll learn that as God's grace allows that to occur.

In the New Testament, Ephesians 4.15, but speaking the truth of love may grow up in all things unto him who is the head Christ. So the idea of the truth here in love ultimately allows us to be ultimately increasingly in him and understand who we are in him.

Verse 17, they zealously court you, but no good. but for no good. Yes, they want to exclude you that you may be zealous for them. Strong verse. Who is they? They, now Paul switches kind of from the first person to the third person here. So who's they? The people who are leading them astray. And what do we call these people? This is this other gospel that we covered in Galatians 1. These are Judaizers who showed great zeal for them, but were not seeking their good. And let's do a look at these verses.

Margaret, would you do Galatians 1.14?

Ruthie, Matthew 23.15?

And Cheryl, would you do Romans 10.2, please?

Galatians 1.14. and profited in the Jews' religion above many, my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Okay, maybe we should have read maybe a verse or two before that. So Paul's talking about his defense of the ministry in verse 12, for I neither received it of man, nor was he taught of it, but the revelation of Christ. For you have heard of my manner of life and time passed in the Jews' religion. And he's speaking about him profiting in the Jews' religion above many my equals. So Paul's reflecting on his own merit by responding to many of the legal principles.

Matthew 23, 15, this strong verse. I just love this verse. It's so strong. of the law and pharisees and hypocrites. You travel all over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. Who will? Christ saying to the religious righteous, if you will, woe unto you scribes and pharisees. Making them disciples of hell. This is our Lord and Savior.

Romans 10.2. I'll read one. Okay, let's do two. One and two.

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer for God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. Okay, these verses are all meant to compliment, they zealously court you, but for no good. These people are zealous.

What do we think of when we think of someone with great zeal or who's zealous? You know, Tom, that wasn't exactly what I was thinking of. Passion, enthusiasm, excitement, kind of an atmosphere of encouragement. And zeal is, of course, the term we're defining, so we can't use it to define the term. Notice that this is done not in a good way. And I think people are influenced by passion. Just think of the political atmosphere that we live in today. Tom, you have your hand up. This is supposed to be interactive, by the way. This is wonderful.

Jealous and zealous are quite similar and have the same root. Somebody would have been envious and wanted to supplant them. Jealous and zealous. But you're saying you can't be Zealous without being jealous? But zeal could be good, couldn't it? We're going to return to this here. You haven't looked at it.

So this fact that it was not in a good way, it's the manner used and the result expected. What was the manner used for their zeal? and take them back under the law. It was more to their own benefit rather than to the people they were talking to. They wanted to go back and report, hey, we had 100 converts to it.

And the result expected? Someone who's zealous about something passionate and really outspoken has some expectation about what the outcome is going to be of that zeal. What is that? Wouldn't it be that people that are listening to your message would conform to your thought process and get on board with where you're going?

That's exactly what we're looking at here. These people are so antagonistic against the principle of grace that, you know, to be a Christian you had to do this, that, and the other thing. They ultimately made Paul their enemy and, in fact, they were promoting that message among themselves. And that's really what we see in politics, isn't it? Yes?

I would think it was that was Paul before he was saved. He was really zealous to keep Christians in a bad way. I mean that was the same zeal, I guess. And then after he came to know the Lord, his zeal turned towards sharing the Gospel. To good things rather than no good things.

And that's what the Galatians 1.14 passage alluded to. I think Paul's zeal as a Pharisee. All right, so we've got a couple of verses to look at here, too. Let's pass those around.

Roger, how about Galatians 5.4? Bud, can you do Galatians 6, 13, and 14? Just a couple of pages ahead there. And Donna, could you do 2 Corinthians 11, 13 through 15?

So this all reflects kind of the manner used and the expected outcome phraseology that I've used to describe this verse. You have been severed from Christ. You are seeking to be justified by the law. You have fallen in grace. Okay, so that zeal was manifested in wanting to use law to become acceptable and we know that that's an entirely incorrect principle. Okay, 2nd Corinthians 11 13 through 15. apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marble, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. Now Donna, what do you think? That does imply that these false teachers are not of the Lord, correct?

That these are unsafe people that promote that message. And again, in this Galatian group of zealots, if you will, maybe there were some of those, and maybe there were some who were not, that had just fallen astray by the influences of the world around them. Okay, and Galatians 6, 13 and 14? For neither they have themselves who are uncircumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified, and me, and I under the world." Isn't that a beautiful verse? I mean, 13 is so negative in terms of the principles of law, and 14, you know, the only thing worth glorying in is the cross. and the Lord Jesus Christ. It's just a tremendous verse. As Macaulay says, legalism is self, self, and self. That doesn't seem overly profound, but I wanted to give him credit for that. We all could have said that. Good, Charlie. If you look at it mathematically, Tom, it's self cubed. We'll leave that go. So, they want to exclude you that you may seek them. What's that all about? How does this work? You want to exclude them so they may seek you. Isn't that human nature? It is.

It's human nature because if someone's elite or kind of removed, that kind of fires up the old man to want to be like that. inspires the old man. So, entirely motivated by the flesh. Ego, power, pride. I.e. you've got a corner on the truth and it's kind of like, you know, growing up little, you know, little boys clubs in the backyard, little girls clubs, you know, or, you know, that football game or basketball game, you pick all the good players first and the other guys are excluded kind of stuff, you know, so the people not chosen want to be part of your team. I mean, you know, this entirely flesh and self-motivated, isn't it? Ego, power, pride. If you're not part of our team, you must really be out of it, so you should probably be wanting to be on our team, right?

I think that's probably what's implied here. Think of some examples here. I just gave a couple. Can anybody think of any more? Well, there's an advertising today based on that same principle. really cool if you want to look like this exactly yeah just like we don't I once said I've never been influenced by one commercial ever and then I had to bite my tongue on that. I don't remember what the example was. I've heard people say, and maybe Alicia can attest to this, that people have come to the U.S. and they start watching these commercials.

After a while they feel very down because they're not as pretty and as beautiful and have all these wonderful clothes and drive all these beautiful cars and they feel like they're they're losers because this is what the U.S. is all about, all these wonderful possessions, and I have none of that. That's not a very profound statement, but it's an observation. None of us have none of that. None of us have any of that stuff. Now Roger, confess, you just keep your Ferrari in the garage most of the time, right?

Alright, last verse for this morning, but it is good to be zealous in a good thing, Tom. Always, right? It's good to be zealous on a good thing. I'm glad you agree here. It's what the scripture says. And not only when I am present with you. Go ahead. It's good. I love you in the class for sure.

So the impact of emotions here, I just want to kind of mention that briefly. I think we all are influenced emotionally. It's just when emotions carry you to the point that it's not scriptural and not truth found that we get into trouble. So is it possible that some of these Galatians who were so excited about Paul being with them initially were responding to some extent, to a larger extent perhaps, by emotions? And keep in mind, people with great zeal and passion are ultimately able to influence mindsets and even hearts in their direction falsely, and that perhaps some of these individuals were simply responding emotionally to what Paul was about and not really the truth of the gospel. Tom?

Well, when I think of that, I think of that scene of the two overweight fellas on Hee Haw talking to each other. And they're just making these lame comments. Boy, things are sure slow around here. Nothing ever happens here. Then Paul comes in, and suddenly, it's all different. And they just kind of go overboard with the change.

So are emotions entirely wrong? Are emotions entirely of the flesh? Yeah, Aliska? It seems to me that that's why he's writing this, because in 17, it's kind of Yes, you are zealous, you are excited about something, and you think, oh boy, because I'm excited, this must be probably fine, or something like that. And so he wants to clarify in 18.

I'm not saying that it is bad to be excited about something. Be excited. As a matter of fact, that's what Jesus says to, I don't know which church, in Revelation. Be excited. because it is good, but only you have to see the context where you are excited. And not only when I am present with you. Go ahead, there is something to be excited about and it is not necessarily connected with my presence. You know, take a look at what I told you, look at the gospel, look at the cross, and be zealous about that. I don't have to be there.

That's why Paul qualifies as being zealous at a good thing always, which brain dead means at all times. The zeal for our life in Christ is something that we should be about 24-7. This is a zeal that goes beyond some tranche and exposure to some evangelist who shows up with a new message. Not that that wasn't important. It was important. So let's look at a few verses that supports that. Philippians 1, 15-18. Ingrid, would you do that one? And Gail, could you do 1 Corinthians 9, 20-23? So these are good causes for which to be excited and to be zealous. Philippians 1, 15.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. Not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice. Boy, that's a zealous presentation of the Gospel, is it not?

1 Corinthians 9, 20-23. And unto the Jews I became, as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews. To them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all. that I might, by all means, save some.

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. In that need, I mean, some would be critical and say Paul was compromising to kind of bending his faith in some way to appeal to the people in different circumstances to meet their needs. Yes, that's what he was doing, but this was his zeal for the gospel. I mean, he saw the need and modified the message in a way that was appropriate for the people he was sharing the Lord with. And this is zeal for the Lord. That doesn't mean we compromise the message.

It just means the desire to share is so great that ultimately the Spirit opens doors for us. We try to sense the doors we're entering in terms of that person's background and their level of interest and ultimately their experience. One teacher we had used to say that the emotions are the appreciator in the soul. appreciate what goes on in our lives, whether good or bad. They respond to those things.

And God created them. It's hard to put a metric on emotions in terms of their importance, but they clearly are part of the soul of our existence. We just don't want to be misled by emotions. Donna? Well, I think emotions that are grounded in the Word, right? I mean, he tells us about joy and suffering. Okay, that's not a natural response.

Any other thoughts here about the good cause, the zeal for the good cause, which is the Gospel? Alright, and the final thing we'll look at here is just a couple of verses that relate to being zealous, is being in Christ. And we're going to talk about, and remember Paul set the stage for next week, he didn't know this, but 2,000 years ago he set the stage for next week about Christ being formed in you. And by the way, just to jump ahead in thinking to next week, I'm not prepared for next week yet, but this idea of where they're coming from is part of the process of Christ being formed in you. I think we all go in directions that is self-focused and law-oriented to ultimately allow Christ to be formed in us. That's a process.

So let's look, before we close, at Titus 2.14, Margaret, and Revelation 3.19, Elisha. And you've mentioned Revelation, so I'm going to give you that first.

All right, Titus 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. Let's go to, I'm sorry, go to 13. Okay.

Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself of peculiar people, zealous of good works." So this peculiar people is the Christ life played out on us, zealous for good works. It's not that our zeal is for good works, it's Christ being formed in us that's the source of the good works. And the message to, I think, Laodicea, isn't that correct?

Revelation 3.19? Laodicea.

As I love, I rebuke and chase them. Now, again, my bad. Let's read more than that, because I think that verse here in Revelation does reflect what precedes it. So let's read 18 through 20. tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalves, that thou mayst see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaste them. Bezels, therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door, and If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will suck with him and he with me. Okay. Where does it say in here, I'm looking for, remember the church at Laodicea was one that ultimately he spewed them out of his mouth, right? All right, good.

So in summary today, we've looked at how the Galatian believers had fallen back into ways that were not what Paul had taught them the first time. And in fact, they had responded so adversely that he became their enemy, intentionally hated because of the message that Paul brought. It's not where we need to be. That's not where God would have us.

And I think next week we're going to look at what the natural response should be by faith under grace for the believer. Roger, could you close us in prayer, please? Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time this day, Lord. Thank you for the blessings we have in the Lord Jesus. Thank you for your word. Thank you, Brother Bob, for sharing these truths