Scripture Reading: Gal. 5:7-15
In the foregoing message we saw that Paul spoke to the Galatian believers about not being brought to nothing from Christ (5:4). That was Paul’s first charge related to the daily walk of the heirs of promise. In this message we shall consider the second and third charges respectively: the charge to get rid of the leaven and not to turn freedom into an occasion, an opportunity, for the flesh.
In 5:7 and 8 Paul says, “You were running well; who hindered you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion is not of Him Who calls you.” In 4:20 Paul told the Galatians that he was perplexed about them. Here in 5:7 and 8 Paul assumes a rather mild tone. He praises them by saying that they were running well. Then he asks them who hindered them that they should not obey the truth. Truth here does not refer to doctrine, but refers to the reality in Christ, as preached to the Galatians by Paul. In these verses it is difficult to tell whether Paul is mild or bold. On the one hand, he praises them, but, on the other hand, he seems to rebuke them. In talking to the Galatian believers Paul was very careful.
In 5:8 Paul says, “This persuasion is not of Him Who calls you.” The persuasion Paul mentions here is that of the Judaizers’ teaching, which was distracting the Galatians from Christ to the observances of the law. This persuasion was not of God, the One who had called them. Thus, it must have been from another source, from Satan. Paul’s word here is a strong indication that the Judaizers were one with Satan in acting against God’s economy.
We may apply this principle to our situation today. The persuasive talk of the opposers and the dissenting ones is not of the One who has called us. Therefore, its source must be Satan. This is a very serious matter. Be careful when listening to the persuasive speech of dissenting ones. Do not just listen to their words, but check whether or not their speech is of the One who has called us. Discern whether or not their persuasive talk is of God. Do not be misled by pleasant words. Deceivers are often sweet talkers. They use soothing, comforting, enticing words in their attempt to persuade you. But concealed within these words there is poison. Speaking with sugar-coated words, the dissenting ones may try to entice the weak ones away from the enjoyment of Christ and from the proper church life. Such talk is not of the One who called us. It issues from another source, from Satan, God’s enemy. The goal of this persuasion is to bring us to nothing from the enjoyment of Christ. Beware of the subtlety of the enemy behind this kind of persuasion.
In verse 9 Paul goes on to say, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Leaven here refers to the false teachings of the Judaizers (see Matt. 16:12), and the lump, to all the believers collectively. The whole lump is the church. Actually, Paul did not regard the false teachings of the Judaizers merely as a small amount of leaven, a little leaven. Certain of the Galatian believers, however, may have considered the persuasive speech of the Judaizers as something rather small. For this reason, Paul pointed out that even a little leaven leavens the whole lump.
In his subtle strategy, Satan uses the opposing ones and the dissenting ones to inject a little leaven through their persuasive speech. This leaven works as an appetizer that stirs up our desire in a negative way. The negative points covered in the first four chapters of Galatians were not merely a little leaven, but a large amount of leaven. But in dealing with those believers who had been distracted by the teaching of the Judaizers, Paul speaks in a careful way and refers to a little leaven. Whether the amount is large or small, leaven is leaven. Leaven is like germs in that it multiplies; it causes the whole lump to be leavened. We need to learn from the experience of the Galatians not to open ourselves to even a little leaven, for a little leaven is capable of leavening the whole church.
In verse 10 Paul says, “I have confidence as to you in the Lord that in nothing you will be otherwise minded.” This word indicates that Paul had great faith. Notice, however, that Paul’s confidence was not in the Galatians, but in the Lord. Paul did not say, “I have confidence in you”; rather, he said, “I have confidence as to you in the Lord.” Because Paul had been praying for the Galatians, he could have confidence in the Lord concerning them and not be disappointed. In particular, Paul was confident that the Galatians would not be otherwise minded.
In referring to the matter of being otherwise minded, Paul touches the most important source of problems in the church life — that of having a different mind, of being otherwise minded. As long as there is no idolatry, immorality, or divisiveness in the church, we should not be otherwise minded concerning anything. Instead, we should be one with the church and go along with the church, no matter what direction the church may pursue. Regarding doctrines and practices, do not be otherwise minded. For example, do not say that you agree with arranging the chairs in a particular way, but not with arranging them in some other way. Also, we should not say that we prefer to meet in homes instead of in the meeting hall. It is absolutely not of God to be otherwise minded in this way. The source of this is the enemy, Satan. None of us should give ground for a different kind of mind to enter into the church life. We need to close ourselves to such an invasion of the enemy. We all must take the responsibility not to be otherwise minded. If the church practices idolatry, we should stand against it. But even in this we must have a proper spirit in order to be helpful to others.
To repeat, we should not agree with anything idolatrous, immoral, or divisive. However, we should not be dissenting about other things. Suppose we come to a meeting and find the chairs arranged in a very unusual way. If none of the saints speak critically of this arrangement, this will be a sign that the church life is very strong. It will be a clear indication that we care for Christ and not for a particular way of arranging the chairs.
If we have truly seen the enjoyment of Christ and the oneness of the church, we shall not be otherwise minded. We shall not care for any particular opinion, way, or practice. Instead, we shall care only for the enjoyment of Christ and for the oneness of the Body.
In the church life, we should not exercise our mind to gather unnecessary information. We should not be spies trying to gather information. The weaker we are in life, the greater will be our tendency to act like a spy. Should such a weak one visit a church in another locality, he may want to spy out things there. This kind of practice is devilish. Whenever we visit another church, we should be content to be blind, not knowing anything about the situation of the saints there.
When Paul uttered the words that he was confident in the Lord concerning the Galatian believers that they would not be otherwise minded, the situation among the saints was much different than it is today. When Paul wrote the book of Galatians, there was still the proper emphasis on the oneness of the church in each locality and on the enjoyment of Christ. Paul’s confidence was based upon the fact that there was just one church in each locality and that in his ministry there was a strong and clear emphasis on Christ as everything to the saints. This was the basis for Paul’s confidence in the Lord that in nothing the believers in Galatia would be otherwise minded. Paul prayed much for the believers and was confident that in everything they would not be otherwise minded. He had a solid ground for this confidence. But because of the pervasive influence of poisonous leaven, our situation is very different. The matter of being otherwise minded is found virtually among all Christians. But at Paul’s time the church was one, and Paul had reason for confidence in the Lord concerning the saints.
In 5:11 Paul says, “But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then has the stumbling block of the cross been done away.” Circumcision foreshadowed the dealing with man’s flesh; the cross is the reality of this dealing (Col. 2:11-12). The Judaizers endeavored to bring the Galatians back to the shadow; the Apostle Paul struggled to keep them in the reality.
Circumcision is a type of the cross of Christ. In typology, circumcision typifies the cutting off of the flesh. The true cutting off of the flesh is accomplished by the cross. Therefore, the cross is the fulfillment and the reality of the type of circumcision. Nevertheless, the Judaizers insisted on continuing the practice of circumcision, even though Christ had been crucified on the cross. Because the Judaizers insisted on circumcision and opposed the cross, they persecuted those, like Paul, who preached the cross of Christ. Paul taught that circumcision was a type, a shadow, fulfilled in the cross of Christ. Since Christ has been crucified, there is no longer any need for the practice of circumcision.
According to 5:11, Paul would not preach circumcision and thereby allow the stumbling block of the cross to be done away. Even by the time the book of Galatians was written, between A.D. 55 and 58, the cross of Christ had already become a stumbling block. Some did not dare to believe in the cross or to talk about it. This was due to the influence of Judaism, where circumcision was of great importance. The Judaizers belittled the cross and exalted circumcision. To them, the cross of Christ was a stumbling block, and those who preached the word of the cross deserved to be persecuted. Thus, verse 11 helps us to realize the situation when Paul wrote to the Galatians.
In verses 10 and 12 Paul has some strong words concerning those who were troubling the Galatian believers. In verse 10 he says that “he who troubles you shall bear the judgment, whoever he may be.” This word is virtually the equivalent of a curse. Paul was saying that those who troubled the saints in Galatia would be cursed. Paul used the word “cursed” in chapter one, where he says that anyone who preaches a gospel besides that which the Galatians received should be accursed (1:9). Here Paul says that the one who troubles the Galatians will be judged, condemned, whoever he may be.
In 5:12 Paul utters a very strong word: “I would that those who upset you would even cut themselves off.” The Apostle Paul wished that the Judaizers who upset the Galatians by insisting on circumcision would cut off not only their foreskin but even themselves. Their upsetting, disturbing self needed to be amputated.
The fact that Paul wanted those who upset the Galatian believers to “cut themselves off” indicates that he regarded them as flesh that needed to be cut. Paul was saying, “Those who are disturbing you should not simply cut off a piece of flesh from their bodies — they should cut themselves off.” In the eyes of God, the whole being of such ones is under condemnation and worthy to be cut off. The Judaizers must have been angered by such a word, angered enough to put Paul to death. How bold Paul was to utter such a word concerning them, treating them as flesh! When Paul was bold, he was really bold. Here we see his boldness in speaking of the Judaizers as flesh needing to be cut off.
In 5:13 Paul says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn the freedom into an occasion for the flesh, but through love serve one another as slaves.” Paul’s writing is not like an unturned cake (Hosea 7:8). Rather, he is balanced and even, first considering one side of a matter, then the other side. Our tendency, however, is to be an unturned cake, with one side raw and the other side overdone. In giving messages we may easily produce unturned cakes. But as Paul wrote the book of Galatians, he turned the cake again and again. He could be strong, then affectionate; rebuking, then mild.
We see Paul’s balance in the matter of freedom. On the one hand, Paul tells us that we were called to freedom; on the other hand, he warns us not to use this freedom for an occasion for the flesh. While Paul encouraged the believers to enjoy their freedom in Christ, he was also concerned that they might misuse or abuse this freedom. If we over-indulge ourselves in our freedom, then we turn it into an occasion for the flesh. Although we are free, we still need to be limited in the exercise of our freedom. Freedom without limitation always results in the indulgence of the flesh. Therefore, we need to be balanced, to be free, yet restricted. If we are limited in the use of our freedom, we shall love others and through love serve them as slaves.
When Paul wrote the book of Galatians, he had a number of thoughts within him. He realized that the Galatian believers who had been distracted might return to their freedom and then begin to misuse it. They might have the attitude that since they are no longer under any kind of yoke, they are free to do what they please. Such an attitude damages the church life. Therefore, Paul charged the Galatians not to misuse their freedom. Yes, they had been called to freedom, but they should not turn it into an indulgence. On the one hand, they were free from the yoke of slavery, from the law, but, on the other hand, they should still care for others and serve them in love. When some saints, especially young believers, hear a message on freedom, they have the tendency to cast off restraint. They may have the attitude that, since they are free, no longer do they need to regard the word of the elders. This is to turn freedom into an occasion for the flesh. Instead of doing this, we should be limited in the use of freedom and be willing to serve one another as slaves. As Paul says in 5:14, “The whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
In the verses we have covered in this message, Paul admonishes us to have a proper walk in the church life. He indicates that we need to be balanced and not be unturned cakes. In giving messages, we should cover both sides of a matter. We need to care for ourselves and also for others. We may enjoy the freedom we have and yet still be restricted in love for the sake of others that the church life may go on in a good way. Furthermore, we must learn not to be otherwise minded. Then we shall have a proper walk in the church life.
