Galatians 4:12-15 Presented by Bob DeWaay December 8, 2013 The Galatians’ Previous Reception of Paul and His Gospel

He Commands Them to Be Like Himself Galatians 4:12 (HCSB) I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me  The term “become” here is the first imperative in Galatians  “Become like” means “free from the Law” as does “became.”  Paul came with the gospel and they received him 2

Paul Preached the Gospel in Serious, Physical Weakness Galatians 4:13 (HCSB) you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness.  “because of” can mean “on the occasion of”  What this “weakness” was is a matter of conjecture  Unlike the Corinthians who were offended by Paul’s weakness, they accepted him in that condition 3

They Previously Received Paul as from God Galatians 4:14 (HCSB) You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.  They did not (Lit.) “spit out” Paul but rather welcomed him  Their welcome of him meant welcoming Jesus who sent him! 4

Their Love for Paul had been Extraordinary, but now was Compromised Galatians 4:15 (HCSB) What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me  Blessing is a key theme in Galatians, they are tempted to leave it  Something happened and they began listening to the teachers of works righteousness 5

 The gospel is not diminished by human weakness  The law of Christ is to bear one another’s burdens; we must do so in the context of the gospel  When we welcome God’s messengers who bring the gospel, we welcome Christ Implications and Applications 6

The gospel is not diminished by human weakness 1Corinthians 2:3-5 (HCSB) I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power 7

The Law of Christ and the Gospel Galatians 6:2 (HCSB) Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ  They had treated Paul this way before the false teachers infected them with legalism  This is gospel centered and not merely to support various civil charities  Christ is God’s law-giver, man is not 8

When we welcome God’s messengers who bring the gospel, we welcome Christ Luke 10:16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” 9

We Should not Welcome False Teachers 2Corinthians 11:4 (HCSB) For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly! 10