Galatians 5:7-10
"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be," Galatians 5:7-10.
These kinds of verses are offensive to those who think that Christianity is all about love and unity. There are some who think that Jesus Christ only taught love and forgiveness. Though Christ did teach those things, He also taught repentance, judgment, eternal torment in hell, and He openly stood against the false teachers of His day. In Matthew 23 Christ called out the religious leaders for their actions and their teachings, and He even called them hypocrites, fools, and blind. In our day Jesus Christ would be considered rude and unloving even though no one else who ever walked this earth has loved others like Christ does. The Galatians may even think that Paul does not love them because of his constant rebukes in this book, when in reality no one else on earth at that time loved them like Paul loved them. Jesus Christ marked those who taught false doctrines and led the people astray, and here in Galatians Paul does the same thing. The religious leaders thought they were the elite and that they were above scrutiny and rebuke, but no one is above scrutiny or rebuke.
"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" Galatians 5:7. As long as the Galatians were following the teachings of Paul, they were headed in the right direction. They were growing and maturing in their Christian walk. All of us do this at different rates, and no one should think more highly of themselves than they ought to. A steady diet of rightly studied doctrine makes us strong in the faith. Right doctrine produces right living. Right living glorifies the Lord and impacts a society. Doctrine means teaching. We learn the teachings of the bible. The bible is a book of doctrines. It guides us and instructs in our Christian walk. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path," Psalm 119:105. "Ye did run" in Galatians 5:7 means to have course. They were on the right course according to the Scriptures, and their life showed it.
"Who did hinder you." This is a very provoking question that stems from obvious evidence and it means to beat back, i.e. check:- hinder. A term we use in our day is, check up. Who or what made you check up? When we are not praying and studying like we should the results will be made manifest. Our minds are not being renewed every day, and our mouth will usually tell on us. Next is our actions will be known to others. Our actions and reactions will be out of character, and the most telling evidence will be our faithfulness to a local congregation. These are evidences that we can see in our own lives without others making us aware of our shortcomings. The Galatians at this time were still attending church services, and they were still learning, but what they did not recognize is that what they were learning was contrary to true biblical doctrine. They needed someone who loved them to slap them with this truth. The way this is worded would make them pin point the person or people that is causing them to err. To confess that they had been hindered would mean they would have to put face and name with those who had led them astray. They would have to mark them. "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them," Romans 16:17. "Avoid" in this verse means to shun. This means to persistently avoid, ignore, or reject. We are commanded to do this because this is hard for a true Christian to do. A true Christian is quick to forgive and to restore fellowship, but when it comes to doctrinal issues we are to shun them until they repent of their false teachings. If they do not repent of their false teachings, then they are to be placed outside of the church. This is very hard for a true Christian because we love people, but it is biblical. "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme," I Timothy 1:19-20.
Paul called Hymenaeus and Alexander out by name. He had to because they were causing people to not obey the truth. "Should not obey" in Galatians 5:7 is to assent to, obey, follow; meaning to let oneself be persuaded, to be persuaded. The word "not" is the absolute negative. False doctrine always causes us to not obey the truth. Keep in mind the Galatians thought they were doing right. It seemed as if they found a better way than what Paul had taught them. What they were learning from the false teachers seemed to be easily attainable, but, in reality they were putting themselves in bondage. They were setting themselves up for continued failure. Continue failure will deplete you, and cause you to hate God.
The Galatians were persuaded to not obey the truth, not Paul's opinion in comparison to the false teachers. "Truth" in this verse means divine truth, gospel truth, as opposed to heathen and Jewish fables. Remember that the religious leaders of that day would put traditions and even historical teachings above the Scriptures. Not all traditions and historical teachings are bad, but we should never use them to interpret Scripture. Scripture interprets Scripture. Divine truth builds us up in the faith. Divine truth is never to be compromised. We all have differences of opinions, likes and dislikes on things regarding to this life. These preferences we can compromise for the sake of unity, but we can never compromise the doctrines of the bible for the sake of unity. Doctrine does divide, but doctrine also brings us together. There are multitudes in church houses who could not stand being around each other if it wasn't for the work that Christ has and is doing in them.
What Paul is doing here is not unloving, but instead is the most loving thing he can do for the Galatians at this point. Any time anyone is trying to lead us away from the truth, mark that person. Sometimes they may not realize what they are doing and need to be further instructed, but most of the time they know exactly what they are doing. They are not there to help you, but to enslave you. Thank God for His word.
Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
