Galatians 4:8-11
“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain,” Galatians 4:8-11.
Last week we looked at a church headed in the wrong direction. We looked at the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7. Though they had great qualities, they were headed in the wrong direction, away from Jesus Christ. Christ gave them a command to repent, and to return to their first love. We know Christ loved the church at Ephesus, because Christ gave His life for His church. The pastor that God places at every church will do the same for that local church. I have heard it said that, “all good churches have tired pastors, but not all tired pastors have good churches.” There is no higher calling on this earth than to pastor a local church. There are attacks on the pastor that people will never know about, nor understand. Sometimes every word and his tone are scrutinized. He may preach too long or too short; too hard or too soft; and he may use terminology that is offensive to sensitive people. Remember back in Galatians 3:1, 3 when Paul told the Galatians they were foolish; unintelligent; or just plain stupid? The words Paul chose to use would surely shake up the Galatians.
Should Paul write these letters or preach sermons concerned that he would offend his listeners or readers? Please understand that Paul was not being vicious or hard just to make people mad, no, he was truly burdened for the people, and by the people. In preaching and teaching he must keep his eyes upon Jesus Christ. “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ,” Galatians 1:10.
Paul has been hard on the Galatians up to this point. We must remember that Paul loves the churches in Galatia. We see the burden of a pastor in Paul’s writings. His heart is broken. He sees the direction they are headed, and it is grievous to him. Paul knows what is on the road they are on, and he does not want them there. He also knows he cannot make people do right, but he must do what he was called to do, and that is to lovingly proclaim the truth of God’s word. What are some things that are on this road the Galatians are on? There is heartache, regret, lost time for the Lord, sin, broken fellowship, and much more. Paul is doing what God has called him to do. Others may have been more tactful, but Paul is the one God chose to use at this time for the Galatians. Paul was not against the Galatians; he was against the direction they were headed. In a sense he placed himself between the Galatians and the danger they were headed to. Until they could see the error of their way, they would view Paul as being against them. They would view Paul as their enemy. “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Galatians 4:16. Turn to Acts 20:17-38. What Paul warned them about applies to every local church. Let us get into Galatians 4:8-11.
“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods,” Galatians 4:8. The Galatians were mainly Gentiles. Most of them would have been polytheistic. This means they would have been worshippers of multiple gods. Their worship of multiple gods means they would have to do things to constantly appease those gods. They were in bondage to those who were not really gods. Just like their religion, the gods were man made.
Their old lifestyle was a lifestyle of idolatry. No matter what they did, they could never appease their gods, or their own consciences. They did not have any peace. They were living in constant fear. Because of Christ, we have peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:1. Having peace with God gives us the peace of God. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:7. Notice in these verses that the peace with God and the peace of God only come through Jesus Christ. A good pastor always points the people towards Jesus Christ. That is what Paul is doing here, again. He is reminding them where they were at before Jesus Christ saved their souls, and he is telling them that is where they are presently headed back to, but this time they will be under the bondage of Judaism.
“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Galatians 4:9. O foolish Galatians, will you stop and examine yourselves? The words “that ye have known”, and “are known” in this verse is the Greek word “Ginosko”. This means to be known in a completed sense. To know God means to love God. To be known of God means to be loved by God. This is in the most intimate sense. It is one thing for them to say they know God, but it is entirely something different to say that God knows you. Again, this is not in the sense of knowing someone’s name, because God is all knowing and He never learns anything. To be known by God is to be loved by God. This is not a generic love, no, this is an effectual love. An effectual love is a saving love. A saving love is a predetermined love. This is a radical love that has radical life changing results. This love transforms the sinner into a child of God. How important is it to be known by God? Turn to Matthew 7:21-23. Notice in verse 23 Jesus says, “I never knew you.” Christ never savingly loved them, and the result was eternity in hell.
The Galatians knew and understood this. So, Paul asks them the question, “how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” “Weak” in this verse is the idea of imperfection; without strength, infirm, weak, feeble. Why would you turn from the peace and freedom of Christ to that which will bring you back into bondage? This time they would not be serving all those gods in the Greek culture, but they would be in bondage to the Jewish religion. They would observe the religious days and the religious system. Instead of worshipping Jesus Christ every day, they would only be able to worship Him corporately one day a week (John 4:19-24). They would be bound to the dietary laws, the distance laws, and the day laws.
In verse eleven, Paul is expressing what he fears, “lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” Paul is burdened by the Galatians. Can you picture Paul standing in front of this locomotive they are on? He truly loves them, and that is why he is truly broken hearted. He is burdened by a rebellious people. We need more pastors who love the Lord’s church so much that they are willing to die for it. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
