Galatians Part 28 - Galatians 4:17-20

vs. 17-20. 1. vs. 17-18 set forth pros and cons of emotional thinking. A. zeal: In biblical language... denoting ardent feeling or fervour... B. The Greek word translated zealously affect(ed) is “zeloo” (SRN G2206) and means to have warmth of feeling for or against. C. The false teachers in Galatia were manipulating the emotions of the Galatians toward themselves and away from Paul and the true gospel of Jesus Christ. (1) affect: To aim at, aspire to, or make for; to seek to obtain or attain... 2. To be drawn to, have affection or liking for; to take to, be fond of, show preference for; to fancy, like, or love. (2) This interaction was a perverse form of 1JO 4:19. (3) Be not deceived. False teachers will express love towards their targets to soften them up for a takedown. They present themselves as caring saviors who only have the noblest intentions. 2SAM 15:4-6 ct/w 2CO 6:6. a. Some may do this sincerely out of a defective knowledge of God. ACT 26:9. b. They may also be such as feign love to gain emotional footholds when they actually have ulterior motives. PSA 55:21; GAL 6:12. c. Ambitious projects are commonly advanced by shows of humility. COL 2:23 c/w PSA 10:9-10. d. False religion is as the harlot/strange woman who appeals to the flesh and uses fair speech in order to entrap. PRO 7:5-21. e. (PRO 11:9) An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. [c/w EPH 4:13-14] f. Schmooze (from a Yiddish word for gossip, long and intimate conversation) rhymes with lose. Beware of losing your reward by heeding affecting appeals to emotional triggers rather than heeding stark words of truth. D. “...they would exclude you, that ye might affect them” (v. 17). (1) exclude: To put out (of a room, a society, a possession, etc.), to banish, expel. (2) This was a Pharisee tactic transferred to the Christian church. JOH 12:42. (3) Those who must have the preeminence will resort to such tactics to prevent investigative comparison. 3JO 1:9-10. E. Being zealously affected in good things is commendable. v. 18. (1) We should be “...zealous of good works” (TIT 2:14). (2) We should “...earnestly contend for the faith...” (JUDE 1:3). Earnest = ardour = fiery passion and zeal. (3) We should be zealous for the house of God. JOH 2:17 c/w 2CO 7:11. (4) We should be “...labouring fervently...in prayers...” (COL 4:12). Fervent = ardent. (5) We should “...love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1PE 1:22). (6) We should be zealous to first relieve impoverished saints. 2CO 9:1-2; GAL 6:10. (7) We should, as needed, “...be zealous therefore, and repent” (REV 3:19). F. “...and not only when I am present with you” (v. 18). ct/w PHIL 2:12; PRO 6:6-8. 2. Paul’s tender regard for them was still intact even though their errors flabbergasted him. vs. 19-20. A. He besought them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (2CO 10:1), knowing Himself to be an object of the longsuffering of God towards the disobedient. 1TI 1:16. B. “My little children...” (v. 19). No cursing of them as being of their father the devil (JOH 8:44), but a tender reflection that they were his charges and just so many sheep gone astray. Galatians 1-1-17 Page 50 C. He was not the cause of their new birth/regeneration since that is the work of God. TIT 3:5 c/w JOH 6:63. D. But he had begotten them in conversion to his ways in Christ. He was the father of their gospel understanding. c/w 1CO 4:14-17. E. As noted earlier, he desired to again have Christ (not Moses, circumcision or law) formed in them as He was still formed in Paul. F. Paul had formed Christ in them; the Judaizers had deformed Christ in them; Paul desired to reform Christ in them. G. Conversion is like childbirth: sorrow, labor, pain, joy (and worth it all to a good minister). JOH 16:21; PHIL 4:1; 3JO 1:4. H. Paul desired to be present with them (v. 20). Face-to-face interaction has advantages and it is in the wisdom of God to save believers by preaching. 1CO 1:21; 1TH 3:10. I. “...and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (v. 20). (1) This may refer to a desire to be present among them and reform Christ in them so as to remove his doubts about them. (2) There is latitude in ministry to speak as fits the need. JUDE 1:22-23. (3) Ministers must also give verbal account to God of their converts and it would be better to be able to do so with joy, not grief. HEB 13:17. Galatians 1-1-17 Page 51