Galatians 4:12–16 - Principles of Mission, Principles of Unity

Many years ago, a book came out called The Day America Told The Truth. It was basically a survey attempting to reveal what Americans actually believe. And among other things, the authors suggested that many people would compromise what they believe if the price was right. Not everyone agreed with the authors’ methods or conclusions, but the study did seem to confirm what everyone already knows: that we don’t always live according to what we say we believe.

Last week we looked at the phrase “the elementary principles of the world” in Galatians 4. Principles are foundation truths on which our system of belief is built, and in turn, our principles steer our choices. “The elementary principles of the world” refers to the natural attempts that all people make to justify themselves. Some way, some how, we must prove ourselves.

We don’t compromise these principles; in fact, Paul says all people are enslaved to these man-centered principles. But when we trust in Christ, we adopt a set of God-centered principles. And yet, because the sinful nature still dwells within us,
we gravitate back to “the elementary principles of the world.”

That was happening in the Galatian church. Paul is trying to make them see that. And with these verses, he shifts from his theological argument to a personal appeal. He reminds them of when he first came to them as he fulfilled God’s mission, and he reminds them of the unity they enjoyed when they first believed in Jesus.

You see, the principles of mission and of unity are very much the same. The principles that guide us on mission also knit us together in unity. These principles are rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and even though we don’t always live according to them, His grace abounds to us and in His strength we can understand them more and renew our efforts to live according to them. So let’s look at these together.

Look first at verse [12], Paul says, “Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are.” This was in regard to the OT ceremonial laws. In Christ, Paul was free from aspects of the Mosaic law that kept Jews separate from Gentiles. So, he became like a Gentile to reach them. He put aside everything but Christ for the sake of reaching them with Christ.

Paul describes this approach in 1 Corinthians 9. He writes, “To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” Paul had surrendered his self-righteousness to trust in Christ and follow Him. He had given up his self-confidence in earning God’s love and favor. Now, he was depending only upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And he urged the Galatians to do this.

He also talked about this in Philippians, chapter 3. He gives his religious resume that was, at one time, his source of righteousness. Paul says, “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” Granted, that list is different from yours, but we all have a list. We all have these features of our lives that make us feel justified or worthy.

However, listen to what Paul says next. “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

Remember, in the previous section he explained that even Gentiles – who didn’t have the OT law – still had a system for justifying themselves. That’s how the world works. In every age, in every people group, whatever god they believe in, or if they believe in no god at all. These are “the elementary principles of the world.”

There is no more foundational principle in Christianity than this – “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Knowing and pleasing the only true God apart by faith in Christ alone. The Judaizers were pressuring the Galatians to keep OT ceremonial law in order to know and please God. But Paul put aside OT ceremonial law in order for the Galatians to know and please God! He put aside self-righteousness.

Self-righteousness will keep us from fulfilling God’s mission because it causes us to see ourselves as better than others. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes, “By the grace of God I am what I am,” and he says that he worked hard, “though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Anything we’ve proudly accomplished or avoided was the result of God’s grace.

Self-righteousness is antithetical to our mission, and also to our unity. How can we be unified if we’re self-righteous? Where there is self-righteousness, there is no true humility. There’s no patience or forgiveness or understanding.

But when, in Christ, we see ourselves as not having a righteousness of our own,
we can forgive, and be patient. We can trust and confide in each other. We can pray for and encourage one another. And we can reach out to those outside the church.When our only righteous is Christ the Lord, we can fulfill our mission and strengthen our unity.

Where do you cling to self-righteousness? How has it hindered you? You can turn from it today.

Now notice the end of verse 12. Paul writes, “You did me no wrong. [13] You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, [14] and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.”

There were unique circumstances that contributed to Paul’s time in Galatia. We’re unsure the exact nature of Paul’s “bodily ailment.” Apparently, the infirmity was why he came to Galatia or it affected his length of time there. We don’t have all the details, but obviously Paul’s weakness was on display.

It was common at that time for people to assume that someone with an affliction must not be favored by God. But the Galatians didn’t treat Paul that way. In fact, their reception of him was the complete opposite. He says they treated him like an angel or like Jesus Himself. He even says that his ailment tested their love.

They would’ve been tempted to reject him and his message because of his problem. But God was at work through this man. He brought Christ to them. He brought the gospel – the power of God for salvation to all you believe!

Paul’s ailment contradicts much of the conventional wisdom about God’s messengers. The men who bring the gospel will have their own struggles or troubles. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have the power of God in their corner.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul mentions visions and revelations given to him by God. He also discusses an ailment — perhaps the same one. And he says, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  This “weakness” is the same word Paul uses in Gal. 4:13, translated “ailment.”

How could God’s strength — God’s ability — be made perfect in weakness?

Well, God’s strength is, of course, perfect in and of itself. It’s essential to pay attention to the context of Paul’s statement. He was talking about His life and the effectiveness of his own ministry.

You see, God couples His infinite power with our human frailty to accomplish His glorious purposes in and through us. That’s why Paul completes his statement in 2 Corinthians 9 by saying, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Does the church appear weak in the world? Yes, but by Paul’s logic, wouldn’t that make us strong? Wouldn’t our “weakness” position us to enjoy the grace of God and to join Him on His mission? Yes, it would. This is why Paul said he would boast gladly in his weaknesses. And it’s why we should boast gladly in our weaknesses. Boasting doesn’t sound humble, but what Paul means here is that he boasts not in himself, but in God.

Have you ever heard of someone being “starstruck?” It happens when you meet someone and you’re overwhelmed in their presence. Paul was in awe of God’s power and grace as a result of Christ’s work in his life. He had his personal weakness, but through him God was accomplishing great things. Paul’s own weakness was part of God’s unfolding redemptive. His ailment had been part of God’s redemptive work among the Galatians.

How might God be working with and through your weakness? Your insecurities about your weaknesses might keep them away from God’s people. But the church must be a place where people can find help in their weakness and where God uses that weakness to further the mission and build unity among us.

We all have weaknesses here. We also have Christ. When we see ourselves as weak, and God as full of grace and power, we’re ready for mission and for unity. God works through weakness.

He had worked through weakness in Galatia, but that work seemed to be in jeopardy. Notice verse [15]. Paul says, “What then has become of your blessedness? When they came to faith in Christ, the Galatians had been so happy with Paul. That’s the “blessedness” he’s talking about. They were thankful for him. Not having a righteousness of his own and boasting gladly in his weakness he brought the gospel message to them and their lives had been transformed.

They had come to know the living Christ by faith.

They began to live according to the principles of the gospel.

They enjoyed togetherness as a church and the church grew in Galatian.

Unity and mission. But something changed. What was it? Notice the rest of the verse. “For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. [16] Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Some scholars think this is evidence that Paul’s weakness was an eye problem (because of what he says about their eyes). That’s possible, though there’s no conclusive evidence of it. However, this is conclusive evidence that they loved Paul dearly and appreciated him.

And yet fast forward to the present – the Judaizers had turned them against Paul. Something had come between them and Paul. He states it at the end of verse 16,
and you can see it there. It was “the truth.” He was telling them the truth, and now they were against him. This of course was the truth of the gospel of grace. It was the truth that nothing needs to be added to the sufficient work of Christ for us.

Paul discusses the truth in many places. In 1 Corinthians 13, he says something about the truth that applies here to the Galatians. It’s right in the middle of his famous statements about love. Paul says that love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” In other words, real love is not glad about someone’s unrighteousness.

Real love does not condone someone’s sin. The loving thing to do is to uphold the truth – to tell someone the truth – though even Paul says elsewhere, we should speak the truth in a loving way. We should tell people the truth in a gracious way.

Have you ever been on the opposite side of the truth? Sure you have. You’ve told a lie, haven’t you? You’ve gone against what you knew was right or true. This is our third principle of mission and unity. Are we rejoicing in the truth?

This is how the church remains unified and how we participate in the mission of God. It’s wasn’t right for Paul and the others to say, “Oh, that’s ok, if that’s what the Galatians want to believe, that’s fine. It’s up to them, really. As long as they’re happy. If that works for them, who are we to correct them or tell them they’re wrong. Let’s just rejoice in their truth that they discovered.”

Love does not rejoice in sin. Love rejoices in the truth.

Now before you run out to correct someone, remember it must be done not having a righteousness of our own and boasting gladly in our weaknesses. That is the mission of the church – to proclaim Christ in this way.

But we compromise these principles in our lives, don’t we? And yet in Christ, every day God’s mercies are new.

Do you have Christ?

As we go to the Lord’s table now, we commune with the Savior who exchanged places with us, who secured our salvation apart from our ability to live always according to these principles. But looking to Him and receiving His strength, we will live according to them more and more.

Let’s bow in prayer.