You foolish Galatians! (Galatians 3:1)
When it comes to a golfer’s life, there are many things I could care about. It might matter to me greatly what clothing I wear. I might consider it important which golf ball I hit. It might mean much to me whether I own my own golf cart or live on the course. I might especially care who my instructor is, or whether I can play in the middle of the week, or how fast I can get a round in. Now, all of these things are of some importance, but if I do not care about getting the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible, I am not really playing the game.
It is easy sometimes to criticize other people for how much they care about things that aren’t of interest to us. Sometimes we call these people nerds or geeks because of the intensity of their interests. And sometimes they even call themselves this, owning their passion as a thing the partly identifies them.
The question for the believer is what things we should care most about and how significantly we should care about them. When, if ever, is it OK to be dogmatic?
By returning to God-missing religion, the Galatians had leaned their ladder against the wrong wall.When Paul wrote to the Galatians and called them foolish, he did so because they were violating something that was very important to him. They were going about their religion the wrong way, the old way. They disciplined themselves to do things that would impress others, especially the religious elite, and in doing so they thought that they were impressing God. Paul rebuked them for this. He reminded them that every bit of life had been given to them through the work of Christ, not through their own work. They could not earn their salvation; they could not purchase abundant, eternal life. No, they had to come to Christ to receive these things. And if they were going about it in some other way, there were no less than fools.
Paul’s example is vital to us for two reasons. First, it demonstrates that there are things we really should care about. Deeply. Staunchly. Spiritually speaking, these are matters of life and death, the difference between a life lived and a life wasted. If we elevate the wrong cares to the top shelf in our hearts and minds, we threaten our eternal destiny. You have likely heard it expressed that it does no good to climb the ladder if the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. By returning to God-missing religion, the Galatians had leaned their ladder against the wrong wall.
Second, Paul’s calling out of the Galatians shows that our care for what matters should be coupled with our care for others. Don’t challenge brothers and sisters over the color of the carpet in the fellowship hall or call your pastor to complain that his third point in this week’s sermon could have been clearer. These are issues that fade away. Speak strongly instead of the greatest truths: Christ, his gospel, and the way to eternity. Remind one another of the most important things—with a firm tone, if you must. Show that you care and speak of what you care about. But be sure it is what God cares about, too.
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Jeff Hopper
October 30, 2019
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