“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the
truth?” – Galatians 4:16
Dear brothers and sisters, how many of us have friends? As a social creature, yes, most of us have friends. How many of us are able to criticize our friends and vice versa? Paul in Verse 16 says, “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?”
Paul had a close relationship with the Galatians
(v.13-15). It was because an illness, he spent 2 years in his early ministry in
Galatia, preaching the gospel. Therefore, he urged to write a letter to his old
friends in Galatians by himself and rescued them. Galatians drifted from
the blessedness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a false gospel.
Paul wrote in the letter of Galatians what the false
gospel was. The false gospel was that Galatians had to live under the Law of
Moses. Meanwhile, Paul taught the non-Jew Christians to have a new life live in
the Spirit – not by keeping the Law. Moreover, through Jesus Christ, the
gentiles got the justification to be Children of Abraham and got the blessings
of Abraham, not by keeping the Law. Abraham had Faith to God without keeping
the Law of Moses. Last but not the least, Jesus died and resurrected to free
people from the Law.
My reflection on the passage: In our search and zeal
to know God on a deeper level, we could ask God to surround ourselves with the right
people. Then we ask ourselves: Are we able to criticize our friends who drift
away from the gospel? On the other hand, are we open for criticism? – Amen.
To God be the glory. God bless you.
Reflection on Galatians 4:12-20 by Veralin Uneputty
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