"Enemy"

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? Galatians 4:16 (HCSB)

How accurate are the words of the Apostle Paul for today's social media-driven consumption? Follow me on this one; you are scrolling among all the posts, and there it is, you find a friend that has posted something that you completely disagree with, and you take a moment to correct their opinion. Then before you know it, your friend quickly becomes your enemy. 

Paul, at this moment, I think, is dealing with a bit of frustration and anguish. He is on the cliff's edge between abstract reasoning and outright emotional pleading. As Paul expressed in verses 12-15, he had once enjoyed a personal closeness and relationship with the people of Galatia. Unfortunately, all of his affection was turning to concern. The ones that were once friends were becoming enemies. Why might Paul have perceived these feelings towards his friends? I think he did so much in how we as parents approach our children or even in how we approach our friends. As a parent, I work at teaching, both in action and words, things my children should know about how to approach life. When they go "off script" and make their own decision against the "truth" that has been presented to them, it's hard not to take it personally; have I failed as a parent? I believe this is the same position that Paul is struggling to accept. To an extent, the same thing happens when we make a statement on social media that goes against a comment from a friend. 

Paul wanted to remind the church that they were free from the Law and the recipients of Grace. It is important to note that the Galatians had not lost the experience of salvation - they were still Christians, but the enjoyment of their salvation was slipping away. It is fair to assume that the Galatians did not realize their losses. In their thought process, they saw themselves as better Christians by substituting The Law for Grace as well as the religious deeds of the flesh for what would be mentioned later; the fruit of the spirit.

It is worth remembering that God began with Grace as far as God's dealings with men are concerned. In The Garden of Eden, God provided for Adam and Eve by Grace. After the moment they both sinned, in His Grace, He provided them with a covering (Gen. 3:21). Think about it, God did not give them laws to obey as a way of redemption; instead, He gave them a promise to believe: the promise of a victorious Redeemer (Gen. 3:15).

In His relationship with Israel, God operated based on Grace, not Law. As we covered in last week's reading, God's covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15) was all of Grace because Abraham was in a deep sleep when the covenant was established. Likewise, when God delivered Israel from Egypt, it was based on Grace and not Law, for the Law had not yet been given. Paul desired for the Christians in Galatia to recognize the incompatibility of man-made and God-made religion and respond by casting out the legalizers that were seeking to push them backward in their understanding of Grace. 

I think that our application question for this section is difficult but should be asked. Is your Christian life moving forward into freedom or backward into bondage? Think carefully before you answer.