4 / 12
The Amish Voice 4
QUESTIONS:
1. Paul had an amazing confidence in the Galatian’s ability to do
what was right. What was the secret to his confidence? Do you
have the same confidence in other Christians that you know?
Why or why not?
2. Is it easier for you to confront someone with the truth or easier to
ignore people who are being deceived? Why?
3. What can you do to build your minister’s confidence in you?
What can any Christian believer do to build confidence in one
another?
5. OBEY THE TRUTH, FOR FALSE TEACHERS WILL BE
JUDGED (vv.10-12).
The fact is stated in no uncertain terms: the false teacher who was
troubling the church would bear the judgment of God. Paul gave four
reasons why false teachers will be judged.
1. False teachers shall be judged because they trouble the church and
its believers. By trouble is meant to unsettle and disturb. The
false teachers were loosening the cords of faith in Christ,
disturbing the security and lives of the believers and the ministry
of the churches. They were misleading believers and defiling the
church of God with false teaching.
“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God
destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are” (1 Co.3:17).
2. False teachers shall be judged because they spread falsehood
about the minister of Christ. Paul did not preach that ritual was
necessary for salvation (circumcision, baptism, church
membership, etc.); but the false teachers were saying that he did.
However, the fact that Paul did not preach circumcision was the
main reason the Jews persecuted him so much. That is the reason
Paul simply asks: Why am I persecuted by the Jews so much if I
preach salvation by ritual (circumcision, baptism, church
membership, etc.)?
The point is this: the false teachers had attacked Paul, attempting
to discredit him and his ministry among the believers. And one
thing God does not tolerate is an attack on His anointed.
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his
own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden
up: for God is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14:4).
3. False teachers shall be judged because they are offended by the
cross. Paul preached the cross, that a person was justified and
acceptable to God only by the cross of Jesus Christ. The false
teachers (Judaizers) were offended by this. The word “offense”
means stumbling or staggering. It was the cross that had caused
the false teachers to stumble in their approach to God. They had
taught that the death of Jesus Christ was not enough to make a
person acceptable to God. The cross was not sufficient by itself;
more was needed. A person had to be ritualized (circumcised,
baptized) and subject himself to the law of God and keep all the
rituals, ceremonies, and rules of the church. If he did, then he was
a true Christian.
Salvation by works and law, of course, is false. Salvation is
through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and through Him alone.
Scripture is clear: anyone who follows or teaches any other
salvation shall be severely judged by God.
4. False teachers shall be judged because they deserve
condemnation. Paul is gripped with intense emotion here: he
wishes the false teachers would just go and castrate themselves—
cut themselves completely off. This is a repulsive thought to
some and rightly so, for false teaching is the most serious
offense. Nothing surpasses it, in particular when it adds or takes
away from the cross of Christ. God gave His Son to die for men,
and if men miss Him, they miss the righteousness necessary to
live in God’s presence. There is no other righteousness than the
righteousness of Jesus Christ, and there is no other death that can
stand as the Ideal substitute for man’s death—not to God. God
will not accept any death other than Christ’s death—not to cover
the death of man. If a man wishes to approach God, he must
come through the cross, through the death of Jesus Christ. God
accepts no other way. Therefore, if a person takes any other way
to God, it would be best if he just went ahead and went all the
way with whatever he teaches—better if he just went all the way
and cut himself off and got out of the way—much better than to
continue destroying the people of God.
The point is this: a false teacher deserves to be judged. There is
no punishment too good for him. As stated above, “He shall bear
his judgment.”
“For the son of man shall come in the glory of his Father
with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works” (Mt.16:27).
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good
or bad” (2 Co.5:10).
QUESTIONS:
1. What consequences do false teachers face?
2. Some would say that God is too harsh in His dealing with false
teachers. Would you agree or disagree? Why?
3. What would happen to your church if a false teacher had an
opportunity to teach your people?
SUMMARY:
Are you in the best shape you can be in your Christian life? Are the
barnacles of sin, of worldly attachments, scraped away? If you are
having a difficult time, remember the instructions given on how to
become “ship-shape”:
1. Obey the truth because the Christian life is a race.
2. Obey the truth because God called you to freedom.