Galatians 5:7-9

A Word of Protest Galatians 5:7-12

TEXT 5:7-9

(7) Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth? (8) This persuasion came not of him that calleth you. (9) A little leaven Ieaveneth the whole lump.

PARAPHRASE 5:7-9

7 At first ye made great progress in the doctrine and practice of the gospel: Who hath interrupted you in that good course, so as to make you now reject the truth?
8 This persuasion concerning the law, and the efficacy of its expiation, is not wrought in you by him who first called you.
9 A little leaven, that is, the errors of one teacher, are sufficient to corrupt a whole church.

COMMENT 5:7

Ye were running well

1.

The Christian life is like a race. Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us; and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

2.

Faith is to advance one, not to retreat him to bondage.

who hindered you

1.

A good question to ask backsliders. Hebrews 6:4-6

2.

It should apply to many situations.

a.

Friends in bad company: Evil companionships. 1 Corinthians 15:33

b.

Loved ones: Loveth father or mother more. Matthew 10:37

c.

Job: Five yoke of oxen. Luke 14:19

d.

Possessions: It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye. Mark 10:24-25

e.

False teachers: or an angel from heaven. Galatians 1:8-9

3.

McGarvey says hindered is a military terman army embarrassed by destroyed bridges and roads.

4.

Here are examples of those who ran but failed.

a.

Lot's wife. Genesis 19:26

b.

Rich young ruler. Matthew 19:20

c.

Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5:1-11

that ye should not obey the truth

1.

Obedience to the steps of salvation is not sufficient; you are disobedient if you backslide, just as though you had never done them.

2.

To accept false teaching is the same as disobedience.

TROUBLEMAKERS WILL BE JUDGED 5:7-10

The Christians in Galatia were running a great Christian race; then they were hindered by false teachers. Running a hundred yard dash requires eyes straight ahead and concentration. The Christian race requires looking straight ahead to Jesus and concentration on truth. Men who try to take us back to the law are troublemakers.
Romans and Galatians and Hebrews all agree on justification by faith.

Romans 10:1-21 is one of the great Chapter s that tell us that Christ ended the law as a means of attempting to arrive at justification. This brought to an end a futile struggle, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Righteousness is now by faith in Christ Jesus. It requires no one to ascend into heaven or descend into the abyss to make Jesus available. We do not need to see Him. The word of faith, that is, the announcement of justification by faith has been declared.

The teachers who teach otherwise are to be considered troublemakers and to be judged and even accursed as seen in Galatians 1:8-9.

COMMENT 5:8

This persuasion came not of him that calleth you

1.

The persuasion of obedience to Moses is referred to.

2.

The devil is a cunning persuader.

a.

He beguiled Eve with desire to know, as God knows good and evil. Genesis 3:6

1)

She was tricked by food that was good to eat.

2)

She was tricked by a delight to the eyes.

3)

She was lured by the desire to be wise.

b.

The devil persuaded Judas to betray Christ.

3.

Him that called youmust refer to Christ.

a.

Paul has made it plain that they have departed from Christ and no doubt He is the one Paul means here.

b.

It would not be needful to say, the persuasion came not from Paul, but MacKnight holds that Paul is meant.

COMMENT 5:9

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump

1.

Leaven is used of both good and evil in scripture.

a.

Evil. Matthew 16:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

b.

Good. Matthew 13:33

2.

Paul is trying to make them see the danger of a small deviation.

a.

They might have first said. What if we deviate a little from Paul?

b.

To tolerate a trifling error inevitably leads to heresy.

c.

We have no right to trifle with the Bible.

d.

Small faults grow to be big ones.

3.

Hear James on the matter: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all. James 2:10

STUDY QUESTIONS 5:7-9

629.

Does Paul mean that the Christian life is like a race?

630.

Is disobedience a failure to run?

631.

How long had they been running well?

632.

Does Paul know who hindered them?

633.

What kind of thing does the devil use on us to hinder us?

634.

What kind of term is the word hindered?

635.

Give example of those who ran for God, but were hindered.

636.

Is backsliding the same as disobedience in this verse?

637.

Is acceptance of false teaching equivalent to falling from the truth and disobedience?

638.

Who persuaded whom?

639.

Is it a persuasion to Moses or Christ?

640.

Is the devil a shrewd persuader?

641.

Is the one who calledChrist or Paul?

642.

Is leaven used to symbolize both good and evil?

643.

Is leaven in this case evil?

644.

Does Paul establish that a small heresy may be very serious?

645.

Should we consider a small deviation to be very dangerous?

646.

If small faults grow to be great ones, is it profitable for small untruths to do the same?