Paul finishes the main theological argument by returning to personal matters, both about the Galatians themselves, and about himself.
The Galatians were doing well, but someone has cut in on them to stop them obeying the truth. Theological arguments are not always just theoretical matters with no practical relevance. The important ones determine how we will live. The test of a teaching is whether or not it helps or hinders us from obeying the truth, Jesus Christ.
Nor can we afford to allow a little false teaching, for there is the danger that it will permeate through everything and ruin the lot. Paul then implies in verse 10 that the church should discipline the false teacher or teachers.
He closes the section by drawing attention to himself. Apparently some claimed Paul himself was preaching circumcision. This is inconsistent with other things that people said about Paul, but we should not be surprised that the attacks on good people are inconsistent. Indeed, Paul could have saved himself a whole lot of trouble by preaching circumcision, but instead he preached the truth that Jesus is the only way.
Paul rounds things off by calling on the Judaisers to castrate themselves. Often our debates are way too polite!
The Galatians were doing well, but someone has cut in on them to stop them obeying the truth. Theological arguments are not always just theoretical matters with no practical relevance. The important ones determine how we will live. The test of a teaching is whether or not it helps or hinders us from obeying the truth, Jesus Christ.
Nor can we afford to allow a little false teaching, for there is the danger that it will permeate through everything and ruin the lot. Paul then implies in verse 10 that the church should discipline the false teacher or teachers.
He closes the section by drawing attention to himself. Apparently some claimed Paul himself was preaching circumcision. This is inconsistent with other things that people said about Paul, but we should not be surprised that the attacks on good people are inconsistent. Indeed, Paul could have saved himself a whole lot of trouble by preaching circumcision, but instead he preached the truth that Jesus is the only way.
Paul rounds things off by calling on the Judaisers to castrate themselves. Often our debates are way too polite!
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