Galatians 4:12-15. 12Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
This next section of Paul’s letter to the Galatians may not be the most important theologically, but it does give us insight into the messy nature of Paul’s relationship with this church. It’s definitely a “What happened?” moment.
When Paul says, “I became as you are,” he is describing his incarnational ministry. When he came to Galatia, he lived like a Gentile. He came to them in freedom, not putting them under the law, but rather joining them in simple faith in Christ alone. I’m sure this means that he respected their culture and deferred to them without violating the law of Christ. Paul describes this kind of ministry in 1 Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 9:19-23. 19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
All of this is rooted in the theology expressed in 3:28: There is no Jew or Greek, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. This is radical openness and equality, void of status and pressure. All of this was reciprocated by the Galatians while they were living in their freedom—“You did me no wrong… but received me as an angel of God.” They saw past his weakness and scars to the gift of God that He was to them.
So what happened? Or as Paul asks, “What has become of your blessedness?”
The bottom line is, when we lose the gospel, we lose our relationships in Christ. Because living under the law can only leave us insecure and guessing (not free), it can never bring blessing to a relationship. Only cursing. Only death.
You: Have you lost a relationship due to putting them or yourself under the law?
You in Christ: How does being in Christ allow us to bring freedom to our relationships?
Christ in you: What relational fruit of blessing can you see in your gospel-centered relationships?
Pray: Father, I want relationships of blessing, not cursing. Restore me to the freedom of being in Christ and let me love others from that freedom. Amen.
