The Galatian church had been infiltrated by Judaizers seeking to lead. The gospel that Paul had taught them, a gospel of free grace apart from works, was being threatened by the false gospel of works. In the context of a church divided by false doctrine, Paul pleaded passionately with the Galatians to cling to the true gospel and reject the false gospel. It was in this context that Paul urged the Galatians to put off the fruit of the flesh and to walk by the Spirit.
In the midst of this theological squabble, however, Paul reminds his readers that the gospel had given them freedom, but that their freedom should not be used as an opportunity for the flesh, but rather they should “through love serve one another.” He goes on to write, “Fot the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one anther, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
I want to point out three things about Paul’s commands to the Galatians that we would all do well to remember when we find ourselves in Theological disagreements.
- Theology does matter. Paul never suggested to the Galatians that they accept the false theology of the Judaizers. Just the opposite, in fact, Galatians is one of Paul’s most passionate and emotionally expressive letters. In 5:11 he blurts out, “I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves.” Repeatedly, Paul urges the believers in Galatia to return to the true gospel and “cast out the slave woman.” The law of love mattered to Paul, but true biblical love and community can only exist when God is rightly understood through his word and the word is rightly applied. Theology mattered to Paul and the leaders who were teaching a false gospel who were preaching a false gospel were to be dealt with.
- Love matters. In theological disputes, it is often easy to draw lines in the sand and begin to judge people rather than their ideas or theological positions. Paul had strong words for those who were putting words in his mouth and who were intentionally distorting the gospel. However, he does not neglect to warn the church against division. In the midst of division and turmoil, love can be thrown out the window. You can begin to view your brother or sister as an enemy to be overcome rather than as a dear Christian seeking to rightly understand and apply God’s word. Certainly there are those dogs who would creep into a local fellowship with evil intent (Phil 3:2), but most who disagree theologically do so with an earnest effort to be faithful to God’s word. Do not make enemies of your brothers and sisters for, “if you bite and devour one another” you will be consumed by one another.
- Truth matters. Finally, in theological debates emotion can often trump facts and truth. Just because something “feels” right or “seems” right to me does not make it biblical. To the Judaizers, circumcision and adherance to the law “felt” right, but it was wrong. Only the Word of God can be trusted. Avoid emotional arguments based on conjecture and feeling, run to the Word of God and the helps that are availabe to us (commentaries, online Bibles, dictionaries, etc…).
Love God and love your neighbor. Amazingly if we will love God rather than our own feelings and desires and love our neighbor more than ourselves, we can avoid division within the church.
