For
a little while, God has been addressing a work he is doing in me to make me
accept that there is a certain way that anguish and love must be together. In a
fallen world, with ruined lives all round us, and the world, the flesh, and the
devil constantly working to pull people out of the light and into the darkness,
we cannot love as Jesus loves without feeling anguish over anyone or anything
that is not maturing in Christlikeness.
I
have been focusing on this verse: “my
little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ
is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:19) In context, Paul was writing to the
Galatians who were turning away from the purity of the gospel to receive a
deceptive message that mixed together the gospel with the law. This “grace + good
works” gospel was so contrary to truth that Paul said that anyone who taught
such a thing should be accursed for doing so.[1] In
other words, this was a false gospel of death that was leading people away from
the true gospel that gives life.
In
the context of the above verse, Paul was addressing the way the false teachers
had come in to take a place of prominence in the people’s hearts so that they
were rejecting what they had been given through the true apostles. Here is that
context:
15 I testify to
you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to
me. 16 Have I
then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They
make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you
may make much of them. 18 It is always
good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with
you, 19 my little children, for whom I
am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change
my tone, for I am perplexed about you.[2]
One
thing that stood out to me was the way Paul described the relationship he used
to have with this church, where they would have made incredible sacrifices to
help him in his ministry. Just before this passage he had written, “You know it was because of
a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and 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.”[3] There is good reason to believe that Paul had some condition with
his eyes that prompted him to describe the love of the Galatian Christians as
being willing to replace his eyes with theirs.
However,
Paul came to feel like he had become their enemy by telling them the truth. He
was not willing to develop a friendship based on cunning and deception, so he
was the one being cast aside. And, he was heartbroken by the way the false
teachers were shutting the people out from the apostolic leadership in order
that the church would make much of them instead of Christ.
Another
thing that really stood out today is that false teachers want people to make
much of them, while true teachers want people to make much of Christ. The false
teachers wanted people to make them central so that they could maintain
control. True teachers want Christ to be formed in people. False teachers feel
anguish if they are not the center of attention; while true teachers feel
anguish if Christ is not the center of attention.
I
appreciate Paul’s example, his sincerity, his genuineness that leads the way
for me. He endured people changing their minds about him because some false
teacher stole the spotlight, so to speak. But, because his heart was for Christ
to be formed in these people, he did not give up and concede that these people
had just moved on to another ministry. Rather, he was perplexed about why they
were turning away from their first love for Christ. He felt anguish because they
were turning away to a false gospel that would take them away from Christ.
Once
again I see a pattern. We are all being called to accept some kind of anguish
that must be woven into our love so that we are willing to be so burdened for
people to return to Christ that we would actually feel worse over their
condition than they do.
So
much for God letting us wait for someone else to get their act together! It
appears it is the act of the guy I see in the mirror that needs to receive such
a love as felt anguish over me, so that I will be that branch of Christ (with
all God’s children, of course) that feels loving anguish that brings love to
others. The ultimate desire of love is that Christ be formed in the people we
love (even our enemies) so that they can be accepted by God.
So,
the day begins. “Love
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”[4]
From my heart,
Monte
© 2014 Monte Vigh ~
Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise
noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible,
English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway
Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)
[1] “6 I am astonished that you
are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are
some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we
or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say
again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received,
let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or
am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be
a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1)
[2] Galatians 4
[3] Galatians 4:13-14
[4] I Corinthians 13:7
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