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William Hendriksen · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Hendriksen notes that Luther commented on this verse and applied the lesson to his own day, observing that some monks were zealously laboring to please God for salvation. However, the more they worked the more miserable, uncertain, and fearful they became. Hendriksen adds: "People who prefer the law to the gospel are like Aesop's dog who let go of the meat to snatch at the shadow in the water.... The law is weak and poor, the sinner is weak and poor: two feeble beggars trying to help each other. They cannot do it. They only wear each other out. But through Christ a weak and poor sinner is revived and enriched unto eternal life." (Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series – The Books of Galatians & Ephesians: By Grace through Faith) The key phrase is desire which indicates they made the choice to do this. They were not forced to go back into slavery. They actually chose to do it! THOUGHT - Does not this describe all of us when we choose to carry out some willful sin? Why do we do it? Because we DESIRE it? And so we sin with impunity and presumption (cf Ps 19:13). Sounds a lot like Achan in Joshua 7:21 (He saw, he coveted, he took, he concealed - we try to hide our willful sin!). We know it is wrong and yet we do it! We know it can potentially enslave us (cf Pr 5:22 = "he will be held with the cords of his sin", cf 2 Pe 2:19, 20) and yet we commit the sin with "eyes wide open." (Really with spiritual eyes totally shut! Totally deceived!) Desire (Want, Will, Wish) (2309)(thelo) primarily refers to exercising of one's will with the underlying sense of to be willing, to desire, to want or to wish. Vine adds that thelo "expresses not simply a desire, but a determined and constant exercise of the will." In Galatians 4:9 thelo is in the present tense (they continually desire) and active voice which signifies they are making a volitional choice, a definite choice of their will to make the turn! And the indicative mood of thelo indicates this is a reality. In other words, this is not an accidental occurrence! Paul says you are making a willful turning from truth to error. To be enslaved (present tense ~ continually)(1398) see discussion above on douleuo John Stott wrote "We cannot come to Christ to be justified until we have first been to Moses to be condemned. But once we have gone to Moses, and acknowledged our sin, guilt and condemnation, we must not stay there. We must let Moses send us to Christ." (Quoted by MacArthur) The Judaizers were taking them back to Moses! Bruce Barton - Religious slavery (trying to please God by legalism or works) is particularly devastating to people because it offers false hope. Thinking they will gain freedom, they instead get trapped in a cycle of effort and failure leading to more effort and failure. Opportunities to return to religious slavery occur almost every day. When we have fallen short of our expectations, we are tempted to try harder and be more disciplined. But when we fail in the Christian life, we should apply grace, not renewed effort, as the primary means for becoming right again. (Life Application Bible Commentary – see context in Galatians) Galatians 4:10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. KJV Galatians 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. NET Galatians 4:10 You are observing religious days and months and seasons and years. You observe days Lev 23:1-44; Lev 25:1,13; Nu 28:1-29; Ro 14:5; Col 2:16,17 Galatians 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Galatians 4:1-11 - Don Anderson Galatians Study 7; More Notes on Galatians Study 7; Warren Wiersbe's sermon Born Free - Galatians 4 - one of the simplest and most profound expositions you will ever hear on Galatians 4! EMPTY RITUALS Ritual describes the the habitual performance of some action and in this context speaks of the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies. Paul is aware that his readers had begun to observe these rituals Paul now explains how they were abandoning liberty for bondage, spiritual power for weakness and spiritual wealth for poverty. One would think this is such a "bad deal" that they would have accepted the "terms." But this is the nature of our fallen flesh and the nature of sin both of which deceive us, to that dark looks light and wrong looks right! These believers were taking up the practices of the "Old Time religion" (so to speak), the religion the Jews had practiced in the Old Testament. And beloved, lest you think the Galatian heresy is dead and gone, I would submit to you that it is alive and well, and seems to be gaining momentum (2019) in what is known as the Hebrew Roots Movement. If you are not familiar with this movement, you would be wise to become familiar because I have had several inquiries from readers asking how they can get their dear relatives out of this movement. The best way of course is to cut them off at the beginning for many this is too late and it is very difficult to rescue them. Here are two resources so you can become better educated regarding this subtle, sinister movement... Dangers of the Hebrew Roots Movement - LOOK OUT!!! What is the Hebrew Roots movement? Bewitching Believers Through the Hebrew Roots Movement Hebrew Roots Movement - Watchman Fellowship Wayne
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Hendriksen - Where, then, (is) your (former) blessedness. For I testify to you that, had it been possible, your very eyes y o u would have plucked out and given to me. Where then is that sense of blessing you had Galatians 3:14; 5:22; 6:4; Luke 8:13; Ro 4:6-9; 5:2; 15:13 For I bear you witness Ro 10:2; 2 Cor 8:3; Col 4:13 if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes Gal 4:19; Ro 9:3; 1 Th 2:8; 5:13; 1 Jn 3:16-18 Galatians 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Galatians 4:12-20 - Don Anderson Galatians Study 8; More Notes on Galatians Study 8 Warren Wiersbe's sermon Born Free - Galatians 4 - one of the simplest and most profound expositions you will ever hear on Galatians 4! HAVE YOU LOST THAT LOVING FEELING? There was a song in the 1960's by the Righteous Brothers entitled "You've Lost that Loving Feeling." (it's a pretty innocent song if you want to give listen to the song that was a number 1 hit the year I graduated from High School!) Paul is implying that these believers in Galatia who had received the loving message of salvation from Paul had "lost that loving feeling" for the messenger! Where then is that sense of blessing you had? - Although it is phrased as a question, Paul reminds them of the sense of blessing they had in regard to his presence the first time. Paul's point is that the Galatians rejoiced when Paul arrived among them as like an angel of God with a message of such good news. The question implies that when Paul was asking the question the Galatians no longer felt the same way as they did when Paul was with them. This question is rhetorical for as
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Hendriksen says: Rigid adherence to law, as if this were the way to be saved, is exposed as being in reality nothing but bondage, spiritual slavery. Faith, on the contrary, spells freedom. Accordingly, this section, too, is true to the theme of the entire epistle, namely, “The gospel of justification by faith apart from law-works defended against its detractors.” (Baker's NTC-Galatians) John
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Hendriksen comments that "The passage is one of the finest practical applications of I Corinthians 13+, written by Paul himself. Though the Galatians have failed Paul, his love toward them never fails, for love is longsuffering and kind, and even now hopes all things." (Ibid)