Loud Thinking

Gal. 4:12-20:

12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I {am,} for I
also {have become} as you {are.} You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know
that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the
first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did
not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus
{Himself.} 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you
witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them
to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they
wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be
eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with
you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in
you–20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for
I am perplexed about you.

Study:
In
this passage, the apostle shifts from his theological defense of the truth of
the gospel to a deep and emotional expression of his concern for the Galatians.
He is not Paul the apologist. He is now the Paul the pastor.

He began by begging the Galatians. He implored his
readers to be like him. He tried to speak with no superior tone by identifying
with them. He called them his brethren. He is trying to say that he was also a
sinner like them and he needed salvation. Paul pleads from this similarity of
position. By laying this as a foundation to his argument, he entreats them to
be like him. Paul exhorts them to follow his example.

He wanted them to understand that as Christians they
were justified by faith. They were justified by God’s grace. It is also by
grace that they could live the Christian life and not by observing the Law. He
wanted them to live a life free from the influence of the Judaizers that wish
to enslave them to the Law. He desired for them to live in freedom and joy
because of their salvation in Jesus Christ.

Paul goes on to say that they had done him no wrong.
They treated him well. He had no complaints toward them.

 The Galatians knew that it was because of a bodily
ailment that Paul preached the gospel to them. The apostle was not in a good
physical condition when he first preached the gospel to them. This is the
reason why Paul said that they didn’t do anything to harm him or treat him
unlikely.

However, the nature of his physical ailment is not
clear. Some commentators, like Barclay, suggest that he acquired malaria in the
coastal Pamphylia. The next verse suggests that he had an eye problem. Gal.
6:11 suggests the same thing because he said that he wrote to them in big
letters. It is also implied in Acts 23:1-5, wherein the apostle had difficulty
recognizing the high priest. Stott says that it is probably a case of
ophthalmitia or conjunctivitis.

Morris notes it appears that it was not Paul’s
intention to preach the gospel to the Galatians but his infirmity detained him
in Galatia. Paul did not waste the opportunity to preach the gospel even though
he was having physical problem. Preaching the gospel was his primary concern
and not his ailment. Commenting on Eph. 6:19-20 about Paul’s single-mindedness
to preach the gospel, John F. MacArthur, Jr. said, “As great as his physical
and emotional needs were, he requested prayer that he might possess the message
of God and then have the courage to give it out… he asked that his ministry
might continue unimpeded.”

Though his physical condition was a trial to them, he
was not despised or loathed. The original language suggests that he may have
looked repulsive but the Galatians did not despised him or did not yielded to
the temptation to despise him. Realize that despise or ekptuō means to spit out. The Galatians did not
despise Paul. He was not treated with hostility or dislike.

He was instead received as an angel of God. They
welcomed him as if he was an angel. Paul goes on to say that they even received
him as Jesus Christ Himself. It appears that Paul had a high estimation of
himself. Remember that he presented himself as a fellow sinner. With that in
mind, I don’t think that he intended to put himself on the level of the Son of
God, although he didn’t wrote here that he rebuked the Galatians for treating
him as such, like what he did in Lystra (Acts 14:8-18).

Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ. His authority came
from Jesus and he was given a message to preach by Jesus. When Paul came to
Galatia, he came with the authority and message of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
was Christ’s ambassador. Jesus said in Matt. 10:40 that whosoever receives his
commissioned disciples receives Him. It is in this context that Paul speaks of
the Galatians receiving him as Jesus Christ.

This caused a sense of blessedness among the Galatians
because they received a messenger of God and they received a message that
brought them salvation. But they are in the brink of rejecting Paul and the
message he preached to them. So he asked them, “Where then is that sense of
blessing you had?” The NIV puts it, “What has happened to all your joy?”

He probably expected them to continue in the joy of
their salvation because he can bear witness to them that they would have
plucked out their eyes and given them to him, if it were possible. Since Paul’s
ailment is not clear, this verse would not prove that he had eye ailment.
Plucking one’s eyes to be offered to another is an extreme statement of love
that means that one is willing to do anything for another. Paul meant that the
Galatians were willing to give up their eyesight to show their love and
devotion to him.

So Paul asked, “So have I become your enemy by telling
you the truth?” He was received as an angel, even as Jesus Christ Himself, but
he is now considered an enemy because he stood firm to the truth of the gospel.
He called them foolish by turning away from the truth of the gospel. He scolded
and rebuked them by resorting to enslavement. Though the Galatians did not
endured sound doctrine and had their ears tickled, Paul maintained the purity
of the gospel (2 Tim. 4:3).

Paul turned his
pastoral appeal by providing the Galatians a contrast between the false
teachers intent and his own intent. First, he dealt with the false teachers. He
said that these false teachers eagerly seek them. They were zealous to win the
Galatians to their distorted gospel. The false teachers were definitely zealous
but not in a commendable manner. Their zeal is meant to bring harm to the
Galatians. The false teachers do not seek their well-being.

Paul turned his
pastoral appeal by providing the Galatians a contrast between the false
teachers intent and his own intent. First, he dealt with the false teachers. He
said that these false teachers eagerly seek them. They were zealous to win the
Galatians to their distorted gospel. The false teachers were definitely zealous
but not in a commendable manner. Their zeal is meant to bring harm to the
Galatians. The false teachers do not seek their well-being.

The false teachers
intended to shut them out. It is not clear what the apostle meant here. There
are several interpretations that say that these teachers purposed to isolate
the Galatians from other Christian churches and teachers who are faithful to
the purity of the gospel. Another interpretation is that the false teachers
wish to shut the Galatian saints from Paul and from Christ. It is more
reasonable to accept these because Paul wrote that the objective of the false
teachers is that the Galatians would seek them.

If the false teachers will be able to persuade the
Galatians to believe them, the Galatians would be alienated to Paul. The
apostle would become an enemy. The Galatians would not listen to someone they
consider an enemy. As a result, the true gospel will not be preached to them.
Christ, whom Paul faithfully preaches, will not be taught to them. Hence the
ultimate aim of the false teachers is to shut the Galatians out from Christ.
The Judaizers intend to lead them away from the freedom that is Jesus Christ
and bring them to bondage to the Law.

But Paul didn’t tell them that it is wrong to be
eagerly sought. Actually, it is always good to be sought by others. It is good
also that they are sought even while Paul is away from them. However, the
apostle made a qualification. He said that it is good to be sought by others if
the purpose is good. Paul doesn’t have a problem if other preachers will
minister to or teach the Galatians. He just want to make sure that these
teachers are not counterfeit or these teachers are not teaching counterfeit
Christianity.

Verse 19 presents the escalation of Paul’s emotional
pleading. He opens this section by calling the Galatians his children. The
Galatians were not just his brethren but his children. This is one way of
calling his converts (1 Cor. 4:14). Paul called Timothy, for example, as his
beloved and faithful child in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17). The apostle John also
addressed the churches in Asia Minor as little children in his first epistle.
In 1 Cor. 4:15, Paul likens himself to a father to his converts. This
expression shows the apostle’s love for the Galatians.

He said that he is again in labor to see Christ formed
in them. The ESV says that he is in “anguish of childbirth until Christ is
formed” in them. Paul now deals with his intent in contrast to the false
teachers. He used the metaphor of childbirth to illustrate the process he went
through in preaching the gospel to the Galatians. He gave himself over to
preach the gospel to bring the Galatians from being dead to sin to a new
spiritual life. When he said that that he will do it again it means that he
already done this before and he will do it once again because his converts
embraced ideas incongruent to genuine Christianity.

This does not mean that Paul meant that they would
experience another spiritual rebirth. He wanted to see that the Galatians
doesn’t just profess Christ. He wants to see Christ formed in them and this
would mean undergoing pain to preach the truth of the gospel until this intent
is realized. He wants them to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. “Paul
is not looking for a few minor alterations in the Galatians but for such a
transformation that to see them would be to see Christ” (Morris).

Paul wished to be with the Galatians so that he could
change his tone. His desire was to speak to the Galatians in a different way.
It appears that he wanted to talk with them face-to-face rather than discussing
his thoughts in a letter. In this manner, he might be able to address the
questions or concerns of the Galatians readily and answer their queries more
deeply. Another reason is that he could actually show to them that he really
intends their spiritual well-being and he is not an enemy.

The apostle expressed his perplexity about the
Galatians. He could not understand why his Galatian converts turn from the
truth of the gospel into some from of legalism.

Realizations/Applications:
I was a Campus
Crusade student mover back in college. I was quite active then and there was a
time that doing ministry was only thing that matters. My grades suffered and
even my relationships with my friends were affected. I remember that I even got
into an argument with someone because I didn’t care about my studies. Okay na
kami ngayon. =D

I sought to
evangelize and disciple as much student that I could handle. I was quite
persistent in running after them. There was a time that I got so tired and felt
so ineffective to do ministry. There was also a remark from one of my disciples
that I considered a sharp rebuke from the Lord. He said, “Kuya, magaling ka
kaso di mo naman pinagpi-pray mga anak (referring to disciples) mo.” Then I
stopped doing active ministry.

A friend from my
church gave me an audio record of the Workers’ Retreat of my former church up
in Baguio, Guiding Light. The messages gave me encouragement and at the same
time made me think through my ministry years in college with Campus Crusade. I
wonder how many of my gospel sharing and Bible study appointments were done in
the power of the Spirit and how many were done in the flesh. What was my
purpose for doing ministry then?

We were trained to
build spiritual movement through spiritual multiplication. Materials are
available. Trainings and camps are frequent. There is so much time as a student.
But I realized that my heart wasn’t right.

Much of my
introspection dwells on the latter portion of my study of the passage and with
my past personal experience of doing ministry. Being a multiplier in Campus
Crusade is a commendable thing. It means that your disciples are also
discipling others that would disciple others. To be a multiplier was my goal. I
dreamt of seeing multipliers after. In effect, I want to produce multipliers. I
don’t see anything wrong with that. However, the strength and ability to do
that came from me and not from God.

I was trying to
persuade people from my presentation of the gospel. I did Bible studies based
on capabilities. I tried to be a multiplier and I want to produce multipliers
like me from my disciples. Much of which was done in the flesh. Quite odd for a
member of Campus Crusade because the organization promotes being filled by the
Spirit.

Probably, in my proud
heart, I was thinking of making a stamp of my name in the organization or in
the church that I’m a great worker. This is true of my attitude when I was in
Worldwide Church of God. With my involvement with CCC and with my exposure to
other Christian churches, I became indifferent towards our church leaders.
Sabihin na nating nawalan ng bilib. I feel bored when they teach. “Alam ko na
yan,” I would tell myself. Even their outward behaviors and appearance became
an issue.

But how did the
Galatians treat Paul when he first preached the gospel to them while having a
physical ailment? He was not despised! He was not rejected and scorned by the
Galatians. Lessons that I seek to apply
as someone who is at the receiving end, especially in my church now:
1. My attitude to my pastor, our church workers or any
Christian servant should not be determined by their outward appearance.
2. I should neither flatter nor reject workers of the
Lord by their appearance.
3. I should not assess servants of the Master by my
subjective theological persuasions.
4. I
ought to receive the messages preached by our church workers on the authority
of Jesus.

Another subject to consider is the intent of doing
ministry. Did I seek to form Christ in the life of those I sought to disciple?
Did I labor to really see Christ-likeness in my disciples? Did I disciple
others so that other people could see them exhibiting Christ-like characters?
My answers are “No.” I think if probing questions would be asked the answers
would still be “No.” Lessons that I seek to do when God will give me an
opportunity again to disciple or teach others:
1. As I seek to minister to others, I should not be
selfish by seeking to form myself in them. The Judaizers sought the Galatians
so that they would be formed in the mind of the Galatians.
2. Like Paul, I should be selfless by ministering to
others until Christ is formed in them.

The implication of this is that people will be drawn
to the person of Jesus Christ and not to the person who is ministering. That
even if the minister goes away, the people in the ministry will still continue
because it is Christ that they follow. I remember a particular minister back in
college. The minister is good in preaching and he also looks good. There came a
point that the ministry was affected because of his personal problem, actually
the minister sinned. He was removed from the ministry. It caused a great drop
in the attendance of the people who goes to his ministry gatherings. Reason for
this is that the people were attached to him and not to Christ. In fairness to
him, I believe that he did not intend that the people would seek him.

In Col. 1:28, Paul
said, “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all
wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” Forming Christ in
the life of others is not just limited in having people to disciple. “I’m not a
pastor.” “I’m not handling a cell/discipleship group in the church.” “I don’t
have a Bible study group in the office or in the school.” “I’m just a
housewife.” Alibis could go on and on but there is a lot of reasons and
opportunities for Christians to form Christ in the life of others and be able
to present them complete before the Lord.

To say that there is
no opportunity to serve God is a sloppy excuse. I could see idleness and
selfishness as reasons for a Christian who doesn’t want to serve God. There
could still be more. The grace of God in us should be enough motivation to make
us serve God in any capacity. I’m now serving God in the Technical Committee of
my church. As far as I’m concerned, my skills and knowledge is far from those
of my teammates. But realizing the immensity of God’s grace in my life and
learning the intent of Paul’s ministry to the Galatians encouraged me to get
going. Sabi nga ng mga kasama ko, “The congregation will appreciate the message
of our pastor kung di maganda ang sound system.” I realized that I’m part of
making the members of my church becoming more like Christ, kahit hindi ako
nagtuturo ng Word.

Parents are given the
responsibility to raise their children according to Word of God. Biblical child
rearing espouses the same principles of making someone become like Christ. When
counseling someone, what words or principles are given? Counseling must be
based on what the Scriptures say and not what popular psychology say. When you
counsel someone with the Truth inspired by God it will bring life. That person
who receives counsel is pointed to God and that person becomes more of a person
that He wants him to be.

I like what John Piper said in one of his sermons. He
wants to see more of his church members in Bethlehem Baptist Church to become
more like Christ. Piper is one of the preachers I admire. Siguro, given the
opportunity to meet him personally, I would say to him, “I want to be like
you.” But I also think that he would say in response, “I would want you to be
like Christ.”

How about you my friend, what is the intent of your
ministry? As a teacher, what do you want to see in your students while teaching
them? What ministry are you trying to create, a ministry of Christ-like people
or strategy-driven people? As a parent, how do you want your kids to grow up?
As the boss in your office, are you influencing people under you to exhibit
Christ-like attitudes in the workplace?

I pray that by God’s grace we will become more like
the Lord Jesus Christ and that we will help others who are given to us by God
to become more like Jesus.

Dreams are often deceiving. It cannot be trusted. It’s
unreliable even if the people, the emotions, the places and the circumstances
appear to be true. But I often enjoy my dreams, especially if I would meet her
in this illusory world. Thrice ko pa lang naman siya napapanaginipan.

Too much enjoyment in dreams causes a mixture of
feelings. I would either feel frustrated or happy. There’s a certain kilig,
especially if the dream revolve around her. Sa awitin nga ng M.Y.M.P., “Talaga
naman, nakakabighani/Talaga naman, nakakagulat/Nakakapagtaka, ba’t ka nasa
isip/Nakakapanghinayang, sana’y maulit.” But I have to wake up to the reality
that I’m not holding her hand and the possibility of spending time with her is
remote to my dream. Southborder sang it right, “Sinungaling na panaginip.”

Anyway, natatawa lang
ako sa sarili ko sa tuwing naririnig ko ang mga kantang nagpapahiwatig ng
pagiging hopeless romantic ng tao. Nakaka-relate kasi.

Her countenance is
sweet and kind. You could just imagine the gentleness of her spirit. Just to
see her really blows my heart away. Makita ko lang buhok niya buo na araw ko.
Madalas even the trivial things in the person would be the most important thing
for the infatuated person. May kakilala nga ako, makita niya lang bubong ng
bahay ng mahal niya buo na araw niya.

Hay! Sa palagay ko
patuloy ko pa rin akong makikikanta sa Southborder, “Sa tulog ko lang ba kita
maaaring makamtan/’Di ba puwedeng makasama ka sa ibang paraan/O Diyos ko,
tulungan mong maging totoo/Ang panaginip kong ito…”

More than two years had passed since I broke with my
non-Christian girlfriend. She was the second non-Christian girl I got seriously
involved with. These relationships brought a lot of compromises and sins.
Frustrations and guilt were present. There was no real joy in these
relationships knowing that I’m not doing the will of God.

Of course, I must admit that there were other pursuits
that I did. Perhaps I just don’t feel “lucky” with Christian girls. Having been
turned down by a female friend during college brought me so much pain that made
me think that pursuing a Christian girl is insufferable. I can still the feel
pain until now whenever I see her. It’s not that I can’t go over with the
rejection. It’s just that there are questions unanswered and I don’t think she
would find it sensible to talk about it. But I try to be in good terms with her
although it’s really a struggle.

Perchance it would be easier to do “evange-ligaw” in
the past rather than be rejected again. In a sense, it was my way of getting
even with the unreachable Christian girls I know. It’s like saying, “You’re not
just the pretty face around here.” I would be more successful to have a
girlfriend with non-Christians than with Christians.

My break up with my first non-Christian girlfriend,
whom I really feel in love with, caused me so much pain. So I promised not to
mess up, inspired by Joshua Harris’ book on courtship. I was considering a
beautiful friend. I was about to graduate from college then and she would be
left to continue with her studies. But I didn’t feel threatened. I told myself
not pursue her until she graduates. Only my male friends and a very few
confidante know about my feelings for her.

Since, I wasn’t seeing this beautiful friend, I ended
up messing my life with another non-Christian girl. A few months after I broke
up with my girlfriend, I found out that my beautiful friend is involved with a
non-Christian. Sila pa rin until now. Odd!

Odd kasi marami akong kilala na may gusto sa kapwa
Kristiyano pero nanligaw ng hindi Kristiyano. May iba naman na ang hirap
ligawan, ang magpapasagot lang pala ay non-Christian. Anyway, I wasn’t
expecting that much when I considered my beautiful friend. She’s one of the
girls I consider na unreachable.

I enjoyed the sinfulness of these pursuits and I have
repented thereof. I sought the Lord and offered my sinful heart to be cleansed.
I promised not to pursue any relationship until I learn that I could live
without a girlfriend. By God’s grace I was able to live singleness with
contentment.

In the course of enjoying a life of singleness, I laid
before God my desire to pursue another Christian friend. I sought the Lord, I
prayed for her, I had peace in my heart, I sought counsel and accountability
from friends and I took some principles in courtship offered by Joshua Harris.
I was ready to do what is right before God. And I was ready whatever the result
may be. If it’s favorable, then praise God. If I’m rejected again, then praise
God because I did what’s right.

I told my friend my intention to court her a year ago.
She became more elusive after I told her my intent. Communicating to her became
difficult. It was really difficult. I didn’t want to pursue her unless I have
the permission. I feel led by God not to make an active courtship with this
particular friend unless she consents. I waited for one year and I end up being
rejected.

She was the second Christian girl to reject me. I
think there’s nothing new with it. Actually, I didn’t feel the pain of her
rejection. Of course, I want to spend my whole life with her and not just to be
my girlfriend but she doesn’t want to explore the possibility of a relationship
beyond our present friendship. What can I do? There’s no point in shedding
tears for a mere rejection. Hindi naman sukatan ng tunay na pagmamahal kung
iniiyakan ang isang babae o nasaktan ng husto dahil na-busted.

I could only say that it was by the grace of God that
I made it that far in waiting for her response. And it is only by His grace
that I didn’t feel any pain when she rejected me. I have a better hope in Jesus
compared to earthly relationships.

Mga ilang araw na ring wala ang pamilya ko. Mahirap
mag-isa lalo na kung maraming aasikasuhin. Nasanay na ako na kakain na lang
bago pumasok sa opisina o pagkagaling sa trabaho. Nasanay na rin ako na
ginigising ako ni Mommy sa umaga kahit na kusa naman akong nagigising. Unang araw pa nga lang na wala sila ay na-miss ko na si Mommy. Para
ngang gusto kong maiyak.

Kasama ko ang aming mga alagang aso at pusa. Tinitiis
ko ang paglilinis ng kanilang mga dumi. Buti na lang at sa banyo dumudumi si
Minggay. Nakakasuka madalas pero wala naman akong magagawa. Pahirap pa itong
mga manok.

Kaninang umaga lang ay muntik ko nang mapatay yung
tandang namin. Sinabong ba naman ako! Sana kung nagasgasan lang ako o tinuka,
kaso bumaon yung matalim niyang kuko sa gilid ng tuhod ko. Nagdugo siya kaagad.
Sa inis ko di na ako nahilo sa nakita kung dugo. Paika-ika tuloy akong maglakad
dahil sa sugat na natamo ko. Hay naku, muntik na talaga siyang maging
pinikpikan!

Naisip ko tuloy uli si Mommy. Halos araw-araw na siya
ang nag-aasikaso ng mga hayop na ito. Di na siya nandidiri sa mga dumi. Dahil
walang ibang magpapakain sa mga manok, araw-araw din siyang natutuka o
nasasabong nung tandang. Marahil may technique na nga siya sa pagpapakain kaya
di siya nakakaranas ng bangis nung tandang.

Huwag ko kaya pakainin yung mga manok… hehe! Pero
salamat sa mga hayop na ito. Lalo pa nilang pinakita sa akin ang kahalagahan ng
mga sakripisyo ng Mommy ko.