What is the greatest threat to spiritual progress?
Oct 12, 2011
The Race for Grace - part eighteen in a study of the book of Galatians
By Mike Gaudet
“Progress, not perfection.” Good to remember when we talk about spirituality.
What is the greatest threat to spiritual progress?
“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Galatians 5:7-8
The Christians in Galatia had been “running a good race.” They were making strides spiritually when their progress in the faith came to an abrupt halt. Someone “cut in on them” and “kept them from obeying the truth.” Because of this interference, compassion had given way to comparison and joy had given way to judgment.
When Paul left Galatia to preach the gospel elsewhere, other foreign “missionaries” arrived. They convinced the new believers that in order to make spiritual progress it was necessary for them to observe Jewish customs, such as circumcision.
Due to this influence a growing number of males in the church were literally allowing themselves to be “cut in on.” The image is not merely of a runner cutting off another runner. Self-proclaimed messengers of God were literally “cutting” in on recent Christian converts by circumcising them.
The physical impact of such a procedure on the ability to run a race needs no elaboration. Paul, however, spells out the spiritual impact using the strongest possible language. “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.” Galatians 5:2
According to Paul, conceding to Jewish circumcision amounted to committing spiritual suicide.
The impact on the church in Galatia justified just such an assessment. The spiritual atmosphere had become toxic. Paul wonders aloud, “What happened to all your joy?” Galatians 4:15 Rather than “praying” with one another they were “preying” on one another. Paul issues a dire prediction: “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:15
When we consider influences that impede spiritual progress, we normally think of secular influences. The lure of money, sex and power is seen as the greatest challenge to spiritual growth. Interestingly enough, Paul was more concerned with the challenge of sacred influences than secular ones. Those who claimed to speak for God but misrepresented Him posed the gravest danger as far as he was concerned.
The individuals who advocated this “painful pit stop” were persuasive. They knew the Bible. They were passionate. They appeared to be devout. And while they claimed to speak for God, Paul declared: “That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Lest there be any doubt as to the intensity of his opposition to these intruders Paul vehemently adds, “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!” Galatians 5:12
It is important to note that in the Bible the harshest rhetoric is directed toward sacred authorities, not secular ones. Jesus and Paul were more concerned with sacred legalism than they were with secular humanism!
God never places His acceptance on the far side of trying hard to keep the commandments. Trying to be justified, declared righteous, by observing Old Testament laws regarding circumcision, holy day observances, dietary restrictions and tithing is a path that cannot and will not connect to God.
While circumcision might no longer be a common expression of religious devotion, we are still prone to equate other forms of commandment keeping with moving ahead spiritually. It’s easy for us to reason that “God loves me, but He will love me even more if I . . .” and we fill in the blank with expressions of religious devotion like praying, fasting, giving, church attendance, and service.
It’s easy for us to imagine that disciplined, determined effort is the essential ingredient if we are to attain our spiritual goal. The reality is that the Spirit of God is wholly responsible for whatever spiritual advancement we experience. God’s Spirit will never draw us toward the Ten Commandments in order to draw us to God. “. . . if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.” Galatians 5:18