Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brothers unawares brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus… I. THE LIBERTY ASSAILED. It was a liberty in Christ. This liberty meant being exempt from the requirements of the ceremonial law. II. THIS LIBERTY WAS THREATENED BY FALSE BRETHREN. They were traitors. III. THIS ATTEMPT UPON THE LIBERTY OF THE CHURCH WAS FIRMLY AND COURAGEOUSLY RESISTED. 1. Paul firmly adhered to the truth of the gospel. "Truth precise, unaccommodating, abandons nothing that belongs to itself, admits nothing that is inconsistent with it." — Bengel. 2. The refusal to submit was absolute. He would not give way by subjection, no, not for an hour. "In things indifferent we may well, out of love, yield something of our liberty to the good of the weak. But where men would press these upon us as necessary to salvation, and our yielding would have the appearance of bringing the truth of the gospel into jeopardy, we should never yield." — Starke.We may renounce our liberty for love's sake, but we must not let ourselves be robbed of it for the truth of the gospel's sake. We must cling to that which is abiding. "The law is something transient, the gospel is permanent." Lessons: 1. In the best state of the Christian Church, false brethren may creep in. 2. "False brethren are the most dangerous enemies to liberty. Weak brethren disturb it; false brethren undermine and destroy it." 3. To preserve the truth should be the first duty of Christians. (R. Nicholls.) Parallel Verses KJV: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: |
    |