GALATIANS 4:8-20
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you [from us], so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Paul has argued for his gospel of justification by faith on the basis of his personal history, the Galatians' conversion history, and Scripture's salvation history. His formal arguments are almost complete – one may consider 4:21-31 the actual conclusion. And now he turns to make a direct and personal appeal to his readers to come to their senses regarding this matter.

He reminds them of their former condition. Under paganism, they "did not know God," but they were "slaves to those who by nature are not gods." They adhered to "weak and miserable principles." And this is Paul's estimation of their former religion – they were ignorant, enslaved, and wretched.

In an age when "tolerance" is touted as a supreme virtue, it is unpopular to ascribe such damning terms to non-Christian religions. Even those preachers and theologians who are otherwise faithful to biblical principles attempt to present Christianity as, in some sense, a "tolerant" religion. But tolerance is merely a narrow cultural virtue that is without support from Scripture, and not given sympathy even in many other cultures. Christians are under no obligation to accommodate its irrational principles and implications.

Christianity is nonviolent, but it is not at all tolerant – that is, its stance is one of nonviolent intolerance. This is because it is an authoritative and comprehensive revelation from God. As such, it is under no obligation to tolerate, entertain, accommodate, compromise with any other religion or philosophy, just as God is under no obligation to do these things with his rebellious creatures. In fact, it would spell spiritual treason to do these things in his name. One important measure of our devotion to God, Scripture, and Truth is in how much we detest and despise non-Christian religions and philosophies.

Tolerance is no virtue – it either means that the tolerant person does not know the truth (so that he must keep an "open" mind), or that he does not value the truth (so that he will not defend truth and destroy error). He is either a fool or a coward. On the other hand, biblical intolerance arises from the knowledge of the truth, the conviction of its importance, and humility and obedience toward God. In any case, Paul is neither a fool nor a coward.

Through the gospel, the Galatians have come to know God, or as Paul quickly adds, "or rather known by God." This sense of "know" is not that of a discovery of new information, as if God did not know about the Galatians before Paul preached to them. Rather, it refers to a personal and intimate relationship. Although the Galatians have come to know God through the gospel, it is God who first come to "know" them in initiating and establishing a personal relationship with them by his sovereign decree. There is embedded here, then, a reminder of the privilege of being among those whom God has chosen for salvation.

Here is the astounding thing. In letting themselves be swayed by the Judaizers, the Galatians are turning away from this – a personal relationship with God according to his sovereign grace and election – back to the enslavement of paganism. Considering what they are turning away from, and what they are turning back to, the move is completely senseless.

And here is another astounding thing. Paul marvels, "You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!" Yet these are not pagan festivals that he is referring to, but important dates on the Jewish calendar. We understand that there is a sense in which the observance of special days could be tolerated (Romans 14:5-6), but the Galatians are taught to observe them for justification before God and other spiritual attainments. Paul's position is that this is like returning to paganism, back to ignorance and enslavement. And this is also his assessment of the Judaizers' religion. The implication for Catholicism is obvious – although it presents a Christian front, it is a pagan religion. The same condemnation applies to those who attach too much significance to the liturgical calendar in their ministry and worship.

Paul has reminded them of their personal relationship with God, what they would be turning away from and turning back to if they continue to follow the Judaizers' doctrine. But now the apostle appeals to them on the basis of his personal relationship with them. Although it is proper to teach believers to follow Christ rather than his messengers, and to urge them to avoid a party or sectarian spirit, it is in fact unbiblical to give the impression that they are to be completely neutral or even disloyal to their ministers.

Paul writes to Timothy, "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner" (2 Timothy 1:8). It is proper for a minister to appeal to personal loyalty as a secondary argument. Just as our loyalty to Christ should not weaken our loyalty to parents and friends, but rather strengthen it (albeit only "in the Lord"), to discourage personal loyalty to the ministers that God introduces to us in his providence tends to foster the strong fickle tendency that is already dormant in many believers, and to undermine the stability of faith that could be maintained by these relationships.

Paul recalls the initial reception that the Galatians gave him. He was diverted to their area "because of an illness," and while there he preached the gospel to them. Various theories have been offered concerning the nature of the illness. Was it malaria? Was it the "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) that he mentions elsewhere? Some suggest that it could have been an ailment related to his eyes, since Paul writes in verse 15, "if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me." But this is probably just a figure of speech indicating their initial respect and hospitality.

Of course, the precise nature of the illness is unimportant. The important point is that although his condition could have been a stumbling block to the Galatians, they did not despise him, but instead welcomed him "as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself." So Paul appeals to them on the basis of this relationship. What has happened to them that they are now turning away from him? "Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

Paul's concern was for them. He regards them as his brothers and children in the Lord, and even now he is in agony because of them. But the Judaizers are zealous to win them over, so that the Galatians may be zealous for them! In other words, the false teachers did not have truth or the Galatians' best interest in mind, but they wanted to make followers for themselves. Paul is perplexed that they would turn from a loving and trusting relationship with the apostle, to the destructive and enslaving yoke that the Judaizers now attempts to place upon them. It is, again, a completely senseless move.

Therefore, his personal appeal to them is, "I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you." Paul lived like a Gentile when he was among them (2:14). Consistent with his message, he did not insist on following Jewish customs and regulations for himself, nor did he impose these upon the converts. Now he pleads with the Galatians, "become like me," as one who affirms and practices a gospel of justification by faith in Christ apart from circumcision, the works of the law, or Jewish customs and regulations.

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