Be As I Am

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Galatians 4:12-20. As Paul continued to write his letter to the churches of Galatia He addressed his brethren, almost begging them, and saying, “Be as I am.” Why would Paul say to the Galatians “Be as I am?” Wasn’t Paul trying to point these people to Christ?  Could you say to someone “Be as I am?”

Paul was walking in the freedom of Christ, not in the bondage of the law. He wanted the Galatians to walk in that same freedom. They’d been taught about the freedom they could have in Christ, but they’d let other people persuade them to go back to living under the law and trying to obey all the laws that were established in the Old Testament before Jesus Christ gave His life in remission for our sins.

You can tell in this portion of Paul’s letter that he loved the Galatians. He’d been a part of them before, when he was there preaching to them. He had a heart for them and he wanted them to be free.

Paul says, “You know how I preached the gospel to you even though I had ill-health. You didn’t reject me because of my thorn in my flesh, but you received me as a messenger of God, just like you would have treated Jesus Christ himself.” Paul also speaks of having a thorn in the flesh in Corinthians. There is a lot of speculation about what Paul’s physical ailment was, but nobody really knows.

Paul remembers that they would’ve done anything for him, even plucked out their eyes and given them to him if it was possible. Now that Paul was telling them the truth, he wondered if they would consider him to be their enemy.

Paul warns the Galatians that those people who wanted everyone to be legalistic were trying to influence them so they would follow them. They were trying to draw the Galatians away from the freedom they have in Christ and exclude them from the other Christians. But Paul wants the Galatians to be passionate about serving Christ always and not just when he is there with them. Paul knows they could have zeal for things that were good or bad, but warns them that it is dangerous to have zeal for things which are wrong.

Paul calls the Galatians, “my little children.” This shows his love for them. Paul compares himself to a woman giving birth, saying he is travailing in birth again until Christ is formed in them. Paul thought he had birthed the Galatians into the family of God when he’d been with them before, but now that this situation came up, he felt like he needed to bring them to Christ all over again. Paul wished he could be with the Galatians because he had great concern for them and doubted they were on the right path he’d set them on. He wanted the best for the Galatians.

As a minister of the gospel, God had given Paul a great love, compassion, and concern for the people he had ministered to. In this Scripture you can hear the love, compassion, and concern in Paul’s writing. He is concerned that the people he’d led to the Lord earlier were being led astray.

Paul wasn’t trying to influence the people to be his followers, but wanted them to have a strong desire for following Christ and to live in the freedom that Christ died for them to have. Are you passionate about following Christ? Have you accepted the freedom of Christ in your life or are you still trying to keep the law?

 

Daily Bible Reading:

Galatians 4:12-20

12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

 

Things to think about:

• What did Paul mean by saying, “Be like me?”
• What would give you the right to tell someone to be like you?
• What does it mean to you to be passionate about following Christ and sharing the gospel with others?

 

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture in the book of Galatians where we see Paul’s true love and concern for the Galatians. Help us to be zealous about following Christ and living in the freedom He died to give us. Help us to be zealous about sharing the gospel of Christ with others. Help us to be on guard against those who might try to lead us astray. Thank You for the pastors, teachers, and leaders that You send into our lives to lead us to You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

 

Daily Bible Verse:

 

– This is an excerpt from my book:

The Book of Galatians: Paul’s Letter to the Churches of Galatia

Click the link above to get your copy now!

 

Christian Music Video:

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

 

Featured Book:

The Book of Galatians: Paul’s Letter to the Churches of Galatia

By Deborah H. Bateman

The Book of Galatians: Paul’s Letter to the Churches of Galatia is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of Galatians. The book of Galatians is in the New Testament and is one of Paul’s letters. He wrote this letter to the churches of Galatia.

Paul is concerned that the people of Galatia are being taught something different than the true gospel, which he taught them earlier. Paul goes to great lengths to make sure they understand the difference between living under the law and living under the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Galatians: Paul’s Letter to the Churches of Galatia contains sixteen Daily Bible Reading lessons. Each lesson consists of a brief commentary, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions for contemplation called, “Things to think about,” and a prayer for the day. This book is great to use for both personal Bible study and group Bible studies.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.

Go to: Amazon

Get your copy now!

 

Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman to receive
Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

 

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

Bible Verse Tweet

Recipe for Life