You Cannot Compromise the Gospel

Galatians 5:7–12 (NIV),

⁷ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ⁹ “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” ¹⁰ I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹² As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Paul encourages them and admonishes them at the same time.  They were running well as long as they were obeying the truth. "They believed and lived rightly: but now they did not so, since they were misled by the false apostles." [1]  "Who cut in on you?"  They were running a race so well but another runner cut into their lane pushing them off course; slowing up their progress.  The appeal of the "judaizers" is not from God.  I cannot be.

Now here we come to an insightful statement: "A little yeast works through the whole batch."  How many times do we entertain alliances with those who have "just a little yeast."  Roman Catholicism, which is modern day Judaism in its priesthood and sacraments is touted as Christians as just a little wrong!  Paul gives no room for those who do not believe in justification by faith alone to be in the same camp as those who do.  Giving in on this one little area opens up multitudes of more error.

Verse 10 shows Paul's confidence that those who are truly in Christ will come to their senses and that those who are seeking to lead them astray will receive retribution from the Lord.  These people may have been accusing Paul of preaching circumcision to the Jews and otherwise to the Gentiles. But he responds to say that if he was preaching circumcision, why are the Jews persecuting him? No, there is one message, the message of the Cross.  "The Cross uproots the doctrine of salvation by human merit. Salvation is by grace alone, and justification is by faith alone; there can be no compromise." [2]

Then Paul makes this scathing condemnation: “I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.” (Galatians 5:12, NLT). "All the ancient Greek interpreters and most modern scholars apply this to the self-mutilation practiced by the heathen priests of Cybele. Paul speaks with satire."  [2]

Again, we mustn't escape the truth that false doctrine infects our lives; those that promote false doctrine neither care for our soul or care for the Cross.  It seems unseemly for Christians to speak with such vehemence but strong words carry with it the passion of intolerance.  Intolerance is necessary when it comes to matters of the Gospel.

Father, the infiltration of culture and postmodern thought causes us to bristle at Paul's caustic and sarcastic comments. Yet it shows the response of the righteous to those who mess with Your Good News.  Grant me such an inward grace and persuasion that I will not compromise the Truth by saying what is wrong, or not saying what is wrong.  May the power of the Cross pervade my convictions.  Yet, in Paul here, I see a man who had confidence in You and in those whom You have called.  Praise God that those truly bought with Your blood are kept by Your Power.  You are the Victor.  You are the King.  You reign.  Amen!

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:7). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2397). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.