In none of Paul’s Epistles does he “fight” any harder for his people, his converts, than he does in Galatians! Fight for the purity of their faith, I mean. For their orthodoxy, “right belief!”

It is clear that infiltrators have “crept in” those Assemblies (in Galatia), several little Bible-believing Churches! (“Crept in” in Jude’s language!)

Men who say Paul has been “wrong” in his preaching, wrong about the Gospel! That salvation is NOT A GIFT! That Jesus ALONE can NOT save! That the august Law of Moses, obeying it, is the way into God’s good Favor!

And these “Judaizers” have been successful, at least to some degree, in  tragically “turning” the Galatian believers, themselves fairly new converts to Jesus!

Paul has begun to believe his loved ones in Galatia have been “bewitched!”

Or “removed” from faith in Jesus! (That they have now placed their faith elsewhere, “metatithemi” in Greek.)

To “another Gospel,” a false gospel!

They are leaving the true Faith, enough people in number, that Paul has even called them “foolish!” (As in … “have you lost your minds?”)

And by Galatians chapter 4, the great Apostle will finally admit: “I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.” See that concession? “I STAND IN DOUBT OF YOU!”

Wow!

But, and here’s the point of today’s Lesson, it took Paul quite a while to ever “doubt” his little “family” (in the Faith) there in Galatia, that whole area.

He does not “want” to concede defeat to the devil in this vital matter!

Paul is burdened, maybe even pained, over this issue.

Like a mother “in travail” with child! (“My little children, of whom I TRAVAIL IN BIRTH again until Christ be formed in you.” Galatians 4:19)

But now let’s look at today’s Text, Galatians 3:4. (We only discussed the first half of this verse yesterday.) “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.” 

Notice Paul hopes: “IF IT BE YET IN VAIN!”

Paul does not want to give up!

“Vain” (in Greek “eike”) means “without purpose.”

Almost “to the point of failure!”

Paul may “lose” these fledgling believers … but not “yet!”

He even employs a compound word for “yet!” Three letters in English, and still “compound?” Yes!

A lot must be hinging on Paul’s “yet” here!

It’s (“yet”) spelled “eige” in Greek. A blend of “ei” and “ge,” literally. Four (4) letters in that precise language! Folks, “ei” alone is the word for “if,” but its accompanying “ge” here means “indeed, truly, doubtless!” Very strong!

See it?

Paul is reluctant to “lose” a single soul from any of his Churches!

He wants his “fruit” to “remain!” That was Jesus’ Desire for us too: “That ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your FRUIT should REMAIN.” John 15:16

But how do we apply this tenacity of Paul, this Spirit induced optimism?

DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR LOVED ONES, EITHER! THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN EVIDENCE OF SALVATION … BUT ARE TOTTERING ON THE BRINK OF UNFAITHFULNESS!!!

Keep praying for him!

Talk to her and uplift our Lord every chance you get!

Build that “bridge of communication!” (That’s exactly what Galatians is, the whole Epistle! True, it is also a superb “defense” of the Faith!)

No matter how bad things look, think about them like Paul did about his beloved Galatians … “If it be yet in vain!”

“Lord, give us that kind of hope, we pray.”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell