Paul the Apostle, using his magnificent Holy Spirit induced logic, asks the Galatian Christians: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Galatians 4:16

Paul had earlier told them that they were being “deceived” by a group of wrong headed Preachers from a city far away! (For example … “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?” Galatians 3:1)

Apparently, some of the Galatians bristled at Paul’s implication!

Hence, today’s Text and its simple question. “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

This Line reminds me of Proverbs 27:6, and may have been Paul’s basis for the query. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

Wow!

Psalm 141:5 is astounding as well, in this particular context! “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”

Or what about Revelation 3:19 Jesus Himself talking? “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

Sounds like, in Bible parlance: IF YOU LOVE PEOPLE, YOU WILL AT LEAST TELL THEM THE TRUTH!

And not to tell the truth, to “lie” instead? “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” Proverbs 10:18

Come to think of it, if you preach Jesus to anyone … you are automatically telling him or her the truth! Because our Lord taught, declared: “I am the Truth!” John 14:6

And Paul had certainly preached Jesus to the Galatian people! 

But these “weak” Christians in that primitive Roman (heathen) Province had come to the place they were about to spurn the Truth … and accept a bunch of lies! 

Thus becoming “slaves” to “error!”

So Paul warned them, directly so!

Oh, the Lord Jesus again: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32, indeed! Yes, the Truth delivers from such erroneous slavery!

If you have a Preacher who does that each week, tells you the truth, do not be offended! Thank God for him! And treat him as a friend, certainly not as an enemy!

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Galatians 4:16, a short verse today, but well worth pondering!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Oh yes, there’s a balance here. We are also to be “speaking the truth in love“ (Ephesians 4:15) … but still “speaking the truth” nonetheless!