Ruining Good Horses

Galatians 4:7-20

My brother Terry has always been involved in breaking and training horses. He trains them as working horses, and is continuously looking for a better way to help the horse understand what he wants. He has a lot of people who bring their horses to him as a result.

We were driving one day and saw a sign naming one of the nationally known team ropers. Terry said he’d never sell that man a horse, or train one for him. When I asked why Terry explained that it would take at least a year to train a horse to do what the guy wanted, and within six months, the roper would have him so upset that no one would be able to rope of the horse again, and retraining would be required before most people could even ride the horse.

The guy is so focused on winning that he ruins two or three horses every year. When he misses a throw, or fails to win a round, he gets so angry he begins to abuse the horse. Before long, the horse begins to try to do something to prevent the abuse, usually making the problem worse. Soon it reaches the point where he is punished every time he is ridden, and he decides it’s better just not to allow anyone to ride him. Terry would have too much invested in training the horse to have it ruined so casually.

Paul is expressing a similar feeling about the Galatians. He had taught them how to be saved and serve God by faith. Before he went to Galatia, they had no understanding of who God was or what he required. While they haven’t gone back to the old idols, they are trying to worship God in the same way, enslaving themselves to various rules.

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” (Galatians 4:7-10)

They had gone back to things that they had been delivered from , so that it is like they had not really ever been taught. They are actually almost worse off than if they had not received the word. They may be like the spoiled horse, needing more retraining than was required the first time just to get back to a minimal spiritual level.

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23)

Like Terry, Paul was concerned that the effort he had expended teaching them how to live as Christians would turn out to have been wasted, although he was not the one who would suffer for it.

“I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 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. 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. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:11-16)

Just as the team roper would punish the horse for his own mistakes, and cause the horse to treat every one as an enemy, teachers who teach a necessity of following their rules can convince their pupils that everyone who doesn’t follow their rules is evil, creating strife and division in the church. They are often very zealous, but misplaced is very harmful. The teachers are not seeking the benefit of the people, but a sense of their own superiority.

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.” (Galatians 4:17-18)

Jesus warned of judgment on those who made all the rules in Luke 11:52 “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” By their emphasis on the physical, they have taken away any spiritual basis. They have rejected Christ themselves and are trying to prevent others following him. Paul warned the Colossians not to allow themselves to be influenced by such guidelines, nor to be tricked out of their rewards in giving in to such things and allowing other things to take Christ’s place.

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” (Colossians 2:16-19)

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.” )Galatians 4:19-20) For Paul, it is almost like giving birth, fearing the baby won’t survive.