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Gálatas 4

Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin

Gálatas 4

Morris adds, "alētheuō in Eph 4:15 is normally understood as 'speaking the truth in love,' and this may be the sense of it. But in English we do not have a verb meaning 'to truth,' and it is worth bearing in mind that sometimes in the New Testament truth is a quality of action as well as of speech (e.g. Jn 3:21). It is quite possible that the writer means that Christians are to act truly, and that if they do they will act in love" (Testaments of Love, 237)." (Discovery Bible) J

Gálatas 4

Morris - Ishmael, who was fourteen years older than Isaac, no doubt had been hoping (along with his mother Hagar) that he would inherit Abraham's wealth. Therefore, he viciously mocked little Isaac the day Isaac was weaned (Genesis 21:8,9), and it became obvious that Isaac would be in danger as long as Ishmael and Hagar were a part of the household. Similarly, Paul says, those who trust in salvation by grace through faith alone will be subject to mocking and persecution by those who wish to impose legalistic bondage or pagan philosophy on the church, as long as they are permitted to have an influence there. (persecuted in Defender's Study Bible) Donald Campbell - Paul likened the Judaizers to Ishmael as those who were born out of legalistic self-effort; he charged that they continued to persecute the true believers who were born by the power of the Spirit. With few exceptions Paul’s persecution came from the Jews, the people in bondage to the Law. (BKC) Rapa - Paul would have the Galatians understand that the presence of those who would confuse and harass them by distorting the message of the gospel and so rob them of their freedom in Christ (cf. Gal 1:7+; Gal 3:1–5+) is nothing new in God’s redemptive program. (See context in Galatians ) James Montgomery Boice gives us a solemn word of warning that the persecution Christians face “will not always be by the world but also and indeed more often by their half-brothers – the unbelieving but religious people in the nominal church. This is the lesson of history...Today the greatest enemies of the believing church are found among the members of the unbelieving church, the greatest opposition emanating from pulpits and church hierarchies.” John Stott adds to Boice's comment - "It has always been so. The Lord Jesus was bitterly opposed, rejected, mocked and condemned by His own nation. The fiercest opponents of the apostle Paul, who dogged his footsteps and stirred up strife against him, were the official church, the Jews. The monolithic structure of the medieval papacy persecuted all Protestant minorities with ruthless, unremitting ferocity. And the greatest enemies of the evangelical faith today are not unbelievers, who when they hear the gospel often embrace it, but the church, the establishment, the hierarchy. Isaac is always mocked and persecuted by Ishmael." (See context in The Message of Galatians) Jack Arnold adds that "Grace is always persecuted by law and this is even true in fundamental Christian circles. Those who hold strongly to sovereign elective grace in salvation are persecuted by those who hold some form of human free will in salvation. Persecution for belief in the doctrines of grace should be expected and should not discourage those who hold to these precious truths. Persecution is an evidence that one is teaching grace rather than law, good works or human merit in salvation." (The Incompatibility of law and Grace) John